Accident Settlement Calculator

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Alaska Car Accident Settlement Calculator

In Alaska, you generally have 2 years to file an injury lawsuit, you can recover even if mostly at fault, minus your share, and drivers must carry at least $50,000/$100,000 in injury liability. Enter your numbers below to see what a Alaska claim may be worth and what you would actually take home.

1

Your accident

How serious is the injury?
2

Your costs so far

That's all you need for a first estimate. Rough numbers are fine.

Optional: make the estimate more accurate fault, insurance, lawyer fee
3

Fault and future costs

4

Insurance

5

What comes out of it

Alaska rules in 30 seconds

If you were partly at faultYou can still recover, minus your share of the blame
Details & exceptions

Alaska uses pure comparative fault: the injured person's own fault reduces their compensatory damages in proportion to their share, but never bars recovery, even if they were mostly at fault (AS 09.17.060).

Compare fault rules in all states →
Deadline to file a lawsuit2 years from the accident
Details & exceptions

AS 09.10.070(a): 2 years from accrual for 'personal injury or death' (a)(2) and for 'taking, detaining, or injuring personal property' (a)(3), unless otherwise provided by law. Wrongful death ('personal injury or death') falls under the same 2-year provision. Tort claims against the State may be brought in state court under AS 09.50.250; judgments against the State may not include punitive damages (AS 09.50.280).

Compare deadlines in all states →
Other driver's minimum insurance$50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
Details & exceptions

Property damage minimum: $25,000. AS 28.22.101(d): $50,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $100,000 for two or more persons in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage in one accident. No 2023-2026 change was found in the current statute text on akleg.gov.

Compare minimums in all states →
Who pays your medical billsThe at-fault driver's insuranceSee all no-fault states →
Cap on pain and sufferingYes, depends on your situation
Details & exceptions

A cap applies in some cases; see details. AS 09.17.010 applies to any action for personal injury or wrongful death, so it covers car-accident claims. Noneconomic damages (pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium and other nonpecuniary damage) for all claims arising out of a single injury or death, including loss of consortium, may not exceed $400,000 or the injured person's life expectancy in years multiplied by $8,000, whichever is greater ((b)). For severe permanent physical impairment or severe disfigurement, the cap is $1,000,000 or life expectancy in years multiplied by $25,000, whichever is greater ((c)). Multiple injuries from one incident count as a single injury ((d)). The 'amount' field shows the $400,000 floor only. engine_cap is omitted because the cap depends on life expectancy and has a higher tier for severe injury, which does not fit the calculator formula. Medical malpractice has its own separate cap (AS 09.55.549).

Uninsured motorist coverageOptional
Details & exceptions

AS 28.22.101(e) requires a motor vehicle liability policy to provide uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage under AS 28.22.201, but AS 28.22.201(a)(3) says the coverage 'may be rejected by the insured in writing'; once rejected it is not included in renewals unless requested in writing. UM/UIM must be a single combined coverage and applies only after the at-fault party's liability limits are exhausted (28.22.201(a)(1)-(2)). UM property damage coverage carries a $250 deductible (28.22.201(c)).

Worked example: a typical Alaska car accident claim

Another driver turned left into you at an intersection in Alaska: $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury that healed in a few months. The insurer says you were 20% at fault for speeding slightly, the other driver has a $100,000 policy, and your lawyer takes 33%.

  1. Economic damages$20,000Medical bills + expected future treatment + lost wages.
  2. Pain and suffering$20,000 – $40,000Multiplier method: economic damages × 2–3 for a moderate injury, minus the economic part itself.
  3. Total claim value$40,000 – $60,000Economic + pain and suffering.
  4. After your share of fault$32,000 – $48,000Alaska uses pure comparative negligence: your recovery is reduced by your 20% share of fault.
  5. Limited by available insurance$32,000 – $48,000At-fault policy limit $100,000 + your UM/UIM $0.
  6. Estimated take-home$20,440 – $31,160Minus attorney fee (33%), case costs and medical liens.

You would take home about $25,800 ($20,440 – $31,160), after the 33% fee and $1,000 in case costs.

Typical figures (midpoint of a moderate injury multiplier), no medical liens. Run your own numbersor see the same crash in every state.

How much time do you have to file?

