What is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage?

Although the State of Alabama requires that every registered vehicle carry a minimum of $25,000 in liability coverage, it is a sad fact that many people do not carry adequate insurance coverage. So, what happens if you are injured by an at fault driver that does not carry liability insurance? At Linton & Associates, we have the answer for you.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage is coverage that you have through your insurance policy to protect you when you are injured by a party that does not have insurance in effect to compensate you for your damages. This coverage can also be used when your damages are higher than the amount of coverage available by the at fault party's policy. For example, if your damages are $100,000 and the at fault party has a policy limit of $50,000 you would be entitled to make an underinsured motorist claim with your insurance company.

Alabama law requires that every time a policy is issued, it must provide Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage unless each named insured expressly rejects the uninsured motorist coverage. As a result, you have uninsured motorist coverage on your policy unless you have rejected it in writing to the insurance company.

Many people express a concern about filing an uninsured motorist claim because of fear that their insurance premiums will increase as a result of the claim. However, that is not the case. Uninsured motorist coverage is contractual and filing a claim against that policy does not make your premiums increase. This coverage is designed to step into the shoes of the at-fault party. Think of it as if you just provided coverage for the at-fault party. While we might say it is not our responsibility to provide coverage for people who do not follow the law, we must consider it as us being responsible and ensuring ourselves and loved ones are adequately covered.

If you or a loved on have been injured by an at-fault party that does not carry adequate coverage to justly compensate you for your injuries, contact Linton & Associates and we will conduct a free evaluation to discover all options available to you. http://www.linton-associates.com/

My name is Christopher S. Linton, Attorney at Linton and Associates Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. We specialize in Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Premises and Product Liability, Auto Accidents and Infant Injury and Death.