0
The only states that I have found that make it mandatory for the insurer to provide this coverage are Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maryland and New York. That list may be incomplete and the minimum coverage amounts aren't shown for those states.
Regardless of whether your state requires it or not, I can't emphasize how important this coveage is and why EVERY driver should have it! Current figures show that as many as 18% of all U.S. drivers are uninsured! Up to another 40% only carry the minimum liability limits required in their state.
Using Tennessee as an example, they require 25/50/10 minimum limits. That means Bodily Injury Liability of $25k per person up to a maximum of $50k per accident and Property Damage of $10k per accident. A driver with these limits runs a red light and t-bones you in an intersection at 40mph or so. You are driving and have a passenger in the front seat and another passenger sitting in the back seat on the passenger side. The side-impact occurs on the passenger side and both of your passengers sustatin extensive injuries and they are quickly air-lifted to the nearest spinal center. You are treated for a broken arm, cuts, bruises, flying glass and burns from the side and frontal airbags as they deployed. You are taken the local E/R for treatment. Your brand new $42k Volvo S60 is total loss.
Both of your passengers will require extensive treatment, rehabilitaiton and will be unable to work for several months. That is after they they undergo surgery to remove the damaged discs in their cervical spine. Total cost for their injuries- $220k, at the low end. Your own injuries will cost over $30k, so Bodily Injury expenses are now at $250k or more. Your car is scrap metal but a loan balance of $42k is still has to be paid off. The other driver's insurer will pay $50k for BI and $10k PD, so you need $200k more to cover medical bills and $32k more to pay off the loan to the bank!
Six out of 10 drivers could put your into this situation! I live in Georgia and the state requires the same 25/50 BI as TN but increases the Property Damage to $25k. You would still be in a very bad situation financially and legally in this state. Some states have even lower limits than these.
Thank goodness you can purchase coverage called Uninsured Motorist and Underiunsured Motorist! Some states separate them and you must select UM and UIM Bodily Injury AND UM and UIM Property Damage to be properly covered. As the names would imply, Uninsured Motorist pays if a driver hits you with NO coverage. Underinsured coverage kicks in when they DO have state minimum or greater liability coverage but the damage exceeds their maximum limits. Most states, Georgia included, make it simpler and sell UM/UIM as combined coverage. Personally, I carry 500/500/100 in Liability and 250/500/50 in UM/UIM. My annual premium for the UM/UIM is $37.69 (for 250/500/50)- less $ than a tank of gas for $500k of protection for me and my passengers.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What is Uninsured motorist protection?
Uninsured motorist coverage provides coverage for bodily injury, and in some states property damage incurred by an uninsured driver or a driver with insufficient liability limits.
Why is uninsured motorist coverage required in states that require liability coverage?
UM (uninsured motorist) coverage is not required in all states that require liability coverage. However, UM is an important coverage in auto insurance because it steps in and pays for your bodily injury (medical expense, lost wages, and pain & suffering) when you are injured by a hit-and-run, uninsured driver, or irresponsible driver who carries low liability coverage on their auto insurance. In another word, UM is a coverage for you and people in your car guarding against the risk of irresponsiblly insured drivers - and there are a lot of them out there.
How do you Waive uninsured motorist coverage in FL?
I'm not 100% sure about Florida specifically, but in most states Uninsured Motorist is a required coveage. Maybe you are thinking about some other coverage? Like Uninsured Motorist Property Damage? Contact the FL dept of insurance and they can tell you the required coverages and limits.
What does stacked uninsured motorist coverage mean and will it get your car fixed by insurance?
"Stacked" refers to uninsured motorist coverage, not to liability or physical damage coverage. In essence, if there are two cars in a household, both with insured motorist coverage, the uninsured motorist limits of the cars can be "stacked"--added together. Naturally, this will only make a difference if the severity of the injury and the clarity of the liability is such as to warrant that size of a payment to the insured. Keep in mind that the assessment of damages by an insurer in an uninsured motorist claim is similar to that done by a liability insurer in a third-party claim. Note also that some states have "anti-stacking" statutes which prohibit the stacking of ininsured motorist limits.
