The Importance of Uninsured and Underinsured Insurance

UM (uninsured) auto insurance protects you after a Motor Vehicle Accident when the at fault driver does not have insurance.  UIM (under insured) protects you when the at fault driver has insurance, but not enough insurance to cover all damages (medical bills, lost wages, pain & suffering, etc).  You expect the at fault driver to have sufficient auto insurance to pay for your damages and injuries they caused you.  The problem is some drivers do not have sufficient insurance. And now their problem becomes your problem! 

Why UM/UIM Insurance is Important

If the at fault driver does not have sufficient insurance to compensate you for the damages and injuries, you will have to have to had purchased sufficient underinsured auto insurance for more than the other driver’s insurance company.  Liability insurance will not help you in this situation. Liability insurance is designed to pay the party that suffers damages and injuries caused by you.

In order to be able to use your own uninsured insurance, you must have a higher coverage amount than the at fault driver.  This means that if you and the at fault driver both have minimum ($25,000) insurance policies, you will not be able to use your own underinsured insurance coverage.  You must have an underinsured policy limit of more than the minimum ($25,000).  

Reasons why you need sufficient underinsured coverage:

1. Many drivers in Connecticut do not have auto insurance and many that do have minimum policy limits of $25,000.00. That means the most their insurance company is obligated to pay you $25,000.00.
2. UM/UIM coverage is very affordable coverage that you can add to your auto insurance policy. In addition, UM/UIM coverages doesn’t only protect you but also your family members and other passengers who ride in your vehicle.
3. UM/UIM protects you outside of your car as well.

            If you are a passenger in a friend’s vehicle and are involved in an accident, your UM/UIM policy will apply and protect you.

            In addition, if you are hit by a car as a pedestrian, your UM/UIM policy will protect you as well even if you are not in a vehicle.

An UM/UIM claim/lawsuit progresses in the same way as a regular auto lawsuit except the lawsuit is against your own auto insurance company and not against the other driver’s insurance company. 

We urge you to call your insurance company to get a quote for additional UM/UIM coverage.  We think you will be surprised as to how affordable additional coverage can be!