It's amazing how many times I have clients injured in a car crash tell me that that thought they had "full coverage." In Missouri there are minimum state requirements for insurance coverage, but these minimums are very far from full coverage. When your only instruction to an agent or insurance company is that you want full coverage you are leaving your financial protection to chance. Missouri law requires that auto policies have liability insurance coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, and the same limits for uninsured auto coverage. There is no legal requirement to have underinsured motorist coverage, medical payments coverage, accidental death, or extended benefits coverage.
Underinsured coverage offers protection from drivers who injure you but do not have enough coverage to cover your injuries. Medical payments coverage pays for medical bills you incur as a result of being injured by a vehicle related incident, if you are killed this coverage pays all or part of the face amount of the benefit depending on the policy. Accidental death provides additional coverage should you die in an auto related incident. Extended benefits coverage pays lost wages if you are off work from an auto related incident.
If you want full coverage you would purchase all of this coverage to insure that you are truly protected. You also need to purchase insurance limits that make sense for you given your financial circumstances. I suggest that your minimum limits should be no less than $100,000 for liability insurance, uninsured motorist, and underinsured motorist. $10,000 in medical payments coverage and accidental death is adequate if you have adequate health insurance and life insurance. If you have significant assets or income then you should purchase higher limits to protect yourself and your family.
Underinsured coverage offers protection from drivers who injure you but do not have enough coverage to cover your injuries. Medical payments coverage pays for medical bills you incur as a result of being injured by a vehicle related incident, if you are killed this coverage pays all or part of the face amount of the benefit depending on the policy. Accidental death provides additional coverage should you die in an auto related incident. Extended benefits coverage pays lost wages if you are off work from an auto related incident.
If you want full coverage you would purchase all of this coverage to insure that you are truly protected. You also need to purchase insurance limits that make sense for you given your financial circumstances. I suggest that your minimum limits should be no less than $100,000 for liability insurance, uninsured motorist, and underinsured motorist. $10,000 in medical payments coverage and accidental death is adequate if you have adequate health insurance and life insurance. If you have significant assets or income then you should purchase higher limits to protect yourself and your family.
