UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE: THERE IS JUST NO EXCUSE NOT TO HAVE IT!

If your initial reaction to this title is “what is that”, then you must immediately contact your auto insurance company to discuss your coverage.

This is the coverage you have to protect yourself and maybe even your passengers in case someone who causes you injuries is either uninsured (no valid insurance coverage in effect on that date) or underinsured (not enough insurance coverage to take care of the injuries sustained).

Sometimes, people will waive this coverage or request a lower limit because they are trying to get the lowest insurance payment possible.  However, this is insurance coverage to protect yourself!  It’s the only way to ensure (and insure) that you and your passengers will be taken care of should someone harm you more than they are covered for.  As an added bonus, your insurance company cannot increase your rates for making an uninsured motorist claim!

Unfortunately, this is a difficult message to get out, and it is all too often that we discover an uninsured or underinsured defendant has injured a client without proper uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.  It doesn’t matter how clearly at-fault the defendant is; if there is no insurance coverage, or not enough insurance coverage, then the injured party often gets the short end of the stick.

Please consult with your insurance company or agent about your policy to get recommendations for your coverage and limits, and to review your policy and declarations page(s) carefully.  Hopefully, that will save you some grief in the future.