Greenville is no stranger to car accidents. Every year car accidents occur, and some of them are fatal for one party or another. Having the proper insurance coverage goes a long way towards protecting you and your family if something should happen while on the road. Uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance can play a strong role in that protection.
What is Underinsured and Underinsured Motorist Insurance?
When an accident occurs with someone who doesn’t have insurance, or doesn’t have enough insurance, there’s no way for you to collect payment if you or yours suffer an injury. In fact, people with no insurance are more likely to flee the scene of an accident.
When you report this to your insurance provider, they would normally have no real way of helping you. You would need specific forms of insurance that cover injuries to you or others. Luckily, the state of North Carolina requires you to have uninsured motorist coverage. You may also need underinsured motorist coverage as well, depending on your other insurance options.
How Uninsured and Underinsured Coverage Works in Greenville
If an accident occurs and the other driver is at fault, then their insurance would cover injuries to you and your passengers. A few different scenarios can come into play.
The at-fault driver has adequate insurance
In a perfect world, the other driver will have enough insurance to cover your medical expenses and other damages. Their insurance company will go through the normal investigative process and pay out a settlement to cover damages.
The at-fault driver doesn’t have enough insurance
What if, for example, the driver only has the minimum amount of liability insurance required by the state? If your damages are more than their maximum insurance coverage, you may not receive the funds you and your family may need to cover your costs. In North Carolina, the minimum amount of liability insurance recovered is only $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident.
If you have underinsured coverage, then your insurance will kick in to cover the difference, up to your coverage limits. That will save you from having to pay out of pocket for your needs.
The at-fault driver doesn’t have any insurance
In cases where the other driver has no insurance at all, you will need uninsured coverage to help you out. It can cover your medical and other expenses up to the policy limit.
As you can see, these types of coverage options can literally save you and your family in several ways. They can help pay for damages, which can consist of ever rising medical costs.
UM and UIM insurance can help to save your assets, since you won’t have to pay out of pocket to cover those same damages. This, in turn, can protect you from financial ruin because of an accident that wasn’t even your fault.
How Much UM/UIM Coverage Do You Need in Greenville NC?
The amount of coverage you require will depend on your specific needs. State minimums only offer some help, but you should always consider increasing those limits as much as you comfortably can. With soaring health care costs, it is important to protect yourself by buying this coverage.
How much insurance would you need to protect your own assets from liquidation, or you from debt, to pay for a hospital bill for you or your family members? In addition, it’s important to understand UM/UIM coverage represents only a part of full auto insurance policy in North Carolina. So, you’ll want to consider all the risks that can put you, your family, and your assets at risk.
Greenville, NC Personal Injury Attorneys
I’m Brian Ricci, a Personal Injury Lawyer in Greenville, NC. If you have suffered a personal injury, please call me anytime at (252) 777-2222 or 1-800-387-6406 for free, friendly advice. Let’s go over the details of your accident case over the phone and see how best to proceed. The call is free and there is no obligation to you.
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