PSA: Uninsured motorist coverage

[Okla-homey]

People, for the love of all that's holy, spend the extra money to take out UM as part of your automobile policy. Under Okie law, auto insurers must offer it, and you must affirmatively decline it when you buy a policy if you don't want it. Do Not Do That.

The sheer number of uninsured motorists on our highways, and the fact most of them are "judgment proof" because they are broke, means you could be in a real pickle if one of them hits you and you end up with medical expenses you cannot afford to pay.

That is all.

[OUHOMER]

Agreed, 100%, One of my co workers was riding his motorcycle home from work. A lady came fly out of the Walmart and T boned him. He almost lost his leg. laid in the hospital for weeks, had to have several surgeries. She had NO INSURANCE. He had the the minimum coverage for UM. It paid for his bike, and a lot of the medical but not all of it.

Its cost him a lot of money.

I have since raised my coverage to max on UM.

[GrapevineSooner]

Hear, Hear.

You can never pay enough for peace of mind. And you should still get it even if you live in a state that has a UM fund, like Texas. Fairly certain that the amount you could draw out of that fund isn't going to cover everything if you get hit by a UM.

[Okla-homey]

Agreed, 100%, One of my co workers was riding his motorcycle home from work. A lady came fly out of the Walmart and T boned him. He almost lost his leg. laid in the hospital for weeks, had to have several surgeries. She had NO INSURANCE. He had the the minimum coverage for UM. It paid for his bike, and a lot of the medical but not all of it.

Its cost him a lot of money.

I have since raised my coverage to max on UM.

To be clear, in Oklahoma, UM pays only for your medical bills and those of your passengers up to the limits of your policy, NOT your property damage. Your property damage is covered by your own collision coverage in the case of getting hit by an uninsured motorist.

[Frozen Sooner]

Some states mandate PD coverage as part of UM (AK for one) so ask your agent about that. :)

Also, on a related note-umbrella coverage is almost always worth it. If you hit a minivan full of kids, a 100k liability limit ain't gonna help much.

[Frozen Sooner]

Also-in some states underinsured motorist is a separate coverage and UM only covers you if hit by someone with NO insurance. Check with your agent.

FWIW if you are hit and they run and you have UM PD coverage, the insurer will not drop you or raise your rates for filing a claim.

[Okla-homey]

Also-in some states underinsured motorist is a separate coverage and UM only covers you if hit by someone with NO insurance. Check with your agent.

FWIW if you are hit and they run and you have UM PD coverage, the insurer will not drop you or raise your rates for filing a claim.

No need to check with your agent, or anyone else really, if you are an Oklahoma insured. Under Oklahoma law, uninsured motorist (UM) incorporates underinsured motorist coverage (UIM). They are one in the same.

I don't get this "UM PD" coverage of which you speak either. What's the point? I mean, if your car gets creamed, and you have collision coverage, and the guy who creamed it is a deadbeat with no insurance, you get covered by your own policy.

And here's another nugget. I would never say "the insurer will not drop you or raise your rates for filing a claim" to anyone. It's not possible to make such a guarentee. Insurance is a contract. Once a contract (a/k/a "policy period") runs, a new policy/contract goes into effect, unless the insurance company decides you ain't worth the risk at the premium you were paying. They have every legal right to raise your premiums based on your claims history, or refuse to renew coverage once your current contract expires.

They can, after fairly settling your existing claim, generally also "drop" you by giving you fair notice and refunding any unused premium you already paid. This is all covered in the statutes and Oklahoma case law. As you point out though, insurance is highly state specific because by federal law, it is regulated by each state. I only know how things work in Oklahoma.

[Frozen Sooner]

Insurers (at least in the state of Alaska) do not consider a UM claim to be part of your adverse claim history. They do consider a collision claim to be part of your adverse claim history. It would have been more appropriate to say that a UM claim will not affect your rate basis. Obviously your rates can change based on the insurer's overall claims experience, the performance of their separate account in the market, or their administrative expenses. Somewhat moot, though, as even if it's filed under collision they'll assign a 0% insured fault rating to it. I just REALLY hate filing a claim under collision if I can help it. :D

Why have UM PD instead of just filing against your collision?

1. UM PD will generally have a lower deductible than collision-usually 0.
2. UM PD provides rental coverage even if you do not have such under your collision policy.
3. Unlike the rental coverage under a collision policy, the UM PD policy provides for rental of a vehicle comparable to the one that is out of service with no limitation on number of days or cost.
4. It costs like $3 per 6 month policy period.

[yermom]

why do i need this if i already have medical insurance?

[Frozen Sooner]

You have the money to meet your copay on a lengthy hospital stay or ER visit?

