Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage (UM coverage) pays for your injuries if you are struck by a hit-and-run driver or by someone who does not have adequate insurance — either because they have no coverage or because they do not have enough coverage — to pay for your injuries. Normally, this type of coverage is limited to bodily injury, and it will not pay for damage to your vehicle or for other types of property damage. To get that kind of coverage, you will have to add collision coverage to your policy.
Who is usually included in my uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage?
Most UM coverage will pay up to your policy’s UM limits for injuries caused to:
- you or a relative who lives with you, while a driver or passenger in the vehicle named in your UM insurance policy or any other vehicle, or while a pedestrian
- anyone else driving your insured vehicle with your permission, and
- anyone else riding in the vehicle named in your insurance policy, or in any other vehicle you are driving but which you do not own.
What are the limits on my ability to collect under an uninsured/underinsured motorist provision?
UM coverage usually limits your ability to collect — and the amount you receive — as follows:
- If your accident involves a hit-and-run driver, you must notify the police within 24 hours of the accident.
- If your accident involves a hit-and-run driver, the driver’s car must have actually hit you — being forced off the road by a driver who disappears is not sufficient.
- Your UM coverage will be reduced by any amounts you receive under other insurance coverage, such as your personal medical insurance or any applicable workers’ compensation coverage.
- If you or a relative are injured by an uninsured motorist while you are in someone else’s car, your UM coverage will be secondary to the UM coverage of that other car’s owner.
Improper design, maintenance, construction, signage, lighting or other highway defects, including poorly placed trees and utility poles, can also cause serious accidents. If you haven’t brought a personal injury claim because you didn’t think there was another driver to blame, contact us to evaluate other potential defendants.
A car, truck or motorcycle accident happens in an instant, but can impact the future of those involved for years. No one expects to get into in an accident, therefore one does not generally prepare for what to do in case one occurs. A car accident attorney can help protect your rights and ensure that you receive fair compensation. At Our Law Offices, we have access to top medical experts and utilize thorough pretrial investigation techniques to ensure we not only prove the case, but obtain the compensation that will cover your medical needs in the future. This is particularly important when it comes to head injuries, neck injuries, spinal injuries and others, where relatively minor pain can develop into more serious problems in the future. If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident, we encourage you to contact us for a free initial consultation. We represent clients throughout Western Washington, including Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and surrounding areas.