This is a subject I’ve written about before and it’s time to do it again: If you do not have uninsured motorist protection (“UM”) on your policy of car insurance you are potentially placing yourself and your family in a position of financial jeopardy.
I know insurance is complicated and with car insurance policies you’re sometimes buying up to five or six separate types of insurance. While all insurance coverages have merit, UM will protect you and your family if you’re injured in a car crash and the other at-fault driver has no insurance to cover your injury.
Here’s why it’s relevant again: In the past month I’ve had to turn away two injured clients who were in bad crashes when it was discovered that the driver at fault in the crash had no bodily injury car insurance and my client waived UM insurance. In one case, a woman attempted to complete a left hand turn across three lanes of US 19 traffic. She made none of the lanes safely, crashing into three cars from three different lanes. Everyone had injuries, including my client, and she had a minimal $10,000 insurance policy which now has four claimants all vying for the same $10,000.
If my client had UM he would have been able to get compensation from his own company even though she was negligent. Ironically, my client had every other type of car insurance, but not the most important one. He waived it to save a few dollars on his insurance premium.
Why do people waive UM? In addition to saving a few dollars on your insurance premium, one car insurance company in particular has advised their agents to undersell UM to consumers like you because this is where this insurance company pays out the most in financial proceeds – UM claims. Well, that shows how important it is to have this coverage when it’s the one tapped into most often.
My other client that I had to turn away was actually a return client – he had been in a car crash a few years ago sustaining injury. In that earlier case, the at-fault party had sufficient car insurance so we were able to make and negotiate a claim. But I cautioned the client at the conclusion of that claim to get UM as soon as he could in case he was in another crash. He never did, now his pre-existing injury has been worsened and his only option is to sue the at-fault driver personally for whatever assets he or she might have.
This is a drum I feel like I’ve played over and again. Nobody wants to be insurance poor, but when your car is destroyed, you’re now out of work and with a permanent injury and you have no recourse is this really where you want to save some money?
Here’s my promise to you – if you would like me to review your automobile policy of insurance and discuss your coverage and limits of liability I agree to do so anytime, and free of charge. No strings attached. Just call my office and schedule an appointment for me to review your Florida policy of car insurance. This offer also has no expiration. It’s a public service to help consumers understand what they have, what they may want and what they really need.
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