What is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured Motorist coverage (UM) is a type of auto insurance that can pay for your damages (medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost earnings, etc.) in an auto accident when it is caused by (1) a driver who does not have any insurance, (2) a driver who commits a hit and run, or (3) a driver whose insurance is not enough to cover the full extent of the damages (aka “Underinsured Motorist”).
What does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Pay For?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage can cover a wide range of damages. Mainly it covers medical bills and lost wages, and pain and suffering incurred after an auto accident. When you are injured in an accident caused by another driver, the medical bills can stack up quick. UM coverage pays for your out of your pocket costs. If you miss time from work, you can also recover through your UM coverage. This will give you peace of mind to focus on your recovery rather than finding a way to pay for excessive medical bills. Lastly, and most importantly, UM covers your pain and suffering.
Why have Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
About one in eight drivers do not have car insurance, according to the 2021 Insurance Research Council. This number is likely higher due to the costs involved and struggling economy. This poses a real problem because what will happen if you get into an accident where you and your passengers are injured, and your car is totaled? Whose insurance would cover the expenses if the driver at fault does not have any insurance? You would be stuck with a massive bill and have to pay it out of pocket. This is where uninsured motorist coverage steps in to cover any costs that the other party’s insurance would have covered.
Uninsured motorist coverage can also cover hit-and-run accidents where there might no one to hold responsible for that damage. Uninsured Motorist coverage is also crucial in cases where the other parties’ insurance is not sufficient and does not cover the entire extent of your damages, also known as being “Underinsured.” In a day and age where most people are driving with minimum coverage (Minimum coverage in California is $15,000/$30,000), it is not enough to have collision and liability coverage. Most people consider themselves having “full-coverage” when they have only these two coverages. However, this is a misconception because they are actually only “fully” covering the other person should they themselves be at-fault in an auto accident. And unless they have Uninsured Motorist coverage as well, they themselves will not be “fully” covered if they have serious injuries and the at-fault party only has the minimum coverage.
For more information, check out our Blog from 2022 called “5 Things You Must Do After An Accident With An Uninsured Motorist.”
Have you been injured in an auto accident with an uninsured driver? Contact our office and let us get you the maximum compensation you deserve.