Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. One moment, you’re driving down the highway, jamming out to your favorite song, and the next, your car is hit from behind and you’re thrown forward, slammed into the airbags.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, you’ve been hit by one of the 28 million drivers across the country who doesn’t have auto insurance. What happens now?
The road is filled with uninsured and underinsured drivers. Adding coverage to your auto insurance policy can protect you if you get into an accident with one of them.
WHEN AN UNINSURED MOTORIST CAUSES THE ACCIDENT
If you had hit them, your insurance would be the one to take care of everything, but that didn’t happen here. Because North Carolina is what is known as a “tort” state, this means car insurance companies pay damages based on who’s at fault. When the person who causes the accident doesn’t have auto insurance, you’re the one left dealing with the expenses.
The only way to attempt to get the damages paid by the driver is to take them to court and sue them. It’s highly unlikely they can or will be able to pay, even with a judgment in your favor. It’s much better to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage instead.
WHAT DOES UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE DO?
Uninsured and underinsured motorists are two different people. Uninsured means they have zero auto insurance coverage while underinsured means they have some but not enough to cover the costs of a serious accident.
When you purchase coverage to protect against either type of driver, you’ll have bodily injury and property damage coverage. Bodily injury means your medical expenses, lost wages, and other expenses related to the injuries you sustain will be covered. Property damage covers the repairs to your vehicle. Both types of coverage only pay up to the limit you select when you add it to your auto insurance policy.
If the other driver is uninsured, all expenses up to your capped limit will be paid. With underinsured drivers, their insurance will pay up to their limits, and then your insurance will pick up the rest – again, up to the limit you select when you purchase your coverage. Consider those limits carefully so you’re not stuck paying out of pocket after a really bad accident.
With uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, you can drive easier knowing that if the worst happens and you’re in an accident, you’ll still be covered, even if the other driver isn’t.
If you’d like to discuss uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in more detail or receive a quote for a new policy, contact us here at Charlotte Insurance. We’re here to help.