A car crash can saddle you with thousands of dollars in bills in a matter of moments. Someone texting at the wheel or passing inappropriately can cause a crash that has massive implications for your immediate future. You may miss work and need to replace your vehicle, in addition to requiring medical care.

You have had car insurance with the same company for years, and you may never have needed to make a claim. Now that someone else has damaged your vehicle or left you injured, you need the protection of motor vehicle insurance. How much can you expect from the insurance company?

Many drivers only have what the state requires

Insurance is an important protection against possible risks, but some people don't see the value in carrying as much protection as possible. Instead, they just want to keep their costs low. They buy a policy that complies with state requirements but won't do much to protect them from the true cost of a collision.

Colorado drivers need to have at least $15,000 worth of property damage liability coverage. That may be enough to pay for repairs to a vehicle, but it could also be far too little to replace your vehicle if it is a total loss. Every driver also needs to have bodily injury liability protection.

The number of people hurt in the crash determines the minimum amount of coverage available. Drivers need to carry at least $25,000 worth of protection if one person gets hurt and $50,000 worth of protection and two or more people get hurt.

As with the property damage coverage, those minimums are often only a fraction of what the crash can cost when someone suffers serious injuries or several people get hurt at once. Your policy will only play a role if you carry extra insurance like collision coverage or underinsured motorist protection.

What are your rights when insurance isn't enough?

When the other driver's policy is insufficient and you don't have supplemental coverage of your own, you may be able to take them to court. Typically, to bring a personal injury case against a person or business, you need to prove negligence or misconduct of some sort.

Educating yourself about how car insurance works in Colorado will help you better take care of yourself after a motor vehicle collision.