Your car insurance policy is one of the most important documents you have. If you get into an accident and are not properly insured, you may be left with a big bill to pay for damages.

Therefore, you should always check your car insurance policy to make sure that you are adequately covered in case of an accident. This is typically true if you are in an accident with an underinsured or uninsured driver because of low or no coverage.

So if you get injured in an accident caused by one of these drivers, it is crucial that your own insurance coverage can help you out. Here’s what you need to know about them and how you can protect yourself:

Who Are Underinsured Drivers?

Underinsured drivers are those who do not have enough insurance to cover the cost of damages that they cause to others in an accident. This means they have too little or no insurance to pay for any damages you may incur in the accident. If an underinsured driver causes an accident, you will likely be forced to pay for damages that you did not cause if you’re not adequately covered as well. 

The population of these types of insurers is incredibly high in the U.S because even though many people know they need to get auto insurance, they don’t really care about how much. They typically purchase the cheapest policy out there with minimal coverage amount. As a result, if you are in an accident with them and it was their mistake, their coverage amount might not be enough to pay for your car or injuries.

Who Are Uninsured Drivers?

Uninsured motorists are those with no insurance. This means that they do not have the coverage required by law to cover any kind of damages you incur in an accident with them, even if it’s a minor one like a fender bender or scratch on your car door. Uninsured drivers are responsible for their actions and can be held liable for injuries or damage caused to another party and pay expensive legal costs if they are found guilty of driving without insurance.

However, if they are broke or have very little money to pay to you, that will put you in a tough spot because then you have no means of getting compensated for your losses. A large number of people in the U.S are uninsured, around 12.6% as per 2019’s survey. So there still is a chance you may come across any of them, especially during holidays and vacations when people visit their relatives from different cities or states, and even if they’re insured, their coverage may not work outside of their city/state. The same goes for tourists who visit from different countries; they won’t have coverage to pay for your damages because their policy is limited to their own countries.

So How to Protect Yourself From Underinsured and Uninsured Motorists?

The best and simplest approach to doing this is getting ‘uninsured and underinsured coverage‘ from your auto insurance company. This will cover the injuries you sustain during an accident, and the other party cannot pay for them because they’re either underinsured or uninsured.

You can always talk to auto insurance the experts at Paradiso Insurance to know more about this coverage and the best way to stay protected. Feel free to call us at 860-684-5270; we’d love to help!