Most people are aware that if they are involved in an automobile accident with another vehicle they can bring a lawsuit against the driver and owner of the other vehicle for monetary damages. But what if the other vehicle has minimal insurance coverage that is inadequate to compensate you for your injuries? Or worse, what if the other vehicle had no insurance at all? Under these circumstances, you may be able to look to your own automobile insurance policy for coverage.
Missouri law requires that all automobile insurance policies include uninsured motorist coverage. This covers you when the driver of a vehicle has no insurance. It may also cover you if you reside in a household with someone who owns an insured automobile. By law, every automobile insurance policy issued in Missouri must have a provision for uninsured motorist benefits of at least twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per person and fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per accident for two or more people. You may increase the limits of your uninsured benefits to match the policy limits of your overall general liability coverage. For example, if you have automobile liability coverage of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident you may obtain uninsured motorist benefits to match that amount.
An optional coverage in Missouri is Underinsured Motorist coverage which helps if you are involved in an automobile accident (whether you are a driver, passenger or pedestrian) with a motor vehicle that does not have adequate insurance. Under this coverage you may still be able to recover money from your own automobile insurance company for your injury. Whether or not you can bring a claim against your own policy and for how much depends on the limits of your underinsured motorist coverage and the specific facts of your situation. Underinsured motorist coverage is important to purchase because it allows you to recover money from your own automobile insurance coverage if the offending vehicle had inadequate insurance coverage.
It is a good practice that your uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance limits match your liability limits.
If you need assistance with your uninsured or underinsured injury case contact Chris Faiella, or one of the attorneys at his firm for your free initial consultation at 1-800-264-3455.
Missouri law requires that all automobile insurance policies include uninsured motorist coverage. This covers you when the driver of a vehicle has no insurance. It may also cover you if you reside in a household with someone who owns an insured automobile. By law, every automobile insurance policy issued in Missouri must have a provision for uninsured motorist benefits of at least twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per person and fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per accident for two or more people. You may increase the limits of your uninsured benefits to match the policy limits of your overall general liability coverage. For example, if you have automobile liability coverage of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident you may obtain uninsured motorist benefits to match that amount.
An optional coverage in Missouri is Underinsured Motorist coverage which helps if you are involved in an automobile accident (whether you are a driver, passenger or pedestrian) with a motor vehicle that does not have adequate insurance. Under this coverage you may still be able to recover money from your own automobile insurance company for your injury. Whether or not you can bring a claim against your own policy and for how much depends on the limits of your underinsured motorist coverage and the specific facts of your situation. Underinsured motorist coverage is important to purchase because it allows you to recover money from your own automobile insurance coverage if the offending vehicle had inadequate insurance coverage.
It is a good practice that your uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance limits match your liability limits.
If you need assistance with your uninsured or underinsured injury case contact Chris Faiella, or one of the attorneys at his firm for your free initial consultation at 1-800-264-3455.
