Why Uninsured Motorist Coverage is SO Important
Car accidents arguably place just as much stress on the mind as they could physically on the body. No one expects a car crash and even the most simple or low key of accidents (like a low speed rear end at a red light) can have a paper trail that drags on for months. What happens if within the moments after your car, truck or motorcycle accident, the other party flees? Unfortunately, hit and run accidents are more common than the average law abiding citizen would like to think.
Getting in an accident is a terrifying experience. If you’re able to move your car, you might pull it to the side and get out to talk to the other driver. Perhaps you can’t move your vehicle but feel healthy enough to leave the car and see if they are okay. Going to take this second step to see them speeding off into the distance is something that will leave your stomach in knots for weeks. So many thoughts rush through your mind… What will happen to my medical bills? Your car? Will justice ever be served? Hit and runs are one of the main reasons that uninsured motorist coverage is so important for every driver in our area to have.
What Uninsured Motorist (UM) Insurance Covers
To reference the above scenario, your uninsured motorist policy would extend to cover hit and runs. We can only do so much to protect ourselves and the ones we love. Wearing seat belts, looking both ways, abiding by the speed limit. On the other side of this coin is the long term protection methods like a comprehensive insurance policy. Policies also cover you and your family for accidents in where the other party has an insufficient plan or simply no insurance at all. Too often drivers will try to pinch pennies in all the wrong places and skimp on the insurance that needs to be in place for their own sake and yours. Here are some of the costs associated with an accident that is either a hit and run or involving an underinsured motorist:
Bodily injury coverage – When you’re hurt as a result of an accident, your bodily injury coverage will override your traditional health insurance plan to cover your expenses. It also covers the cost of care for someone who may be injured as a result of your actions in a car accident. Sadly, this isn’t a requirement in Florida as it is in other states. An attractive point to note regarding bodily injury coverage is that it also pays out for pain and suffering.
Lost wages and other damages – Perhaps the car accident has left you with an injury that has you out of work for a few weeks without compensation. A UM insurance policy will also work to provide you your entitled compensation for these lost wages.
As with any type of car accident, never take on the paperwork and claims aftermath by yourself. Once you’ve made sure everyone at the scene is okay and has received the needed medical attention, run to the phone to call a personal injury lawyer. You owe it to yourself to discuss the case and ensure that your policy has all bases covered. Car accidents are terrible happenings of life, and the inconvenience should be as small as possible. Working with a PI attorney will streamline the process and give you the best chance possible for getting the compensation you’re requesting.