I decided to us AI (a.k.a. artificial intelligence) to make a point I’ve about the inadequate limits of car insurance. Essentially, the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Reparations Act was passed in 1975 and still today. It’s the governing law for all motor vehicle wrecks that happen in Kentucky. That act, also known as the KMVRA, established that you could lawfully register and operate a vehicle in the Commonwealth of Kentucky if you had $25,000 of liability insurance. We often refer to this level as the state minimum coverage.
Today, in 2023, forty-eight years later, the Kentucky Legislature still has not increased this limit. As a result, I asked an AI bot, “What’s $25,000 from 1975 equivalent to today?” This is what it told me:
The AI Analysis of Kentucky Car Insurance
“To determine the equivalent amount of insurance required in 2023, we need to adjust the $25,000 limit established in 1975 for inflation. Inflation is the general increase in prices of goods and services over time, so it is necessary to adjust for inflation to account for the change in the value of money over time.”
“According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ inflation calculator, $25,000 in 1975 is equivalent to approximately $122,000 in 2023 dollars, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Therefore, to have an equivalent amount of insurance coverage in 2023 as $25,000 in 1975, we would need insurance coverage of at least $122,000 in 2023.”
Would You Have Had Enough Car Insurance in 1975?
To flip the coin, I asked AI how much today’s $25,000 is equivalent to in 1975 dollars. This is what it told me:
“To calculate the inflation-adjusted value of $25,000 in 2023 dollars in terms of 1975 dollars, we need to use the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to adjust for inflation.”
“According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ inflation calculator, $25,000 in 2023 dollars is equivalent in purchasing power to about $9,070.91 in 1975 dollars, assuming an average inflation rate of 3.5% per year over that time period.”
“This means if that if you had $9,070.91 in 1975 and inflation had remained constant a 3.5% per year since then, it would be work the same as having $25,000 in 2023.”
The Law Hasn’t Kept Up for Kentucky Drivers
So why are all these numbers important? The Kentucky Legislature is allowing drivers to lawfully operate a vehicle with the equivalent of $9,000 in liability insurance. A limit, that was set in 1975, has not been updated to account for inflation and if it had been, every driver in Kentucky would be required to have at least $122,000 in insurance coverage. In other words, in hard numbers, Kentucky motor vehicle law continues to fall short and not provide you, an injured victim from a car accident, adequate safeguards to make sure the at-fault driver can pay your medical bills, much less your personal injury claim.
How Can You Protect Yourself?
So, what’s the solution beyond changing the provisions of the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Reparations Act? Make sure every one of your car insurance policies, and motorcycle insurance as well, have at least $100,000 per person of uninsured and under insured motorist coverage on it. Do not rely on your insurance agent to do this either; essentially, you can’t sue an insurance agent for bad advice. The law expects you to be an informed consumer.
As a Kentucky car wreck attorney, I know it’s not fair, or even logical, that you, the driver who did not cause the car wreck, are required to use your care insurance and plan for a serious car wreck. However, while the law endeavors to be fair, it does not always succeed in that result. Therefore, other than making sure you have the insurance you need on your own car insurance, before any car wreck ever occurs, there is no other solution to make sure you can recover all of the damages you sustain in a car accident.
Speak to an Experienced Louisville Car Accident Lawyer
I’m attorney Jim Desmond. I focused on handling car wrecks and motorcycle accidents. You might say, this is my wheelhouse. If you have questions about your situation, call me on my cell phone. I don’t charge to speak with you and to provide some initial advice about your options. My cell phone is (502) 609-7657.
