Why You Should Carry Uninsured Motorist Coverage
No one wants to get in a car accident. Even more, no one wants to get in a car accident with a driver that’s uninsured. While carrying auto insurance is mandatory in the state of Georgia, according to recent data from the Insurance Research Council, about 12.4% of drivers in the state of Georgia – and 12.6% in the US as a whole – are driving without insurance. Just like you can’t control the road and the drivers on it, you can’t always guarantee that if you get into an auto accident, the other party will have insurance to help pay for your medical bills or lost wages should you need to be out of work. With one in eight drivers operating their vehicles without coverage, uninsured motorists are a real threat and could leave you in a desperate situation should you be unlucky enough for one of them to cause an accident at your expense.
Protect Yourself With Uninsured Motorist Coverage
The absolute best thing you can do is purchase uninsured motorist (UM) insurance, which provides coverage when the other party in an accident doesn’t have insurance. A UM policy covers injuries to both the policyholder and any affected passengers, as well as potentially covering any property damage if the uninsured driver is found legally responsible.
Get Familiar with the Laws in Your State
21 states and Washington DC require UM insurance to be automatically added to auto insurance policies, protecting everyone that carries insurance in that state. Other states – Georgia included – do not require the coverage to be added on, but that it be offered with every policy. Other states still allow insurers to decide to offer it or not. We recommend that if you are in a state other than Georgia, you contact your insurance provider regarding their offerings on UM insurance.
If you live in a state where it is offered but not required, and want to add UM coverage to your policy, you will need to contact your insurance company and match the UM coverage limits with your liability limits. Keep in mind that UM insurance is different from UIC (underinsured motorist coverage), which applies when the other party at fault doesn’t have sufficient coverage.
Contact the Attorneys at Geiger Legal Group for Help Understanding Your Auto Insurance Policy and Uninsured Motorist Coverage
The injury lawyers at Geiger Legal Group want to make sure that every member of the community is protected from uninsured motorists, even before an accident occurs. Casey Geiger and the team of lawyers at Geiger Legal Group have offered to educate and help anyone who might need guidance regarding their auto insurance coverage or UM coverage specifically, and invite anyone in the community to call the practice.
As always, if you have been in an accident and need legal representation in any situation, contact the attorneys at Geiger Legal Group for a free consultation today. You can reach us online or at (770)343-5389.
