In Texas, everyone should have car insurance. If you go down to get your car inspected, renew your registration, or get a driver’s license. Just about anything, they will ask you for proof of insurance. Everybody should have insurance, but the reality is that about 25 percent of motorists are uninsured or underinsured.
There are different types of car insurance.
Liability
This is the one that the state of Texas says you must have. Liability insurance covers you if you cause a wreck. The minimum in Texas is $30,000. If you are involved in a car wreck and it was your fault, your insurance company will pay for the damage to the other car and to the people who were harmed up to the limits of your policy. If it’s a minimum limit policy, it will be $30,000 for personal injuries and $25,000 for property damage. What if there are multiple people injured in the wreck? The $30,000 limit is doubled to $60,000. So, it is $30,000 per person involved or $60,00 per occurrence.
The reality is that most car crashes can cause damage exceeding $30,000. If you get hurt, let’s say you go to the doctor, ER visit, or if you hurt your back and may need injections. Your medical expenses are going to add up to $30,000 pretty quickly. So, if the person who caused the wreck only has the minimum limit liability policy, the most you could ever recover in a claim against that person is $30,000. Technically, you can sue them and get a big judgment against them. However, when you go to collect it, the only thing that will be there is the $30,000 in insurance. Then, whatever other assets the person may possess. Realistically, if someone can only afford a minimum limit policy, they probably don’t have many valuable assets.
How to Respond
So, what do you do in this situation? What if you are in a wreck and someone who caused the wreck caused you to suffer injuries, and the value of your claim is above the insurance limit of the person who caused it? Well, that’s when you look into uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. So, remember the state of Texas requires you to have at least the minimum liability limits of $30,000. Well, the law also says that each insurance policy is to include what’s called uninsured and underinsured motorists coverage.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists Coverage
This coverage kicks in when someone else causes a wreck and is either uninsured or underinsured. There is one little catch to this issue. The statute says UM/UIM coverage can be waived if the insured signs a waiver. Unfortunately, there are a lot of insurance agents who just as a matter of course, when you go in to get insurance, they will give you a quote on liability insurance and slide the waiver of uninsured-underinsured motorist coverage, and then you walk out thinking you’ve got full coverage when in fact you did not get full coverage.
So, make sure you read your insurance policy. You will have a form as proof of insurance, but the thing is, it doesn’t tell you what your limits are. Look at the declarations page on your insurance policy, and it will tell you how much your coverage is. A portion will discuss liability, property damage, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Uninsured-underinsured is the one you’re concerned about because it is what protects you and your family. If you don’t have that and if you can afford it, it’s only pennies a day to get extra coverage. You should go and talk to your insurance agent and make sure you get the uninsured-underinsured motorist coverage.
Personal Injury Protection
Another aspect is that when you get UM/UIM coverage, there’s also personal injury protection. It is usually $2,500, $5,000, or $10,000, and it is no-fault coverage. If you get hurt in your car, lose time from work, and incur medical expenses. Personal injury protection is something you get by paying for it. So, the idea is if you are going to drive around in the state of Texas and you know 25% of people don’t have any insurance coverage, it’s in your best interest for you and your family to make sure you have uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
If you or someone you know has been affected by a UIM/UI Motorist, contact the experienced attorneys at Perdue & Kidd. Like us on Facebook!
