Understanding UIM Insurance: Why It’s Essential for Every Driver
Imagine getting into an accident, only to realize the at-fault driver didn’t have insurance, or lacks enough coverage to pay for your expenses in the aftermath. Instead, you would have to cover these costs on your own, which would cause significant financial stress, especially if long-term care is needed. To protect drivers when they need it most, uninsured and underinsured motorist (UIM) insurance is a critical yet often overlooked part of auto insurance that can help drivers pay those expenses.
Cases with an uninsured at-fault driver are often challenging to try to recover any type of compensation, which is why UM/UIM coverage is such an important part of auto insurance that people need to reconsider having before getting on the road. Personal injury attorney Roger “Rocky” Walton works with car accident victims all over Texas to ensure that they are given just reparations for losses and damages due to a car accident. With UM/UIM insurance coverage, Rocky can better assist clients in holding all insurances accountable and making sure his clients receive the monetary relief they need.
WHAT IS UM/UIM COVERAGE?
Many people often overlook UM/UIM insurance and the benefits that it can have when in an accident with an uninsured/underinsured driver. With this added coverage, drivers are protected when the at-fault driver has no insurance, not enough insurance, or a hit-and-run occurs where the driver cannot be found or identified. UM/UIM stands for uninsured, or under-insured motorist coverage. This coverage is not mandatory in Texas, and consumers must request for this coverage. It can be as inexpensive as a monthly streaming subscription. This additional piece to auto insurance helps drivers plan for the unexpected. In the state of Texas, at least 1 in 12 drivers do not have insurance for their car. If you were to ever get into an accident with one of these uninsured drivers, a lot of the damages would fall on you instead of the person that caused the collision. To be on the safer side, UM/UIM coverage makes sure those expenses aren’t coming out of your pocket. This coverage can pay for:
- Any damages to the vehicle
- The driver and the passengers’ medical bills
- Pain and suffering costs
- Mental Anguish costs
- Impairment/Disfigurement
- Consortium
- Lost wages
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH AN UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED DRIVER?
If you get into an accident with an uninsured/underinsured driver, you still need to get all pertinent information to protect yourself. Make sure to report the accident to local law enforcement by calling 911 and assisting that an officer respond to the scene, collect the at-fault driver’s contact information even if they don’t have insurance, photos of the accident, and any visible damages or injuries. Try to get the at-fault driver to admit on audio/video that they were at fault. Also, a trip to the hospital would be in your best interest since there could be hidden injuries or any delayed symptoms after your car accident.
In smaller collisions, other insurance policies could cover some of the expenses and greatly reduce financial burdens even without UMUIM coverage. However, if the damages are severe and long-term care is needed, it might be harder to receive compensation without UM/UIM coverage. Unfortunately, a lot of the expenses would still fall on you if there was a bigger collision instead of the driver that made the collision happen. Although, if you’re facing high medical bills, hiring an attorney, like Rocky Walton, to negotiate with the healthcare providers could potentially help in reducing or deferring payments. While negotiating with healthcare providers can provide a solution, filing a lawsuit against the at-fault driver might sound like a good idea, but it could be extremely difficult to gain anything from it if the driver doesn’t possess any substantial assets. Partial compensation might be recovered, but the other medical bills and vehicle damages would remain under your responsibility.
All in all, UM/UIM coverage can greatly benefit any and all drivers on the road. You can be better prepared for an accident with an uninsured/underinsured driver and know that you wouldn’t have to pay for something you did not cause. By investing in UIM coverage, you add a crucial layer of financial security, ensuring that an unexpected accident doesn’t turn into unexpected debt.
CONTACT US
If you have been in an accident with an uninsured/underinsured driver, count on Roger “Rocky” Walton to get you the compensation you deserve. As one of the few personal injury trial law specialists in Texas, Rocky Walton is prepared to fight for your financial damages as best he can. To schedule a consultation at our Arlington law firm, send us a message online or call (817) 429-4299 at your earliest convenience.