Being involved in a car accident is stressful enough, but then finding out you have been hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver can be much more of an inconvenience. An uninsured driver is one that carries no liability coverage or it can be a driver that hit and ran. An underinsured motorist is one that does have a policy but their liability limits are too low to cover the amount of damages that occurred from an accident.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, if you are injured in an accident in which the other driver is at fault, there is a one in eight chance the driver will not have any insurance. In this case, unfortunately, you will be obligated to rely on your own insurance or other personal resources to cover the cost of your medical expenses and other damages.
This is where uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage comes in to play. Uninsured/underinsured coverage is extremely important to have in your automobile policy for many reasons. When you purchase uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, you are protecting yourself from those drivers that have little or no insurance and also a driver that hits you and leaves the scene. Uninsured motorist coverage pays the medical bills of you and your passengers if you are in an accident with an uninsured driver. Underinsured motorist coverage covers you when the at-fault driver has liability insurance, but not enough to cover all the expenses resulting from the accident.
So, what happens if you are hit by a driver who does not have any insurance? Well, if you have purchased the uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, your policy will cover you for damages that would normally be covered under the at-fault driver's insurance. Uninsured and underinsured coverage gives you peace of mind knowing you are protected from drivers who are not. However, if you have the unfortunate event of being hit by an uninsured or underinsured motorist and you have not purchased this coverage, you will not be protected physically and financially by a driver that carries no insurance or an insurance policy that can not cover the cost of your damages.
Adding uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage can be a huge lifesaver to you and your checkbook so do not get stuck without it! If you have any questions about uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage or you are not sure if you carry this coverage in your policy, give our office a call at (225)292-7680.
Also Read: What to Do After a Car Accident: Accident Safety