We often hear from people who were injured in a car accident through no fault of their own and were the victims. But it’s concerning if you got hit or lost property and the other driver doesn’t have salvage title insurance and you don’t have uninsured motorist coverage.
What is Uninsured Motorist Coverage? Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage exists to help foot the bill when you are in an accident with a driver who is at fault and has only the minimum state liability requirements or no coverage.
So do I need to buy uninsured motorist coverage?
The answer is YES. Many people who will buy car insurance will ignore this type of coverage, which is one of the most important things that you must have as part of your policy. If you have UM, you may be able to file a claim with your policy to help pay for your medical bills, pain and suffering, disability, and some other costs as a result of the accident.
What does uninsured motorist coverage cover?
It is important to know that uninsured motorist coverage is used to help in two scenarios:
- When the driver who hits you doesn’t have liability insurance
- When the motorist who hits you is a hit-and-run driver
The protection it offers has two basic components. They are:
- bodily harm Bodily injury coverage generally covers medical bills, lost wages, and injury-related expenses for you and your passengers if you are in an accident with an uninsured driver and covers medical bills in hit-and-run accident situations.
- Property damage. Property damage coverage typically covers damage to your vehicle caused by an uninsured driver and can protect your property in hit-and-run accidents in some cases. This varies from policy to policy.
Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
It is believed that you are more likely to be hit by someone with liability coverage that meets the minimum state requirements, rather than someone who has no insurance at all.
However, in most places, the established minimums are not enough to treat even a minor injury someone may have. The problem is that they are not enough to pay the costs when someone is injured.
Do you have to be offered uninsured motorist coverage?
If you don’t want it, you must specifically sign a form stating that it was offered to you but you declined. This protects the insurance company and the insurance agent.
This procedure is necessary because customers often decline uninsured auto insurance policies for a variety of reasons.
Many believe that they do not need it, do not want to pay more because it is not mandatory or they simply do not understand it.
What if I don’t have uninsured motorist coverage?
Without physical damage coverage, you may not have much luck and will have to pay for everything out of pocket.
For these reasons, it is very important to have uninsured motorist coverage and it is recommended that all drivers have it. It may cost a little more and it is not required by law, but you will surely be glad to have it if you, unfortunately, need it.
In the meantime, if you need a new auto insurance policy or want to change your insurance provider.
We have no hidden charges and we take you by the hand in the purchase process.
Contact us so that one of our specialized agents can offer you the policy that suits your needs.
