What is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage and Do I Need It?

A lot of people ask me,  ”what is uninsured motorist coverage and do I really need it?”  Uninsured motorist coverage is really two coverages. First, if your hit by someone that has no automobile insurance, your own insurance company will step up and pay your damages just like they were the insurance company or the other person. Secondly, it’s underinsured coverage. That means if your hit by somebody but not enough insurance to cover all of your damages. Again your insurance company steps up and pays the difference up to the limit of your policy. Do you need uninsured motorist coverage? My opinion is yes. Statistics show one in four Texas drivers have no automobile insurance. More importantly of the other three, many have what is called a minimum limits policy, which means the most it will pay you for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages is $25,000. I have had many clients who had a million dollars in liability insurance to protect the other driver but had no uninsured motorist coverage. Talk to your insurance agent. Underinsured motorist coverage is relatively inexpensive and not having it can cost you a great deal.