Uninsured Motorist Coverage

How to protect your family following a car accident

Car accidents are completely unpredictable and can shatter a family in an instant.

Traditional auto insurance is obviously important. It covers the cost of repairing your car in the event it gets damaged in an accident, and it also protects you financially if you're found to be the one who caused the accident. For those people who are having this particularly unpleasant daydream, this is where it (usually) ends.

Unfortunately, human beings tend to think they're invulnerable until they're not, so they forget to ask one important question: "What happens if I also have large medical bills and have no income because I can't work?"

Every state has a law requiring drivers to be covered with a minimum amount of liability insurance. The minimum amount varies from state to state, so let's take a look at what this minimum coverage law could mean to you and your family.

An example with minimum required liability insurance coverage

For example, let's say that a state's minimum requirement is $20,000 of liability coverage. A person crashes into your car, and you are severely injured. The other person is at fault and they are covered with the minimum policy that the law allows.

This means that no matter high your medical expenses are and no matter how much damage was done to your car, the insurance company will only have to pay $20,000.

This means that if you have $60,000 in medical bills, you are already $40,000 in the hole.

The problem could be even worse, depending on who runs into you. Even though it's a law that drivers must have liability insurance, millions of people drive with absolutely no insurance whatsoever. If one of these people should injure you or damage your car, you need to make sure you are protected.

Because car accidents can have such a devastating impact on those who are involved in them, it's important for you to plan ahead and be prepared for the worst-case scenario. One of the best things you can do to prepare for a car accident is to make sure you are covered by uninsured motorist coverage.

Many people think the purpose of uninsured motorist coverage is to protect you from the people who break the law and drive without any insurance. While this is true, it is also meant as protection against underinsured drivers who, while carrying the legal minimum coverage, may not have enough coverage to pay your medical bills or repair costs.

In fact, this is a bigger problem than uninsured drivers for the simple fact that there are more people driving with the minimum coverage than ones with no coverage at all.

The most effective way to avoid issues is to purchase an amount of uninsured motorist coverage that exceeds the state minimum. The benefits of uninsured motorist coverage far outweigh the extra money it will cost you. Life throws us curveballs every day. It's our preparation that determines if we strike out or hit a homerun.

If you've been involved in an accident and need assistance with obtaining compensation from the at-fault driver or even your own insurance company, schedule a consultation with a qualified car accident attorney in your area today.