What to Know About Filing a Claim After Being in an Accident with an Uninsured Driver

While all drivers are required by law to have auto insurance if they’re going to get behind the wheel, the unfortunate reality is that there thousands of uninsured drivers out there. If you should find yourself in the unfortunate scenario of being involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage will kick in. But if you don’t have UM coverage, then your chances of getting the recovery you deserve are unfortunately low.

Even with UM coverage, though, there are some limitations that you should be aware of:

• Hit and runs: Some UM coverage includes coverage for accidents involving hit-and-run drivers, some do not. This coverage won’t apply unless you were actually struck by the other vehicle. Being run off the road by an aggressive driver who flees the scene won’t qualify you for this coverage. Other policies will only cover if you’re able to identify the driver.
• Medical payouts: The amount of money you get paid out by your UM coverage will be reduced by payments you get for medical bills from your own insurance provider.
• Disability: The size of your UM payouts will be decreased by the amount of other disability or workers’ compensation payments you receive as a result of your injury.

If you do choose to file a claim under your UM policy, an adjuster from your insurance company will process the claim as it would any other liability claim. The difference is you negotiate with the adjuster about the other person’s liability and the extent of your own negligence, if applicable.

For more information about how UM coverage works, contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia LLP.