Q. What is uninsured motorist coverage?
A. Uninsured motorist coverage offers coverage for victims of motor vehicle related accidents at the fault of uninsured drivers and drivers with inadequate coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage provides benefits up to the policy amount for the bodily injury caused by the negligence of a motorist who is either a) uninsured for liability, or b) insured with liability insurance but with inadequate policy limits. In other words, it is insurance you carry to protect yourself in case you are injured by someone who is not properly insured.
Q. Is my insurance company required to provide uninsured motorist coverage?
A. As part of their automobile insurance policies, it is required that insurance companies provide the statutory minimum of uninsured motorist coverage. All insurance companies are required to offer uninsured motorist coverage as part of their automobile insurance policies with limits at least equal to the liability limit on the policy; you need not purchase more than the statutory minimum.
Q. How do I make an uninsured/underinsured motorist claim?
A. Starting your uninsured/underinsured motorist claim is not difficult. You will first need to set up the claim by calling the claims number that your insurance company provides. This number is on your insurance card. The insurance company will then begin investigating your claim. They will send you release forms in an effort to get information. These will likely include a release that will allow them to get your medical records and your payroll records. Properly navigating this process is one of the more important reasons to hire an attorney from Jackson O’Keefe in your claim. The attorneys at Jackson O’Keefe have extensive experience and will guide you each step of the way through your claims process.
Q. What is the difference between an uninsured motorist and an underinsured motorist?
A. There is a drastic difference between an uninsured motorist and an underinsured motorist. An uninsured motorist is someone who simply does not have any insurance. An underinsured motorist is someone who has insurance, but they don’t have enough insurance to cover the damages and losses they have caused. For example, a driver who causes a crash has the minimum $30,000 of injury coverage, but they crashed into someone and caused them injuries of $60,000, the driver will be considered underinsured. Jackson O’Keefe has years of experience working with uninsured and underinsured accident claims.
Q. What if I am involved in a hit and run car accident?
A. You may not realize it, you may be entitled to recover money damages for your injuries or for the death of a loved one under your UM policy. These money damages include compensation for medical bills and lost wages, as well as pain and suffering. This type of recovery is typically available under Connecticut auto insurance policies’ uninsured motorist coverage. Furthermore, even if you do not personally own a car or carry uninsured motorist coverage, we may be able to obtain a financial recovery for you from the uninsured motorist policy of a relative such as a parent, child, brother, or sister with whom you live. We may be able to recover for you as a result of a hit and run accident regardless of whether you are a driver of a car, a passenger in a car, a motorcycle rider, a bicyclist, or a pedestrian.