Can I get motorist insurance if I am currently uninsured?
Yes you can get coverage. In fact all states require to have insurance so try and get coverage asap to avoid getting a ticket or suspended by the state. You may have to pay a higher premium but is required and mandatory,
What states offer uninsured motorist insurance?
states like washington, newjersey, neyork, pensilvania, virginia, offers uninsured motorist
What if the other driver has some insurance but not enough to cover my losses?
In most states you can purchase under-insured motorist or uninsured motorist coverage that will kick in when the other parties insurance is depleted.
Would your car be covered if it is parked in your yard and is hit by an uninsured person under your full coverage?
If your "full" coverage includes Collision coverage then the answer is yes, or if you don't but do have Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage then the answer is also yes. I think some states have the UMPD listed seperately on the policy even if you have Collision coverage.
What does uninsured motorist coverage mean?
Uninsured motoristUninsured Motorist coverage (which is required coverage in many states) covers injuries that the driver and occupants of a car sustain when the at-fault vehicle was not insured for liability coverage. UM does not cover the physical damage to the vehicle. UMPD (uninsured motorist property damage), where available, covers that physical damage. UMPD is essentially similar to collision coverage, which is first party insurance that pays regardless of fault, subject to a deductible.Uninsured motorist coverage pays essentially the same type of benefits (such as for pain and suffering) as the liability insurance of the other party would pay if the at-fault party had liability insurance. Additionally, the uninsured motorist insurer will generally evaluate a claimant's injuries in much the same way as a liability insurer would, and the claimant is subject to a reduction in damages for contributory or comparative negligence according to the law of the jurisdiction.
What does uninsured motorist and under insured motorist insurance cover?
Uninsured motorist coverage pays damages for bodily injuries when the at-fault driver or owner of a vehicle has no bodily injury liability coverage. It pays an amount up to the amount purchased by the insured, and is generally not a required coverage. In those states that utilize a comparative negligence rule of determining fault for a collision, the amount that the inured party can recover is reduced by the amount of liability attributable to him/her. In that respect, it operates similarly to the evaluation of the injury and damages if the at-fault party did have bodily injury liability coverage. Underinsured motorist coverage serves essentially the same purpose. However, it is triggered when the at-fault party's bodily injury liability coverage is less than the injured party's uninsured motorist coverage. Further, in order to be triggered, the "value" of the injury must exceed the liability coverage of the at-fault party.
What does uninsured vehicle coverage cover?
If you are in an accident and it is the other drivers fault, this coverage will kick in if that party does not have insurance.AnswerWhile the foregoing is true as far as it goes, it is important to realize that in most contexts, uninsured motorist coverage refers to bodily injury protection and not to physical damage to the vehicle.In most States, uninsured motorist coverage as defined here is not a required coverage. However, many States do require that insurers selling a customer auto liability coverage offer the customer uninsured motorist coverage in the same amount as the liability coverage. The customer may reject it (thereby lowering the premium). However, if involved in a collision with someone who does not have bodily injury liability coverage, he/she may be without a source of recovery.Recovery under one's uninsured motorist coverage is similar to recovery under the third-party's liability insurance. That is, the insured has to demonstrate the existence of an injury that reaches any threshold of seriousness that the State law may require. Likewise, the same rules of negligence apply as in a liability claim, which may serve to reduce the insured's recovery. That is, depending upon the negligence theory to which the State adheres, the injured party's right of recovery may be eliminated or reduced according to his/her degree of fault in causing the collision. Examples of the various negligence theories are contributory negligence and comparative negligence.
What does 'stacking' mean in regard to auto insurance?
Georgia automobile insurance law states that people who purchase insurance may "stack" - or add the coverage together for each insured vehicle - for uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
