I was in a car accident and the other driver only carries $25,000 in liability coverage. My truck, valued at $45,000, was totaled. What is my recourse?

Your recourse is to file a claim with your own car insurance company -- assuming you have sufficient coverage.

Your should contact your insurance company immediately after an accident, even if the accident was clearly another driver's fault. Your own auto insurance company is often more responsive than the other driver's, and it will pursue the claim through the other driver's insurance carrier.

Given that the other driver's liability coverage is insufficient, you can file a claim to recover the remaining costs with your own insurer if you have collision coverage. Unlike liability coverage, which is required in most states, collision and comprehensive coverage is optional. Collision pays for repairs to your vehicle if it's damaged in a car accident. Comprehensive coverage pays for repairs if your vehicle is damaged by something other than a car accident, such as theft, vandalism, natural disaster or collision with an animal.

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With a truck valued at $45,000, I imagine you have both collision and comprehensive. In many cases lenders who finance loans for new vehicles require owners to have that coverage.

You could also make a claim if you have uninsured motorist property damage coverage, which pays for damages to your car when you're hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver.

For more, see car insurance basics, the benefits of uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance and dealing with another driver's insurer when a crash is not your fault.