Not everyone on the road has enough car insurance to them in an accident. In fact, some drivers do not even have insurance at all! As you can imagine, this can lead to quite a headache for motorists who are in an accident. In the US, there are 215 million people with car insurance. However, there are also around 32 million people without insurance on the road as well. There is a chance you could be in an accident with someone who has little to no insurance. Thankfully, there is something in place that can protect drivers against underinsured or uninsured motorists. Use this guide to help you determine if you need Underinsured Motorist Protection.
Do You Need Underinsured Motorist Protection?: Be a Prepared Driver
What is an Underinsured Driver?
As a responsible driver, you should have insurance coverage. This can cover both people and property in the event of an accident. Each state has different rules for what the lowest amount of insurance coverage a driver can have. In fact, some states have very low requirements. Unfortunately, some drivers choose to only purchase the bare minimum. For example, in California, you only have to have $15,000 per person worth of coverage. In addition, they only require $30,000 per incident of coverage towards bodily harm. Additionally, North Carolina requires $30,000 while South Carolina requires 25,000 per person. This may sound like a lot, but medical bills can add up quickly! In the case where insurance will not cover all of the medical expenses, that person is an underinsured driver. However, Underinsured Motorist Protection can help to fill in these gaps.
Some people do not have any auto insurance at all. These people are not just underinsured, they are uninsured. If they cause an accident, they do not have any insurance coverage. Therefore, there is nothing to cover medical expenses for themselves or the other people involved in the accident.
What is Underinsured Motorist Protection?
Underinsured Motorist Protection helps to pay your expenses if you are hit by an underinsured driver. In addition to Underinsured Motorist coverage, you can also buy Uninsured Motorist Protection. In fact, in some states, they bundle the two together. Most states require drivers to carry coverage to protect you from people with only a little to no insurance at all. However, if you are in a state that does not require these coverages, you may want to look into getting them anyway. This will help to protect you and your family from high medical bills in the event of a bad accident. In addition to coverage of bodily harm, it is possible to buy policies that also cover property damage. This can help in the event you are in an accident with someone who does not have insurance.
This is one more thing to consider when you are shopping for auto insurance. If you want more information on these policies, call your insurance agent. They will be able to talk through the options with you and help sign you up. Also, make sure to check and see how much insurance you are required to have in each state. Talk with your agent to make sure you have enough coverage to protect yourself and others. If not, you should get a higher limit as well. This will help you be a prepared driver.
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