Being involved in a car accident can be a traumatic and stressful experience, particularly if the other driver involved is uninsured or underinsured. In cases like these, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can provide vital financial protection.
What Exactly is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured motorist coverage provides protection in the event you are involved in an accident caused by a driver who does not carry any auto insurance.
If you are in the worst car accident you’ve been in and it is caused by an uninsured driver, uninsured motorist coverage will pay for injuries to you and your passengers as well as damage to your vehicle. Without this coverage, you would likely need to bear the costs of all these damages entirely out-of-pocket.
Uninsured motorist coverage helps shift these costs over to your own insurer. This coverage acts as a safeguard, protecting your finances if an uninsured motorist hits you. In some states uninsured motorist coverage is mandatory. However, even if not required in your state, experts overwhelmingly recommend carrying adequate uninsured motorist coverage to protect yourself.
What Does Underinsured Motorist Coverage Cover?
In addition to uninsured motorist coverage, drivers need to understand underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage comes into play when a driver who is insured causes the worst car accident you’ve been in, but their liability limits are not high enough to fully cover the damages.
Underinsured motorist coverage is designed to prevent this. It will pay for accident-related costs that exceed what the underinsured at-fault driver’s policy will cover, up to your underinsured motorist policy limits. In the example above, your underinsured motorist coverage would pay that additional $15,000 so that the full $30,000 costs are covered. This spares you from financial devastation.
Many drivers don’t realize just how easily getting into the worst car accident you’ve been in with even an insured driver can lead to massive unpaid costs. Carrying adequate underinsured motorist coverage along with uninsured motorist coverage protects you from potentially crippling out-of-pocket expenses.
Why Carrying Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage is Critical
After understanding what uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is, you may be wondering: why is it so important for drivers to carry adequate coverage limits? There are two compelling reasons:
1. Protect Your Finances from Ruin
The main reason to carry robust uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is to protect your finances. If an uninsured or underinsured driver causes the worst car accident you’ve been in – that injures you or your passengers or damages your vehicle –, their insurance (if any) will likely only cover a fraction of the true costs.
Without your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, you may be faced with covering these costs out-of-pocket. These expenses can include:
- Emergency medical treatment and hospital bills
- Ongoing medical care and therapy
- Medications and medical equipment
- Lost wages from missing work during recovery
- Permanent disabilities or loss of earning capacity
- Psychological counseling
- Auto repair or total loss costs
- Rental car fees during repairs
- Accident-related legal fees
As you can see, these costs can easily spiral into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, especially with serious injuries. Few drivers have enough savings to cover massive costs like these without severe financial hardship. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is your safety net in these situations. With proper coverage, the bulk of the costs related to the worst car accident you’ve been in will be paid by your insurer, protecting your finances.
2. Gain Peace of Mind
Beyond just the financial protection, carrying adequate uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can also provide enormous peace of mind behind the wheel. You can drive with confidence, knowing that no matter who causes an accident, you have coverage in place to protect yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle from harm.
Instead of having to worry about how you will pay all the bills if an irresponsible uninsured or underinsured driver crashes into you, you can relax and focus fully on recovering from the accident. Let your insurance company handle the financial details. This peace of mind is invaluable to your mental well-being following a collision.
In summary, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage should be considered an essential component of your auto policy. Make sure you have ample coverage limits so you can drive stress-free knowing your finances and health are protected in case you get into the worst car accident you’ve been in.
Recommended Coverage Limits
When purchasing or reviewing your auto insurance policy, deciding how much uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to buy is an important decision. Here are some tips on recommended limits to consider:
- Match Your Liability Limits – As a general rule of thumb, many insurance experts recommend matching your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage limits to your bodily injury liability limits. Bodily injury liability covers costs if you cause an accident injuring others, while uninsured/underinsured covers costs if someone else’s inadequate insurance causes you injury. Matching these limits ensures both types of drivers are equally covered.
- Higher Limits Are Better – If at all possible, choose uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage limits that are higher than the minimum required by your state. Higher coverage amounts will provide greater financial protection in the event of a serious accident. If you can afford more coverage, choose higher limits for greater peace of mind.
