Blog

Without UM, You Do Not Have Full Coverage

Posted by Annie Dike | Dec 04, 2018 | 0 Comments

Over the years, representing car accident victims against their insurance companies, we have had to tell too many people that there is no insurance to compensate them for their injuries caused by careless drivers who are under-insured.  Inevitably, they say “but my insurance agent told me I had full coverage.”  These people have become victims twice.  Not only are they the victim of another driver's carelessness, but also they will never have the opportunity to make a fair recovery because they did not have the correct insurance coverage to protect themselves.

um coverage is not full coverage for car accidents insurance claim

Types of Insurance Coverage

Florida law does not require an owner of a vehicle to carry Bodily Injury (BI) insurance.  BI insurance pays to compensate other people hurt in a crash if you are found to be the at-fault driver.  If you are injured by a careless driver who does not have enough BI or any BI insurance, there will not be enough money to compensate you for your medical bills or lost wages if the crash is a serious one.  The only way to protect yourself from being financially devastated due to the fault of a careless driver is to purchase UM Coverage which stands for Underinsured/Uninsured Motorist Coverage.  UM Coverage protects an injured person and their family when a careless driver either doesn't have enough BI insurance or has no BI insurance at all.  UM Coverage is the flipside to BI insurance.  BI insurance protects the other driver.  UM Coverage protects you.

“Full Coverage” May Be the Minimum Required by the Law

TWW has focused on personal injury insurance claims in Florida over the years.  We have learned that when a driver thinks they have “Full Coverage,” what they actually have is legal coverage, or the minimum required by law.  The State of Florida does not require drivers to carry insurance to protect innocent people they may hurt.  The State of Florida only requires automobile owners to have very limited medical and disability coverage for the auto owner, NOT the innocent people they may hurt, and property damage coverage for damage to other people's property.  You can drive on the roads in Florida with legal coverage and yet have no protection for severe injuries caused by someone else's carelessness.

How to Make Sure You Have True Full Coverage

Contact your insurance agent and ask whether you have UM Coverage on your car to protect you and your family.  If you do not have UM, ask for it immediately.  Purchase as much as you can afford so that you'll be sure you and your family are protected.  If you are unsure whether you have sufficient coverage or would like your coverage explained more fully, please do not hesitate to contact us for a free coverage review.  Once you have been involved in a car crash it is too late.

About the Author

Comments

There are no comments for this post. Be the first and Add your Comment below.

Leave a Comment

Free Consultation

We never charge any fee or cost for an initial consultation to explain your rights. If you’ve been injured in a car accident or have question about an insurance claim, contact us.

Menu