Uninsured Motorist Claims in Alabama

The Importance of UM / UIM Coverage

In the United States, more than 14% of all motor vehicle accidents are caused by an uninsured driver—which is likely due to the fact that around 16.1% of all drivers are completely uninsured. This means that 1 in every 7 drivers is currently operating without an adequate level of insurance. When narrowing the scope to the state of Alabama, however, the statistics are even more frightening, as nearly 25% of motorists have chosen to forego insurance.

While it is a crime to operate a motor vehicle without an adequate level of coverage, the threat of legal consequence is obviously not enough to deter uninsured drivers from getting out on the road. In fact, it may simply make them more apt to flee the scene of an accident—which is probably why the country as a whole as experienced a dramatic increase in the number of hit and run collisions over the last decade.

If you are asking yourself why this is important, especially if you are adequately insured, you must understand that you would be responsible for securing compensation if you were to be involved in an accident with an uninsured and/or underinsured driver.

Since you wouldn't be able to file a claim with the at-fault driver's insurance company, you would need to claim reimbursement for the cost of your medical treatment, forfeited earnings and vehicle repairs by filing an uninsured motorist (UM) claim with your own insurance company.

If you need help with an uninsured motorist claim, contact us online or call (888) 694-0174 to schedule your free initial consultation today!

How Much Can You Recover from an Uninsured Motorist Claim?

Alabama's Uninsured Motorist Statute requires all car insurance companies to provide both UM and UIM coverage on every policy that they sell, so you should be able to recover at least $25,000 for the cost of accident-related damages—as this is the minimum amount of coverage that you would be afforded in Alabama.

Uninsured Drivers and Underinsured Drivers in Alabama

As mentioned earlier, you would be afforded a minimum of $25,000 in UM / UIM coverage through a basic car insurance policy in Alabama. While this can be a significant contribution to the cost of your medical treatment and vehicle repairs, it may not be enough to cover even half of the total damages. For this reason, the Dothan personal injury attorneys at Morris, Andrews, Talmadge & Driggers, LLC encourage you secure an adequate level of uninsured / underinsured motorist coverage before it is too late.

How Expensive is it to Increase Your Policy Limit?

Most people assume that it would be too expensive to increase their policy limits, but it is actually rather inexpensive to acquire a more substantial level of coverage. For example, a $250,000 UM / UIM policy limit would typically only cost about $75 every six months. As such, you should not hesitate to reevaluate your coverage options today.

Stacking Your UM / UIM Coverage in Dothan, AL

One of the great things about Alabama's UM / UIM law is that it allows for you to stack more than one vehicle's coverage amounts together. If you and your spouse have acquired car insurance for two different vehicles, for example, you would be able to stack both of the policies together after a car accident for double the amount of coverage. This means that you would be able to collect $50,000 from your own insurance company if you and your spouse had acquired the minimum amount of coverage.

While this can be done for up the three different vehicles, it is important to understand that there are pitfalls to this arrangement, as well. For this reason, we recommend that you let a Dothan injury lawyer from our firm review your policy and advise you on the best course of action.

Contact MATD Today for a Free Initial Consultation

If you or someone you love has been involved in a hit and run accident or a collision with an uninsured motorist, you should not hesitate to explore your options under the experienced guidance of Morris, Andrews, Talmadge & Driggers, LLC. Our dedicated legal team has been assisting injured victims in Alabama for several decades, so you can rest assured that your case will be given the level of attention that it deserves when you come to our firm for help.