1. If you’re in an accident and the other driver is uninsured or underinsured, will you be covered?
2. Does uninsured motorist coverage (UM) pay for your injuries if someone with no insurance causes an accident or if you’re struck by a hit-and-run driver?
3. Does underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) apply when the person who caused an accident has insurance but the limits aren’t high enough to fully compensate you for your losses?

Here are the answers:

1. If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, the answer is probably yes. UM or UIM coverage is designed to pay for injuries to you and your passengers when there is an accident and the other driver is both legally responsible for the accident and considered uninsured or underinsured — i.e., has no liability coverage or not enough to cover your damages.
2. Yes. UM typically pays for your injuries when someone with no insurance causes an accident or when you’re struck by a hit-and-run driver. Although auto liability insurance is compulsory in most states, many people still drive without it. The Insurance Research Council estimates that one in seven motorists is uninsured.¹ The next time you’re on the road, take a careful look around: Do you see more than seven vehicles? At least one of them likely is uninsured, but you don’t know which one. That’s scary!
3. Yes. An underinsured driver is someone who has insurance that meets minimum legal requirements, but is insufficient to pay for the damage caused by the accident.

The “other guy”
You know you have auto insurance coverage, but what about the other drivers you see on the road? You can never be sure. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage helps protect you from drivers who do not have proper coverage — or any coverage at all. I encourage you to learn more about UIM/UM coverage — and consider adding it to your auto policy. Give me a call, and we’ll review your insurance so you can be sure you have the coverage you want.

¹http://www.naic.org/cipr_topics/topic_uninsured_motorists.htm