Uninsured Motorist and Under Insured Motorist Coverage

Jim Desmond is a personal injury attorney licensed to practice in both Kentucky and Indiana.  His office is located in Louisville. This podcast is going to provide helpful information, so you have a better idea of what you should do after a car wreck.

Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Under Insured Motorist (UIM) Coverage

The declarations page of your insurance policy lists the limits (e.g. 25/50/10).  The first number is the maximum coverage for the first person.  So, on this policy, it’s $25,000.  The second number is the maximum coverage for all people involved (i.e. $50,000).  The last number is the property damage coverage. 

UM or UIM coverage is generally used for pain and suffering claims and uncompensated medical expenses.

Your uninsured motorist coverage and under insured motorist coverage must be in place before the collision occurs.  Bodily injury coverage refers to the amount your policy will pay for the other person, not you. 

You can have coverage as a named insured and others may be covered under resident relative concept.  Uninsured Motorist and Under Insured Motorist coverage can apply to resident relatives. 

Jim Desmond discusses various situations, including a bus accident requiring multiple claimants to file against a single driver.  He explains how UM/UIM coverage can be an added layer of protection.  If there are multiple injured parties, the attorneys will work to help decide how the coverage will be divided among the victims.

If you are hesitant to file a claim in an automobile accident, it begins as a personal injury claim, not a lawsuit.  You’re trying to recover from the at-fault driver via negotiations.  If you can’t reach an acceptable settlement, your attorney can file a lawsuit.  In most cases though, you’re going after the insurance company that is covering the at-fault driver.

• This Happened This Week 

The no-fault carrier has a lien against the case for the amount it paid.  If you can figure out the policy limits of the at-fault driver, your attorney can petition the at-fault driver’s insurance company pay the victim directly.  This may avoid having the no-fault carrier recover the lien.  It’s complicated, but your attorney understands whether it’s possible in your case.

• Need to Hire an Attorney for Your Auto Accident Case?

You can contact Jim Desmond at www.AttorneyDesmond.com.  His cell phone is [phone].  Follow the links on his website to his Facebook page, where you’ll be able to follow him and keep up to date with new information about personal injury law in Kentucky and Indiana.