It’s that dreaded season again, time for you to renew your car insurance policy. For some time now, you’ve been considering using a different company to ascertain if you can save any money. At the appointment with your new agent, he asks, “Would you like to select Limited Tort? You will save on your premium.” For the shortsighted person, the inquiry ends there and also the answer is YES! Anything to save money. For the respected thinkers amount us, though, the inquiry should go much further. What exactly is Limited Tort? Its an option on your car insurance policy that essentially waives your to recover for pain and suffering if you are injured in an accident. In return for this, you save a few dollars in your insurance premium. The savings varies case by case, and depends upon how old you are, location and quantity of drivers in your home, amongst other things. We are the only drivers within our home, and we have been in our mid 30’s. Our savings for a six month policy would have been $17. Others that I know have been offered more substantial savings, up to a few $ 100 per year. The question for you personally is whether or not the savings makes it worth while. With my case, $17 clearly is not. Being an attorney and coping with Limited Tort cases on the daily basis, there is probably no amount that might be worthwhile in my experience.

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You need to realize precisely what you are quitting when you purchase Limited Tort. You are giving up your right to sue for suffering and pain that may occur in an auto accident which was not your fault. Picture yourself sitting at a red light, waiting for the signal to turn green. An unattentive driver strikes you from behind, forcing you into the steering wheel. A person suffers a broken nose, broken ribs, headache, whiplash and back pain. Put forth physical rehabilitation for 2 months. Nothing seems to relieve the rear pain, you might endure this for some time. Imagine you have selected Limited Tort in your car insurance policy. You and the family members inside your vehicle won’t be able to recover for pain and suffering for any of those injuries just described.

There are exceptions to the Limited Tort rule plus they change from state to state. In Pennsylvania, where I practice law, the threshold for overcoming the Limited Tort election is if damages suffered is considered a severe disfigurement, a significant impairment of bodily function or death. Which means that if you suffer an injury as stated in the previous sentence, you’ll be able to pursue a pain and suffering claim even if you have chosen the Limited Tort election.

Careful consideration is required before selecting the Limited Tort option. From a legal standpoint, it’s never advisable. At the very least, you should be aware of the items you’re quitting if one makes the Limited Tort election.