If you are injured in an automobile accident by a driver who does not carry insurance, your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering may not be covered unless you carry sufficient Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage. The Insurance Research Council estimates that 1 in every 7 drivers does not carry bodily injury liability coverage in the United States. This number may be even greater in Florida, which is reported to be one the states with the greatest number of uninsured drivers. This could be attributed to higher insurance rates that prevent many drivers from purchasing insurance policies. As a result, if you are involved in an accident, you may be required to rely on your own insurance.
In order to protect yourself, you must carry sufficient Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage, commonly referred as “UM” coverage. There is a misconception that if you carry Bodily Injury coverage, you are covered in the instance of an injury to yourself. However, while Bodily Injury coverage protects against a loss if you cause injury to another person, it is Uninsured Motorist coverage that protects you if you are injured and the other driver fails to carry sufficient insurance.
Just like Bodily Injury coverage you have the ability to select the limits that are right for you when you elect to have UM coverage. If you choose to have UM coverage and you want to insure multiple cars, you must select the same limit for each car, so be conscious of this fact when receiving a quote. However, your Uninsured Motorist coverage limits can never exceed your Bodily Injury coverage limits.
Other drivers are not always responsible on the road, and so it is in your best interest to take precautions. For information on other ways to protect yourself when involved in an auto accident, call us, Pacin Levine at (888)450-4909.
