Every Florida driver is required to buy PIP coverage, so chances are if you’re a Florida resident or from another PIP state you’re already familiar with this type of insurance. However, as a responsible driver, PIP insurance isn’t the only kind of insurance you should buy- along with PIP insurance, there are many different types of insurance Florida drivers should consider, and several that are good ideas. One type of important additional insurance you can (and should) buy to supplement PIP is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM) insurance. UM insurance is meant to protect you in the case that:
- An at-fault motorist doesn’t have sufficient liability insurance, or
- You are the victim of a hit-and-run accident or other situation where the at-fault party cannot be found or identified.
Read on to learn more about UM insurance, what it is, and why we recommend it to all drivers.
How Does UM Insurance Work?
The majority of situations where UM comes into play is a scenario where UM needs to pay the insureds for injuries sustained due to a negligence driver in the case the negligent driver who is at fault doesn’t have enough, or any, bodily injury liability coverage. If the at-fault driver doesn’t have ANY liability coverage at all, then your Uninsured Motorist policy will compensate you for the costs of your injuries. If your at-fault driver doesn’t have enough liability insurance to cover the injuries that you sustained from the accident they are liable for, then your Underinsured Motorist insurance will provide coverage. Both types are typically collectively referred to as UM.
Who UM Covers
Standard UM policies generally cover the spouse and any family members who live with the primary policyholder, in addition to the policy holder themself. UM coverage also generally extends to any passengers in the automobile who were involved in the accident. UM insurance covers the insured individuals rather than the vehicle itself. This means that UM covers all insured no matter what car they’re riding in; they could be riding in another person’s car, your car, or were hit by a car as pedestrians. UM also covers insureds for hit-and-run accidents.
What UM Covers
UM Insurance covers any income loss (beyond PIP coverage), medical bills, bodily injury, pain and suffering, disease, sickness, or death caused by a motor vehicle accident that the insureds sustain up to the policy amount purchased. Since many Floridians only get the minimum required PIP coverage, buying enough UM insurance is the only way to ensure that there is “full” auto insurance coverage in the case of an accident. As a part of their product offering, all insurance companies must have UM insurance coverage. Florida drivers must sign a specific statement rejecting UM coverage to illustrate that they chose to not purchase UM coverage in their policy.
Contact Us Today
If you were in a collision with an uninsured or underinsured motorist, you may need an experienced auto accident attorney on your side to help you navigate the case and get the compensation you deserve. Car accidents can be traumatic and difficult, and you and your loved ones should be focused on recuperating and getting your life back on track. Call Pierrot Law to schedule a free initial consultation with a top Florida Uninsured Motorist Lawyer today.
