Due to extremely clever marketing plans, we all can quickly identify the mottos and tag lines of the major insurance companies, all aimed at leading us, their insureds, to believe that our well-being and protection are their utmost concern. My representation of seriously injured victims in auto accidents for over two decades suggests to me, however, that only a few can readily answer perhaps the most important question when it comes to automobile insurance coverage:

IF I AM SERIOUSLY INJURED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT, AM I ADEQUATELY PROTECTED?

Experience suggests that most motor vehicle operators do not know the amount of uninsured (UM) and underinsured (UIM) motorist coverage they carry. This fact is crucially alarming since Pennsylvania only requires an owner of a registered motor vehicle to carry a minimum of $15,000 in liability coverage. Also, it is not all that uncommon that the negligent driver is uninsured for one reason or another.

What this means is that if you are seriously injured and/or disabled solely as a result of a negligent driver who is uninsured or whose liability coverage is only $15,000, you may be forced to look to your own UM or UIM coverage for your pain and suffering, loss of earnings and future earning capacity and any past and future medical expenses not covered by other applicable insurance. That is, of course, if you purchased sufficient UM or UIM coverage since you may have rejected the applicable coverage or selected it at a reduced amount in order to save a nominal amount on your premium, albeit, not knowing or understanding the significance of your selection.

How can that happen, you may wonder. How could my insurance carrier allow me to unknowingly leave myself so unprotected, you may ask. It can and often does because Pennsylvania does not require insurance agents or carriers to explain the seriously detrimental effect your rejection of UM or UIM coverage or your selection of inadequately reduced amounts of coverage may have on you and your loved ones. Further compounding the problem is the fact that UM and UIM claims increase the potential exposure the company may be obligated to pay to one of their seriously injured insureds, something a for-profit corporation wants to avoid, thereby putting you and your insurance carrier at odds. So while inadequate UM/UIM coverage is a clear detriment to you, it is something that could indeed benefit the insurance company.

So, if you are uncertain as to whether you currently carry sufficient UM and UIM coverage, contact your agent immediately and obtain the information from him/her. You should know that you are permitted to purchase UM and UIM coverage up to the amount of liability coverage you carry. However, keep in mind that if you have more than one vehicle in your household insured by the company, you are permitted to stack the UM and UIM coverage for each vehicle. For instance, if you carry liability coverage in the amount of $100,000, but have three insured vehicles in the household, you can purchase stacked UM and UIM coverage in the amount of $300,000.

Of course, if you have any questions or desire more information regarding suggestions for the types and amount of insurance coverage to consider, including the importance of selecting the FULL TORT OPTION, feel free o contact me at the Law Offices of Eugene D. Sperazza, 525 Wyoming Ave., Kingston, PA, 1-877-714-8121 or by e-mail at edslaw@epix.net. We would be honored to assist you.