"We Fight. You Recover."
Another tragic story of folks not having uninsured motorist coverage. Joe was traveling home from work and was involved in a terrible automobile accident. He was struck head-on by a negligent motorist who was improperly passing another vehicle. Due to his injuries, Joe was life-flighted from the scene of the collision. Joe has been hospitalized for over a month, and he will require months of physical therapy treatments both in the hospital and at home. Thus far, Joe has incurred over $80,000.00 in medical costs, and that number is still rising.
As is the case with SO MANY victims of automobile negligence, Joe was only able to recover $25,000 from his accident! Sounds insane, doesn’t it?! But it happens thousands of times every day. The reason it happens is that Georgia law only requires that drivers possess $25,000 in liability coverage in order to be “fully covered” (that is fully covered to legally drive). And if someone has only $25,000 in liability coverage (and they have no other personal assets), $25,000 is the most a victim can ever recover from the wrongdoer.
But there is ONE WAY way you can protect yourself: purchase add-on Uninsured Underinsured Motorist (UM) coverage under your auto insurance coverage.
UM coverage is very inexpensive. It protects you! Remember, when you purchase what is called liability coverage, it only protects everyone else in the world if you cause the wreck. In contrast, UM coverage protects you for your injuries caused by the negligence of another driver who has little or no liability coverage. I recommend at least a minimum of $100,000 of add-on UM coverage! There are simply very few activities in today’s society more dangerous than driving.
Had Joe’s insurance policies contained $100,000 in add-on UM coverage, he would have been able to recover the $25,000 of liability coverage from the wrongdoer’s policy, plus another $100,000 in UM coverage from their own insurance company (still not enough for Joe, but far better than only $25,000.00). In short, purchase as much “add-on UM coverage” as you can afford! Check your auto insurance declaration page now and be sure that YOU have the correct coverage which will protect you and your loved ones. Your insurance agent may try to talk you out of it. Don’t let him!
Example Declaration Page with UM Coverage:
2010 ACME Renaissance
VIN: 1NOTAREALVINNMBR
COVERAGES | LIMITS | PREMIUM |
---|---|---|
Bodily Injury (Liability Ins.) | $100,000 each person | $$$$ |
$300,000 each occurrence | ||
Property Damage (Liability Ins.) | $25,000 each occurrence | $$$$ |
Uninsured Motorist Option | Added-On | |
Uninsured Bodily Injury | $100,000 each person | $$$$ |
$200,000 each occurrence | The important coverage. | |
Uninsured Prop. Damage | $25,000 | $$$$ |
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