Is Connecticut a No-Fault State?

Getting your life back on track after a car accident often requires collecting financial compensation so that you can pay for your necessary medical treatments and vehicle repairs. In Connecticut, the recovery process starts with identifying who is at fault for causing your car accident. This is because Connecticut is a fault insurance state, not a no-fault state. Learn more about how this insurance system works.

Connecticut Is an At-Fault State

The two main types of car insurance systems are fault and no-fault. In a fault state, also called a tort-based state, the party who pays for an auto accident is the one who caused the crash. The rule is that the accident victim must prove that the other party is at fault for the crash through a preponderance of the evidence, or clear and convincing evidence. This can make it more difficult to obtain financial compensation for the car accident, but the insurance benefits available are often greater with this type of claim.

In a no-fault state, on the other hand, fault for a car accident is irrelevant. Rather than the at-fault driver bearing liability, or financial responsibility, for the car accident, all drivers will file claims with their own car insurance providers, regardless of fault. Drivers in no-fault states do not have to prove fault or liability to collect benefits from their own insurance providers. Instead, they will have medical payment or personal injury protection insurance to pay for their losses, regardless of fault. The amount available, however, may be less than in a fault-based claim.

The insurance claims in fault states like Connecticut, those that are brought against other drivers’ insurance companies, are third-party claims. Claims filed with a driver’s own insurer are first-party claims. In Connecticut, the driver that did not cause the car accident always has the right to file a third-party insurance claim. In a no-fault state, however, the only time drivers can act outside of the no-fault system and file third-party claims is if their injuries are severe.

What Types of Insurance Are Required in Connecticut?

In Connecticut, the at-fault insurance system means that all motor vehicle operators must purchase liability insurance coverage. This type of car insurance pays for someone else’s medical bills and losses, not the policyholder’s. It is a way of guaranteeing that a driver has the funds to cover the costs of a car accident that he or she causes. It is against the law in Connecticut to drive without at least the following types and amounts of automobile insurance:

• $25,000 in bodily injury liability for one person
• $50,000 in bodily injury liability for two or more people (per accident)
• $15,000 in property damage liability

In a no-fault state, drivers must carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance in addition to liability coverage to pay for their own damages. If you get into a car accident in Connecticut with an uninsured or underinsured driver, you will need a special type of insurance on your own policy to pay for your losses, such as uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance. If you don’t have this type of insurance, you have to file a personal injury lawsuit instead.

How Should You File a Car Insurance Claim in Connecticut?

If you get into a car accident in Connecticut, start building a claim against the other driver as early as possible since you will need to prove that the driver is at fault. Do not admit fault for the car crash yourself. Call the police to report the accident and to help you gather evidence. Take photographs of the scene of the crash and write down the names and phone numbers of any witnesses. Then, without delay, contact a car accident lawyer in Stratford for assistance with the claims process. A lawyer can help you file a claim with the car insurance company of the other driver in accordance with Connecticut’s fault-based law.