It’s true: Accidents happen. You can be the safest driver in the world, but if you’re sharing the roadway with someone who isn’t paying attention or is driving unsafely, you can still find yourself involved in a car accident – and that means you also can find yourself facing substantial bills for property damage and injuries. Today, even minor accidents can result in significant costs; fortunately, auto insurance helps motorists pay for those costs, and when insurers balk, having a skilled accident attorney can help make sure accident victims get the compensation they deserve. But what happens when the other driver doesn’t have insurance? The scary truth is, you could be left holding the bag – unless your policy includes uninsured and under insured motorist (UM) coverage. What is UM coverage? UM coverage is designed to pay for bodily injury, damages, physical injury, medical expense, loss of income and pain and suffering done by an at fault driver who has no insurance coverage, no bodily injury coverage (BI) or doesn’t have enough BI insurance to cover the damages incurred. If you think that is uncommon think again. Statistics prove otherwise: According to the Insurance Research Council, as many as 25% of all drivers are uninsured or under insured. UM coverage can also apply to hit-and-run accidents. What is covered by UM coverage? When a person is injured in a car wreck, the law recognizes three basic categories of damages; medical expenses, loss of income and pain and suffering. Your UM coverage is designed to pay these damages for you and your passenger both now and in the future-when the at fault driver doesn’t have enough insurance. Your UM coverage covers you in other vehicles, as well. You are also covered by UM which covers the car in which you are a passenger. Finally, you may also be covered by any UM policies which cover relatives with whom you live. Part of a good attorney’s job is to figure out all the potential sources of UM coverage available to you. Is it expensive? Most people mistakenly believe that adding uninsured motorist coverage to their policies is expensive; in fact, UM coverage is a relatively inexpensive option, and one that can offer huge rewards if you ever have to use it. UM also “travels” with the policyholder, which means you’ll have coverage even when you’re not in your own vehicle. Think about it: As a responsible person, you carry auto insurance to cover other people’s losses in the event you’re at fault. Doesn’t it make sense for you to provide the same type of protection for yourself? By adding UM you are protecting yourself against careless drivers who have chosen not to purchase much insurance or who have let there insurance lapse. Take some time to call your insurance agent today to find out about adding UM to your policy and gain that all-important peace of mind.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 04:26:45 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015