When you’re involved in an accident and the at-fault driver either doesn’t have any insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance to fully compensate you for your bodily injury losses, uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury insurance may cover the costs of your damages.
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Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM)
UM coverage protects you in the event you are injured by someone who has no insurance. In North Carolina, typical policy limits include:
- $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident (minimum required in North Carolina),
- $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident,
- $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident,
- $300,000 per person/$300,000 per accident,
- $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accident,
- and greater.
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Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM)
UIM protects you in the event the at-fault driver doesn’t have enough insurance to cover all of your injury expenses. In North Carolina, typical policy limits include:
- $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident,
- $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident,
- $300,000 per person/$300,000 per accident,
- $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accident,
- and greater.
Under North Carolina law, you may only purchase UIM if you buy more than the minimum amount of liability insurance. You must first exhaust all of the at-fault driver’s available liability coverage before you can make a UIM claim against your own coverage.
Collecting UM & UIM on More Than One Policy
In some circumstances, it’s possible to collect Uninsured (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM)benefits from more than one policy. If your bodily injury claim exceeds the amount of the UM/UIM coverage for the vehicle you were riding in at the time of the wreck, you may be able to submit an excess UM/UIM claim to your own insurance policy (if it is different than the policy of the car you were riding in) or to a resident family member’s insurance policy.
When you find yourself in this type of situation, it is a good idea to talk with a North Carolina auto accident lawyer from Henson Fuerst about your various insurance policies. Complete a free initial consultation form or call us today at (919) 781-1107.
Multiple Policies
Often, we investigate wrecks caused by at-fault drivers who have the minimum amount of insurance required in North Carolina. That’s when it becomes essential to analyze all of the potential sources of coverage that may be available to you.
When you meet with us, we’ll ask you to bring copies of all the insurance policies held by members of your household, even if those people weren’t involved in your accident. Our North Carolina auto accident attorneys will review the automobile insurance information of all the family members you live with. This allows us to evaluate if a family member’s policy may cover your damages.
Having a North Carolina auto accident attorney from Henson Fuerst on your side may help you get the compensation you’re owed. Call us today at (919) 781-1107 or complete a free initial consultation form.
