What is Uninsured/Underinsured Coverage?
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with an uninsured/underinsured Connecticut motorist, you may be facing injuries and losses that you are financially unable to deal with. It is therefore important to hire an experienced New Haven car accident attorney to help you get the compensation you need.
What is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
The state of Connecticut requires every driver to carry a minimum amount of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This is supplemental auto insurance added to your own auto insurance policy to cover bodily injuries and property damage caused by an uninsured or underinsured motorist.
An uninsured motorist is a driver without auto insurance, or who cannot be identified because, for example, they fled the scene of the accident. An underinsured motorist is a driver without enough auto insurance to cover the damages they have caused.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorist insurance (UM) covers you for injuries that are the result of an accident you have with someone who has no auto insurance coverage. Imagine that you were hit while driving by another driver who ran a stop sign. You are in the hospital for 3 days, you missed work, and you lost money due to the time off. If the other driver does not have any auto insurance, you will be able to collect insurance benefits under your own UM policy to pay for your medical bills, property damage, etc., up to your policy limits.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Underinsured motorist insurance (UIM) protects you if you are hit by someone who has the state minimum amount of auto coverage, or lower limits than what you carry on your own policy. For example, let’s say that you suffered a severe injury and the driver that hit you only has the state minimum amount of auto liability coverage of up to $25,000 for bodily injury per person. If your UIM bodily limits are $100,000 per person, you could receive an additional $75,000 from your own insurance policy.
Why is UM/UIM Coverage Important?
Generally speaking, when you are in a car accident and someone else is at fault, that person is responsible for paying for your losses. And, most of the time, that means that the other driver’s auto insurance company will pay your bills for any property damage or medical expenses you incur.
That all works fine, as long as the other driver is actually carrying auto insurance. But unfortunately, not everyone does. In fact, across the United States, approximately 1 in every 8 drivers has no auto insurance coverage, and those that do, often won’t have enough coverage to pay for all of your losses.
But that doesn’t mean that you are stuck when an uninsured or underinsured driver wrecks your car. If you have UM/UIM coverage, your own insurance company will cover your expenses. Furthermore, your UM/UIM coverage may also cover injuries to your passengers or anyone who was driving your car with your consent at the time of the accident.
Our Approach to Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Accidents in Connecticut
At our New Haven personal injury law firm, we believe that every client needs to be educated about their injuries and how the legal process works. If you have been injured by an uninsured/underinsured motorist, it is of the utmost importance that the procedure for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is complied with, or your claim will be denied. An experienced car accident lawyer at our law firm can educate you on your rights and obligations regarding your underinsured/uninsured motorist policy and ensure that your claim is filed and pursued correctly.
Contact Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante
If you or someone you care about has been injured in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, you should consult with one of our experienced Connecticut car accident attorneys right away. We can analyze your UM/UIM policy and identify any other sources of compensation available to cover your injuries and losses.
Call Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante today at 203-800-7343, toll-free at 888-692-7403, or fill out our online contact form.