Having the right auto insurance coverage is essential. Uninsured motorist coverage is vital to ensuring that you are protected in a collision with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
Auto insurance is mandatory in Florida (as in most of the US). However, the state only requires a minimum amount of coverage. The state does not mandate that you carry uninsured motorist coverage. However, it’s very important that you have this type of protection included on your insurance policy. Why is this? What is this type of protection?
What Happens If You’re Injured?
Every day, thousands of people in Florida are injured in automobile accidents. In most cases, the insurance companies pick up the tab here. However, what happens if you’re injured in an auto accident and the person who hit you doesn’t have insurance? What happens if their insurance coverage is not sufficient? In most instances, you’re on the hook for your medical bills, and you won’t see anything for pain and suffering through a personal injury case, regardless of how skilled your lawyer might be.
However, if you have uninsured motorist coverage, you have recourse. Your own insurance will kick in here, whether the person who hit you had no insurance or carried too little to pay for damages and medical treatments.
Hit and Run
Another instance where uninsured motorist coverage is vital is in the case of a hit and run driver. If the other driver flees the scene before police arrive and you are unable to get their information, you’ll have no recourse at all if you’re not covered by uninsured motorist insurance. However, if you do have this type of insurance, the hit and run driver is treated just like an uninsured driver – your insurance policy will kick in and pay out to you.
Hire an Attorney
Of course, having this type of coverage is not always enough. If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, it’s important that you hire a law firm that has experience dealing with personal injury cases. This will ensure that even if you’re up against a driver with no insurance or even a hit and run case, the attorney will be able to get your insurance company to compensate you. Not having an attorney is never advisable. It might be your insurance company, but that doesn’t mean they’re any more eager to pay out to you than they would to someone you hit if the situation were reversed.
