Purchasing auto insurance is not only wise but legally required in most states. Auto insurance covers your vehicle, other vehicles, and bodily injuries sustained by people involved in an accident.
However, even in states that require auto insurance,
one in eight motorists drives without insurance. Since you can't exactly guess whether someone is adequately insured or not, you must protect yourself if you find yourself in a compromised position where the party at fault is underinsured or uninsured.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists
An uninsured motorist (UM) is a driver at fault who either has no auto insurance policy or whose insurance company refuses to pay out the claim. A hit-and-run motorist will be considered as an uninsured driver. On the other hand, an underinsured motorist has auto insurance coverage, but the same isn't adequate to cover the liability claims arising from an accident.
One way to protect yourself from such drivers is by having €œuninsured and underinsured coverage€ on your auto policy.
- Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage: This offers coverage for medical bills incurred by you and your passengers for injuries sustained in an accident caused by a driver who has no liability coverage. It is also known as Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI) insurance.
- Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) Coverage: This insurance, unlike the UMBI, covers damages to your vehicle or even property if the uninsured driver responsible for your accident causes damage to your house or other property. However, you need to inquire with your state insurance department or insurance agent to see if this coverage is available in your state.
- Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Protection Coverage: As the name suggests, this coverage is for situations where the driver responsible for the accident is unable to make payments for injuries caused due to their inadequate liability limits. It covers you and your passengers who might not have a policy of their own, including your family members.
- Personal Injury Protection Coverage: You can also protect yourself by getting personal injury protection coverage that covers any losses, damages, or injuries sustained by you or your passengers regardless of who caused the accident. This way, you don't have to worry about whether the other driver is uninsured or underinsured.
If you have questions about the best way to protect yourself and those you care about from underinsured or uninsured drivers, or if you wish to upgrade your auto liability insurance policy to include the above coverages, you can contact your insurance agent for help. The experts at Club Agency Insurance Brokerage in Garden City, New York are here to assist you with all your coverage needs.
Contact us today to get started!