- State Minimums May Be Inadequate – Most states set relatively low minimum required limits for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. However, meeting only your state’s minimum limits may leave you vastly undercovered. It is wise to purchase extra coverage beyond minimums.
- Consider Your Financial Situation – Think about your income, savings, debts, health, family, and other unique circumstances. This can help you decide coverage limits appropriate for your situation. If you would struggle to pay $10,000+ out-of-pocket, increase limits accordingly.
Discuss recommended coverage amounts with your insurance agent or car accident attorney. They can help you analyze factors affecting car insurance premiums and what is suitable for you depending on your finances and risk factors to select suitable uninsured and underinsured motorist limits.
Making a Claim with Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage
If you find yourself in an accident caused by a driver who lacks adequate insurance, here is what you should do:
- File a Police Report – Be sure to get a police report at the accident scene documenting that the other driver was uninsured or underinsured and at fault. This report provides crucial evidence to support your claim.
- Notify Your Insurer – Contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the accident to inform them you will be making a claim on your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Provide preliminary details about the accident and that the other driver lacked sufficient insurance.
- Submit Documentation – Your insurer will request various documents and evidence to evaluate your claim. This may include medical records, auto repair estimates, police report, witness statements, and evidence of lost income. Compile thorough documentation.
- Negotiate the Claim – Your insurer will make a settlement offer based on your submitted evidence and their adjusters’ assessments. You can negotiate if you feel the offer is too low. Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney to handle negotiations is highly recommended.
- Receive Compensation – Once you and the insurer agree on a reasonable settlement amount, the company will issue payment for the claim. This financial compensation can then be used to cover accident-related costs.
- Dispute Resolution – If you and the insurer cannot ultimately agree on appropriate compensation, mediation or binding arbitration may be used as remedies before resorting to filing a lawsuit.
While the process varies slightly by state and insurer, this is a general overview of what to expect when making an uninsured or underinsured claim. Being prepared with documentation and cooperating fully with your insurance company will help facilitate a fair car accident claim settlement.
Common Exclusions to Be Aware Of
It is also important for drivers to be aware of common exclusions built into many uninsured and underinsured motorist policies. These exclusions restrict certain types of damages or situations where coverage may not apply. Some examples include:
- Accidents Involving Uninsured Vehicles You Own – Damages or injuries stemming from an accident in your own uninsured car that you own may be excluded. Make sure all your household vehicles carry insurance.
- Racing and Other Competitions – Accidents that occur on racetracks, during races, stunt driving events, or other types of competitions are typically excluded from uninsured motorist coverage.
- Punitive Damages – In most cases, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage does not apply to punitive damages meant to punish or make an example of the at-fault driver.
- Damages Covered By Workers Compensation – If you are injured on the job in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, damages already paid by a workers comp claim are generally excluded from your auto policy.
- Intentional Acts – Intentionally causing an accident, such as purposely ramming an underinsured driver’s vehicle, will lead to the denial of an uninsured/underinsured claim.
Be sure to discuss exclusions with your car accident lawyer. Also carefully read your policy documents to identify any other restrictions that may impact coverage. Being aware of exclusions can prevent an unexpected denial of a claim in the event you sustain injuries and losses from the worst car accident you’ve been in.
Key Takeaways on This Vital Coverage
In summary, here are some of the key points for drivers to understand about uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage:
- This coverage provides financial protection if you are hit by an at-fault uninsured or underinsured driver.
- Match your uninsured/underinsured policy limits to your liability limits or carry higher limits if affordable.
- Carrying robust coverage limits prevents massive out-of-pocket accident costs.
- Notify your insurance company promptly after an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
- Submit all documentation to support your compensation claim.
- Be prepared to negotiate your claim settlement for fair reimbursement.
- Watch for exclusions that may restrict certain damages or conditions.
- Consult an experienced insurance agent to make sure you fully understand this critical coverage.
No one likes to think about being hit by an irresponsible uninsured or underinsured driver. However, it only takes one accident to saddle you with enormous costs. Protect yourself and your family by carrying adequate uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage limits. This provides the financial security and peace of mind you deserve as a responsible, insured driver. With the right auto insurance policy in place, you can hit the open road knowing you are protected.