General personal injury deadline only. It can be shorter for claims against a city, county or state agency (often a written notice within months), and longer for minors. Check with a lawyer before relying on it.

Deadline traps in Alaska

The 2-year lawsuit deadline is not the only clock. These are the ones people miss:

Crash with a government vehicle or on a public road2 years (no separate notice)

Alaska has no general statute requiring a notice of claim before suing the State; tort suits are filed in state court within the normal 2-year deadline. Check the specific city or borough code for any local notice rule.

AS 09.50.250, Actionable claims against the state (Alaska Legislature)AS 09.10.070, two-year tort limitation (Alaska Legislature)DeHusson v. City of Anchorage (Alaska 1978)

If the injured person is a child

The 2-year clock is paused while the child is under 18 and generally runs out 2 years after the 18th birthday. A rule restarting the clock at age 8 was held unconstitutional in 2007.

AS 09.10.140, Disabilities of minority and incompetency (FindLaw mirror)Sands ex rel. Sands v. Green, 156 P.3d 1130 (Alaska 2007)

How fast a Alaska insurer must respond

Insurers must acknowledge in writing within 10 working days, including to third-party claimants, and normally finish investigating within 30 working days. The 15- and 30-working-day accept/deny and payment deadlines apply to the insurer's own policyholders (first-party claims).

3 AAC 26.040, Required claim communication (Cornell LII)3 AAC 26.050, Standards for prompt investigation of claims (Cornell LII)3 AAC 26.070, Standards for prompt, fair, and equitable settlements (Cornell LII)

If an insurer misses these deadlines, you can file a complaint with the state insurance department. Compare all states:insurance claim deadlines by state.

Next steps after a Alaska crash

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical car accident settlement in Alaska?
It depends on the bills, the injury and fault. Worked example: with $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury, 20% of the fault, a Alaska claim against the other driver is worth about $40,000, and the injured person takes home about $25,800 after a 33% attorney fee and costs.
Is Alaska an at-fault or no-fault state for car accidents?
Alaska's car insurance system: At-fault (tort).
Is there a cap on pain and suffering in Alaska car accident cases?
A cap applies in some cases; see details. AS 09.17.010 applies to any action for personal injury or wrongful death, so it covers car-accident claims. Noneconomic damages (pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium and other nonpecuniary damage) for all claims arising out of a single injury or death, including loss of consortium, may not exceed $400,000 or the injured person's life expectancy in years multiplied by $8,000, whichever is greater ((b)). For severe permanent physical impairment or severe disfigurement, the cap is $1,000,000 or life expectancy in years multiplied by $25,000, whichever is greater ((c)). Multiple injuries from one incident count as a single injury ((d)). The 'amount' field shows the $400,000 floor only. engine_cap is omitted because the cap depends on life expectancy and has a higher tier for severe injury, which does not fit the calculator formula. Medical malpractice has its own separate cap (AS 09.55.549).
What happens if I was partly at fault for an accident in Alaska?
Alaska follows pure comparative negligence, so you can recover damages even if you were mostly at fault, but your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Alaska?
Generally 2 years for personal injury and 2 years for property damage. AS 09.10.070(a): 2 years from accrual for 'personal injury or death' (a)(2) and for 'taking, detaining, or injuring personal property' (a)(3), unless otherwise provided by law. Wrongful death ('personal injury or death') falls under the same 2-year provision. Tort claims against the State may be brought in state court under AS 09.50.250; judgments against the State may not include punitive damages (AS 09.50.280).
What is the minimum car insurance in Alaska?
$50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. AS 28.22.101(d): $50,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $100,000 for two or more persons in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage in one accident. No 2023-2026 change was found in the current statute text on akleg.gov.
What is the deadline to file a claim against the government in Alaska?
2 years (no separate notice). Alaska has no general statute requiring a notice of claim before suing the State; tort suits are filed in state court within the normal 2-year deadline. Check the specific city or borough code for any local notice rule.
How long does an insurance company have to respond to a claim in Alaska?
Insurers must acknowledge in writing within 10 working days, including to third-party claimants, and normally finish investigating within 30 working days. The 15- and 30-working-day accept/deny and payment deadlines apply to the insurer's own policyholders (first-party claims).

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