Usually attorneys who represent injured people and insurance companies
don’t see eye to eye. But there are a few issues which are important
to both groups, but maybe for different reasons. One of these is uninsured
motorist coverage. This is coverage that goes beyond what is commonly
referred to as “full coverage”, a misnomer because the coverage
is actually very limited, not “full” in any way. But uninsured
motorist coverage provides a much needed benefit to the insured. As attorneys
we are often confronted with a situation where a person has been seriously
hurt by another driver, yet the other driver has no insurance and no ability
to pay for the injuries they have caused. If the client has uninsured
motorist coverage, the client’s own insurance will step in and provide
the client with an opportunity to pay medical bills, cover lost wages
and provide some stability in an unstable situation. The insurance companies
endorse the idea of uninsured motorist coverage because of the obvious
situation above and another as well: increased coverages equal increased
premiums which increase the bottom line. But whatever the reason we all
agree, for the small increase in premium there is much greater peace of mind.
