Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
All Pennsylvania drivers are required by law to have auto insurance. However, even though it’s illegal to drive without auto insurance in Pennsylvania, the unfortunate fact is that many people still do.
According to the Insurance Research Council, one in seven drivers is uninsured – and thousands more are underinsured.
Under Pennsylvania auto insurance law, you can choose to include Uninsured Motorist coverage and Underinsured Motorist coverage (sometimes called UM/UIM coverage) to protect yourself against drivers who drive without insurance, or enough coverage. It’s not required, but it’s a very good idea.
Having these two types of coverage doesn’t increase your premium significantly, but foregoing them could cost you thousands of dollars that otherwise would have been available for you to collect. Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage applies when you or your family members are injured in a car accident – whether you’re a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or even the victim of a hit-and-run accident.
Our law firm’s recommended minimum coverage:
- $100,000 per person
- $300,000 per occurrence
Why UM/UIM Motorist Coverage is Important
Example: You choose to carry UM/UIM coverage at our recommended levels on your car insurance policy. You’re injured in an accident caused by a driver who is uninsured. Because you have these types of coverage, your own insurance company will pay you for all recoverable damages up to $100,000 per person, and $300,000 per occurrence (or more if you have stacking on your policy).
However, if you didn’t have this coverage, and if the uninsured driver has no assets, there may be no way for you to receive any money for your pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical bills. If you were seriously injured, this could be devastating – physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.
If you own more than one vehicle, ask your insurance agent about stacking your benefits to get the most for your money. Remember, you can change your Pennsylvania auto insurance policy at any time – all you need to do is contact your insurance representative.
Hurt in a Car Accident? Need Legal Help?
If the unthinkable happened, and you were injured in a car accident, you probably have piles of medical bills. You might have had to take time off work. How are you going to make ends meet? What if the other driver was uninsured or underinsured?
At Edgar Snyder & Associates, we’ve helped thousands of people injured in all types of car accidents – and in all types of insurance situations. We offer a free legal evaluation, with no obligation to use our services. You tell us the details about your accident, and we’ll tell you if we think you have a case.
Call 1-866-9-4EDGAR (1-866-943-3427), or fill out the form at the top right of this webpage. Learn your legal rights today.