[yermom]

how much is UM actually going to pay?

[Okla-homey]

how much is UM actually going to pay?

Well, for example, I myself have 100/300 UM, meaning, $100K per person, $300K total per incident. That means, if I have $100K in medical bills arising from accident in which the other driver is at fault and he has the state minimum of $25K in liability insurance or, no insurance at all, my insurance company will pay my medical bills. No deductibles, no co-pays. Cash money. And here's the cool part. That's in addition to what my health insurer pays.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

So here's a question, I can't seem to find an answer. Do you get medical coverage if you have really good medical insurance at your place of employment? Do you want to pay for it twice? TIA, I will listen offline...

[47straight]

Another ******-******* agreeing with Homey. Great PSA. Just do it. Way too many "judgment-proof" deadbeats for any of you great sf.com folks to risk it.

[Okla-homey]

So here's a question, I can't seem to find an answer. Do you get medical coverage if you have really good medical insurance at your place of employment? Do you want to pay for it twice? TIA, I will listen offline...

In terms of your group health policy through work, is everyone in your family covered to the full extent of whatever catstrophic medical expense you and they may incur as a result of a bad car wreck?

How about passengers in your car who aren't covered by your group health policy thru work? Who pays their medical bills when the deadbeat uninsured guy disappears? I bet I know who will be asked to pay, and it will probably be the guy who was driving your car. Next best target actually. UM pays those bills if you have it.

Finally, my 100/300 on all my cars costs about $60.00 every six months. Have any idea how much that health insurance with all those co-pays, deductibles and other limitations costs in comparison? Its not an "either, or" dealio. It's just smart. period.

Check with your health plan administrator at work tomorrow about these things, and when you get that answer and after you stop saying to yourself, "Zang! I'm exposed big-time!" call your automobile carrier and make sure you have UM coverage.

[I Am Right]

I saw a 6 car chain reaction yesterday, the one at fault was the only one without insurance.

[homerSimpsonsBrain]

Where can I get the coverage that lets me kick said uninsured deadbeat repeatedly in the jumblies. I'd pay for that. :(

[TheHumanAlphabet]

In terms of your group health policy through work, is everyone in your family covered to the full extent of whatever catstrophic medical expense you and they may incur as a result of a bad car wreck?

How about passengers in your car who aren't covered by your group health policy thru work? Who pays their medical bills when the deadbeat uninsured guy disappears? I bet I know who will be asked to pay, and it will probably be the guy who was driving your car. Next best target actually. UM pays those bills if you have it.

Finally, my 100/300 on all my cars costs about $60.00 every six months. Have any idea how much that health insurance with all those co-pays, deductibles and other limitations costs in comparison? Its not an "either, or" dealio. It's just smart. period.

Check with your health plan administrator at work tomorrow about these things, and when you get that answer and after you stop saying to yourself, "Zang! I'm exposed big-time!" call your automobile carrier and make sure you have UM coverage.

Oh I got it - 100/300/100 coverage and I am thinking of upping it. But you're right, the moment I have passengers is the day I have a bad wreck.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Where can I get the coverage that lets me kick said uninsured deadbeat repeatedly in the jumblies. I'd pay for that. :(

Most likely it is already there and "enforced" by ICE and the Border Patrol...Depending on where you live, I would bet illegals are a large part of the uninsured. It is here in Houston. Ask me and my $1000 repair bill 6 years ago...

But I like the kick'em in the jumblies rule...

[Oldnslo]

why do i need this if i already have medical insurance?

Because medical insurance won't compensate you for your pain, time off, disfigurement, mental distress, and other such stuff. Also, if you get screwed around by your medical insurance, you won't have near the options that you have if you get screwed around by your UM carrier. Medical insurance MAY be a substitute for "medical payments" coverage on your auto policy, but I don't even recommend that. Medpay coverage pays without regard to fault, and usually right away. Yes, you can double dip... most of the time.

Listen, I've been an insurance lawyer for almost 20 years now. Homey is 100% right on target with this PSA. Liability insurance is for the other guy, when you hit him. UM is for YOU and the people in your car. You know, the people you care about.

I have 250/500 and a $1M umbrella, because you can't have more UM than you have liability.

[frankensooner]

Oklahoma law allows you to stack your UM if you have separate policies on each vehicle.

[I Am Right]

Most likely it is already there and "enforced" by ICE and the Border Patrol...Depending on where you live, I would bet illegals are a large part of the uninsured. It is here in Houston. Ask me and my $1000 repair bill 6 years ago...

But I like the kick'em in the jumblies rule...

I did not think illegals needed insurance, they are immune from everything else