What Drivers Should Know About Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Anyone looking for car insurance coverage needs to know about the uninsured motorist coverage. Very few states require this coverage, thereby making it optional. Many people who are looking for auto insurance coverage online will skip over it because it's an added expense; however, it can provide a lot of financial protection.
The uninsured motorist coverage will protect a policyholder in the event that one is involved in an accident with a driver that doesn't have insurance. Without this policy, a person may end up being financially responsible for all of the damages to persons and property, which can add up to a significant amount of money.
In Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and Illinois, uninsured motorist coverage is required. This means that a person doesn't even need to add it into a policy because it will automatically be added. When searching for car insurance coverage online, the ZIP code is asked for this very reason. It will check to see what the state laws and liability minimums are to accurately provide a quote.
The uninsured auto insurance coverage also protects against hit and runs. Anyone involved in an accident where the other driver drives away will be protected with this coverage. This ensures the insurance company will cover damages to the car, injuries sustained by anyone in the vehicle and other items up to the level of liability on the policy.
Many times, the uninsured car insurance coverage is also valid for underinsured motorists. In some states, this means that a driver may have liability coverage on his or her own personal vehicle, but their coverage is less than the coverage of the person who was hit. This can be a great way to ensure all aspects of a vehicle can be replaced or repaired after an accident.
Uninsured motorist coverage encompasses quite a bit. It covers lost wages, medical expenses and other related injuries sustained in the vehicle. In most cases, this is only the case if the party that is uninsured was found at fault for the accident.
Every state handles uninsured motorists differently. Some states will require the coverage. Others will require a party to be named at fault, thus making uninsured motorist coverage that much more important. Other states still will cover the hit and run as part of uninsured coverage while others won't.
There is a charge for uninsured motorist coverage, but in most cases, it's advantageous to purchase. Without the coverage, a lot of out of pocket expenses could result due to not having the proper coverage within an insurance policy otherwise. Insurance is purchased for a reason, but if the protection isn't there, it's useless.
