Newsletter – April 2019
The Importance of Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
When you are involved in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence it can be a stressful and confusing time. In Florida, there’s a good chance that the other driver doesn’t have auto insurance or is underinsured. Also, Florida is the only state in the nation which does not require bodily injury insurance. That is the type of insurance which would compensate an injured victim for their injuries. More than 26% of drivers in Florida don’t have insurance. Florida leads the nation in the highest percentage of uninsured drivers. Many more are not carrying enough insurance. There are ways you can protect yourself if you are involved in an accident caused by an uninsured/underinsured driver.
What is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM) coverage is coverage you can purchase with your auto insurance policy that will protect you if you are involved in an accident caused by another driver who either does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance to cover all of the injuries and damage caused by the accident. UM coverage kicks in when the damage and personal injuries caused by the accident exceed the amount of coverage of the negligent driver or if the negligent driver had no coverage. Purchasing UM coverage as part of your auto insurance policy is a wise decision as Florida has the highest rate of uninsured drivers.
Why is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage Important?
Florida is a particularly dangerous state for motorists which is why UM coverage is important. There’s a good chance you will one day be involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, and you want to protect yourself. In addition, UM coverage will also protect you if you are involved in a hit and run accident. While leaving the scene of the accident is a crime in Florida, it still frequently happens that someone will cause a serious accident and flee the scene. With no information about the other driver’s insurance, it’s important to have UM coverage to protect yourself.
Medical bills that result from personal injuries sustained in a serious accident can be astronomical. While your personal injury protection (PIP) will cover some of these bills, it is unlikely that all of your bills will be covered. To prevent yourself from being bankrupted by a serious car accident, you should purchase UM coverage to help cover these costs. Having UM coverage will provide you with the peace of mind that you are protected if you are ever involved in an accident involving a driver who not only drove negligently but was negligent enough not to have insurance. You should be sure to purchase as much UM insurance as you can afford to ensure that you are adequately covered.
Florida’s Insurance Requirements
Florida law requires all drivers to carry personal injury protection and property damage coverage on their auto insurance policies. Florida does not require that you purchase UM coverage. However, insurance companies are required to offer it to you when you purchase auto insurance. Check your policy today to make sure that you have sufficient UM coverage to protect you and your family.
At Abrahamson & Uiterwyk, we’ve been helping Floridians injured in car accidents for over 30 years. Contact us online or call us at 1-800-538-4878 to set up your free consultation.
On behalf of the firm, thank you for taking the time to review our email newsletter.
Erik Abrahamson
Henk Uiterwyk
and the entire
Injury Law Team of
Abrahamson & Uiterwyk