3 Examples Why You Need UM/UIM Auto Coverage Now

Three recent cases tell an important lesson: make sure to purchase sufficient auto insurance coverage known as “uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage” (“UM/UIM” coverage).

As described further here, UM/UIM coverage provides protection in car accidents when we are injured by an at fault driver: (1) who does not have their own valid coverage, or; (2) whose coverage is not enough to satisfy the damages caused.

In the past month alone, I have worked on 3 significant personal injury cases where our clients’ lives were changed in an instant due to at fault drivers who did not carry sufficient insurance to cover our injured clients’ medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Case #1: Motorist looked down at her phone while pulling out into oncoming traffic, causing our client to fly off his motorcycle and lead to a brain bleed and spinal fracture. 

Case #2: Before the collision, our client had recovered from back surgery requiring hardware placement.  The car accident caused our client’s hardware to loosen, thereby requiring another surgery. 

Case #3: Our client was a nurse with over 12 years experience.  The shoulder injury she suffered in her car accident left her unable to work for over five months, which led to her losing her job.

In all three cases, the at fault driver’s insurance company settled the case by paying the maximum policy limits available under the bodily injury (“BI”) policy.  In one case, our client smartly had purchased $100,000.00 UM/UIM coverage and we were able to obtain these policy limits on top of the BI coverage.  But - in two of the cases, our clients had rejected purchasing UM/UIM coverage leaving them with no further coverage for their losses.

Car accidents remain one of the most common and uncontrollable cause of injuries within our community.  “Uncontrollable” because, in an instant, our lives can be changed forever regardless of our own actions.

My advice: take a look at your auto insurance policy and make sure that you have purchased at least $100,000.00 in UM/UIM coverage. 

Mike Bottaro is founder of The Bottaro Law Firm, a Rhode Island personal injury law firm.  Mike has written and attended conferences on insurance coverage issues surrounding Rhode Island car accident law.