Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Claims
You may have an uninsured motorists claim or an under-insured motorists claim, or you may have a question about what type of claim that you do have. There are similarities between both types of claims, but there are differences that are important to understand.
What is an Uninsured Motorist Claim?
An uninsured motorist claim is a claim that you have as a result of some type of vehicle collision. You could be a passenger in a car, a pedestrian, or a bicyclist. An uninsured motorists claim is available if the vehicle that struck you did not have insurance. That is an uninsured motorist claim. An uninsured motorist claim is also available if the other vehicle struck and run–if it was a hit and run vehicle. That’s uninsured motorist.
Illinois Laws for Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Claims
In the state of Illinois, it is required that you have uninsured motorist (UM) coverage as part of your car insurance policy. UM coverage helps protect you, the policyholder, from injuries caused by an uninsured motorist. The minimum coverage you are required to have is $20,000/$40,000. This amount will help give you the minimum financial coverage that you will need if you sustain damages from a car accident caused by a negligent uninsured motorist.
Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage provides you the ability to collect money from your insurer if the at-fault driver causes bodily injuries that aren’t adequately covered by their insurance plan. Under-insured motorist coverage may be available when you were injured as an occupant of a car, whether you’re a bicyclist, or whether you are a pedestrian on the street if a driver struck you and the insurance on that vehicle was not enough to cover your injuries. When the insurance on the other vehicle is not adequate, you can make a claim on your own auto insurance for underinsured motorist coverage. There are certain rules and exclusions under Illinois law that may apply.
If the at-fault driver’s coverage doesn’t completely compensate you and your insurance company refuses to pay up, you need an experienced attorney to fight for you.
Looking for more information on uninsured motorist issues or car accident issues in general? Here are some great articles on our site:
How Much is my Uninsured Motorist Claim Worth?
Uninsured Motorist and Under-Insured Motorist Arbitration Bill
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Injury Claims Are Special