BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – With the school year for many students underway, Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread is urging North Dakota parents and guardians to review their auto insurance policies to ensure that their students are covered while riding school buses.

In the event of a crash on a school bus that results in injuries, the insurance covering the school bus is not responsible for personal injuries of the passengers on the school bus. As passengers on the bus, a student’s primary coverage for basic no-fault coverage would be their parents’ or guardians’ primary personal auto policy.

“The purpose of insurance is to provide some relief during unexpected moments in life, including vehicle accidents involving injury. We’ve seen cases of school bus crashes where unfortunately students on-board get injured, but some of those injuries were not covered by insurance,” said Godfread. “God forbid we need to use this coverage; we can prevent unexpected events from worsening by making sure coverage is there.”

Without proper coverage, any injury costs caused by accidents while riding a school bus may not be covered by an insurance policy.

“Talk with your insurance agent and have a conversation about what you need to best protect your family,” said Godfread.

Many people carry the minimum amount of $30,000 for no-fault coverage. The coverage helps pay for the cost of medical expenses from accidents, regardless of who is at fault.