Why Uninsured Motorist Coverage Is Essential

We frequently see individuals who feel that they have “full coverage” on their automobiles, but when we review the coverage after an accident, the coverage limits are woefully inadequate.

 Full coverage, meaning that you have rental, towing, and property damage, for example, doesn’t help much when you are in an accident and you are hurt by an individual who has no insurance coverage or inadequate insurance coverage.

We recommend that all of our clients have at least $250,000 in liability coverage and uninsured motorist coverage. In addition, we encourage them to also have an umbrella policy of up to a million dollars at least, providing for liability coverage in that amount and uninsured motorist coverage.

 It is important that you have significant uninsured motorist coverage, since automobile accidents account for a large portion of personal injury situations. Plus, under NH law it is required for individuals who have purchased liability insurance to acquire uninsured motorist coverage equivalent to the amount of liability.

NH is the only state that doesn’t require individuals to purchase automobile insurance, so you will want to protect yourself against the army of uninsured drivers operating in our state. Since many individuals have no insurance coverage or minimum insurance limits, the amount of the coverage for uninsured motorist coverage is critical for you and your loved ones when hurt by others.

You should know, and your agent should have told you, that uninsured motorist coverage also covers you if you are hurt as a pedestrian or if you are hurt while riding in someone else’s car. Uninsured motorist coverage also pays your initial medical bills, makes up for lost wages, and subsidizes treatment for any lingering pain and suffering resulting from the accident. If you keep any valuables in your vehicle, you can purchase insurance to cover property damage from an accident for which the uninsured motorist was liable. If your insurance agent discussed all of the above with you, you have a great insurance agent.

Articles contained here are not intended to provide legal advice, only providing general information. We encourage individuals to consult with an attorney regarding individual circumstances.