Uninsured and underinsured motoring coverage can help you recover damages from your insurance company when you get into an accident. The Insurance Information Institute states that 12.4% of drivers in Georgia drive without insurance cover.
Exploring How Uninsured and Underinsured Coverage Could Protect You
You might not get compensation from drivers with little to no insurance if you get into an accident with them. Paying out of pocket for your medical expenses is possible in this situation.
But, you can purchase uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to protect yourself when you get into such circumstances. This coverage enables you to pursue claims from your insurance company after an accident. Normally, the coverage comes into effect if the at-fault driver does not have insurance or their coverage is too little to compensate you for the injuries.
What Does Georgia Minimum Liability Insurance Cover?
Liability insurance covers the damages or/and injuries an at-fault party in an accident may cause. Each state has the least amount of liability insurance each driver must have. It is illegal to drive on the roads if you do not have the minimum coverage. The Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire states that each driver must have minimum liability coverage of:
- $25,000 per person in every accident
- A total of $50,000 per accident
This implies that an at-fault driver in an accident should have coverage of at least $25,000 when they get into an accident. However, some drivers drive around without the minimum liability coverage, despite it being illegal. Other drivers stick to the lower limit of $25,000 as they drive around. If any of these drivers hit you, you might be in trouble.
Drivers without insurance will not be in a position to pay for your damages. The law would take its course, and the driver would receive a criminal offense. That would not benefit you in any way, though. Drivers with only the minimum coverage might pay for the damages. However, the amount you receive might be insufficient for your medical and repair expenses.
What Does Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Cover?
Let us assume you are in the above position where the at-fault party does not have insurance, or the amount they have is too little to cover your damages. Your uninsured and underinsured coverage can kick in to help you in this situation. Your insurance company will be liable to compensate you for the injuries and damage under this coverage.
Insurance companies must make uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in Georgia available to any person purchasing insurance. The insurance company only removes this coverage from your policy when you waive it in writing.
The coverage applies in other situations apart from cases where the at-fault party has insufficient (or nonexistent) insurance. These include;
- When you are involved in a hit-and-run accident and authorities cannot find the at-fault driver
- When you are walking or cycling, and a driver hits you
How Much Uninsured and Underinsured Coverage Do You Ned?
Determining the appropriate amount of coverage alone can be complex. However, a personal injury lawyer can help you out. Lawyers can read and review policies to make an accurate determination of benefits. There are two types of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverages in Georgia you should be familiar with.
Non-Stacking Coverage
Non-stacking coverage is a traditional coverage you can only use if your coverage is more than the at-fault driver’s liability limits in an accident. However, you can access the full amount of this coverage if the at-fault driver does not have insurance or the authorities cannot find the at-fault driver. You will also access the full amount of this coverage if other claims exhaust or reduce the at-fault driver’s coverage.
Stacking
Stacking is the other form of underinsured and uninsured coverage. It is an amount that is potentially available to fill the deficit left by an at-fault driver’s insurance compensation.
Purchase Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage for Your Georgia Vehicle
Having uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in Georgia can come in handy at the most unexpected times. This coverage can help you offset your medical and other expenses when you get into an accident with a driver without insurance. If an at-fault driver pays insufficient compensation, the coverage will assist you to plug in the deficit.
Not all insurance companies have your interest at heart. So they may end up giving you policies with terms against your best interest.
Contact George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Contact George Sink P.A. Injury Lawyers for help before accepting any of these policies. Our team will go through the policy terms and advise you if they work for your situation.
Contact us at (888) 612-7001 for a free personal injury consultation. Our attorneys handle car accident cases in Georgia.