Help - UNINSURED MOTORIST question....

PatrickMcIrish · Oct 21, 2003

Anyone have any information on this I need to know? If I call my lawyer he hits me with $$$$ the first time the phone rings, LOL. Seriously though my wife was back-ended pretty good at a red light the other day. The jackass that hit her hauled ass and we are left holding the bag. This is what we are buying right? For instance if I have a policy for $100k then they have to pay me that if her bills go that high? How does this work? I have never used it before.

She has medical insurance but since she is self-employed it is not the greatest, the bills will pile up rather quickly. I assume the insurance company pays for the car but we have a $500 deductible. Anyone ever run into this (pun intended) sort of thing before with their car insurance?

Dante · Oct 21, 2003

Pat. to the best of my knowledge Unisured motorist is just that as long as you have the guy who did it. If its a complete hit and run I am not sure what will happen.

but uninsured motorist protects you if the punk that hit her had NO insurance then your insurance acts like it would if the punk HAD insurance, but for that you have to have the guy who did it

PatrickMcIrish · Oct 21, 2003

This guy hauled ass and though there was a witness neither of them got the tag number. The odds of me finding him is the same as Beaner hitting back to back 3 team parlays.

Dante · Oct 21, 2003

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Patrick McIrish:
This guy hauled ass and though there was a witness neither of them got the tag number. The odds of me finding him is the same as Beaner hitting back to back 3 team parlays.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

yikes!! sorry to hear that pat...looks bad

HateTheRiverCard · Oct 21, 2003

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Patrick McIrish:
This guy hauled ass and though there was a witness neither of them got the tag number. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I thought they took away FF's licence, oh well hopefully the wife has a quick recovery!

HTRC

vinividivinci · Oct 21, 2003

Patrick

Just call the insurance company. These claims vary from state to state due to local law. I would say you are probably covered. If the company denies the claim, a call to a lawyer might be in order.

Don't see why you would have to know who the guy was, especially with witnesses. That's what uninsured protection is supposed to be for.

Good luck and a quick, complete recovery to Mrs. McIrish.

VVV

Dante · Oct 21, 2003

VVV ,

you might be correct I was under the impression that you needed a witness AND a license plate but you might be correct. At any rate, Pat check it out call your insurance company

Jazz · Oct 21, 2003

You should be covered, Pat - where are you located? I've checked out some states, here's info on Wisconsin's law concerning uninsured motorists - also, you must have a copy of your insurance policy you can check this on ... my Kansas policy includes hit-and-runs so I think this is pretty standard ...

UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE (Wisconsin)

Uninsured motorist coverage applies to bodily injury you, your family and other occupants of your vehicle incur when hit by an uninsured motorist or hit-and-run driver.

It also covers you and your family if injured as a pedestrian when struck by an uninsured motorist or hit-and-run driver. It protects you by making sure that money is available to pay for your losses that were caused by someone else. The minimum amount of coverage required by law is $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury only.

You may want to purchase more than the minimum coverage required by law if you feel the need for more protection. Uninsured motorist coverage does not cover your property damage and does not protect the other driver. Your insurer may sue the other driver for any money the insurer pays you because of the other driver's negligence.

Sodium Pentethol V · Oct 21, 2003

PM as posted above the motor insurance coverage, laws etc.... vary wildy state by state.

Call your insurance guy, he will be the most familiar in your area.

Fishhead · Oct 21, 2003

Hope everything turns out well McIrich.

bigboydan · Oct 21, 2003

sue your own insurance co. if need be

KMAN · Oct 21, 2003

Hey Pat,

I had a hit and run happen to me last year. I think it was an underage girl that hit me. After the police had come to take my report, some lady came to the scene of the accident (while I was waiting for my ride home) and said that her daughter hit me. (Highly unlikely) but she gave me her daughter's name and insurance information. unfortunately for them, her daughter's insurance expired the day before she hit me.

Anyway, to make a long story short, half of drivers here in Memphis don't have insurance so I have uninsured motorist insurance with State Farm. State Farm took care of my deductible and was trying to get the money from the girl who hit me.

That is the last I heard. If you have uninsured motorist coverage you should be OK. If not I'm not sure. After all, like you said, that's why we pay for insurance right! In case shit happens! Believe me I know what a frekin pain it is to have to go through this.

Luckily, I did not have to go into the hospital for anything. I hope your wife is alright.

GL,
KMAN

daringly · Oct 21, 2003

Patrick -

It might be different in your state. But in Indiana (and most states), a hit-and-run driver should be covered by your UM policy, at least for the bodily injury.

As far as the property damage, that is a different issue, and you have to look at the insurance policy. Some policies will require to submit it under "collision", and pay a deductible. Others define it as UM, with no deductible.

I'll be happy to talk to you about it (for free of course) - insurance law is my specialty.

Daringly

hanover00 · Oct 21, 2003

Uninsured Motorists does not provide for medical bills if you are in a "No-Fault" State (NY, NJ, MI, for example, but many others also). The med coverage comes from PIP.

Your collision will pay for the physical damage to your vehicle less the ded. If you don't have collision, you're out of luck for that.

The UM only comes into play if the med bills and loss of work benefits exceed your State's PIP limit.

Uninsured Motorists Coverage does not provide for damage to your car in ANY State, only injury expenses.

daringly · Oct 21, 2003

Hanover000 wrote "Uninsured Motorists Coverage does not provide for damage to your car in ANY State, only injury expenses."

I have to disagree. It depends on the policy. Most policies cover your own vehicle with no deductible, if you are in a normal accident with an uninsured driver. Some policies try to avoid paying UM property damage benefits by having different definitions of "uninsured driver". Most state financial responsibility laws (excluding "no fault" states) require UM bodily injury limits equal to the liability limits. They DO NOT require similar protection for property damage limits. Some insurance companies therefore define "UM Driver" one way for bodily injury, which would include a hit-and-run driver. Some policies (but not all) specifically exclude hit-and-run drivers from "UM Property damage".

Another thing you might check is your "Med-pay" coverage. If you have a 100k policy, odds are you have 5k or 10k in medpay, which will pay your bills irrespective of who was at fault. If this is a simple rear-ender (sore back/neck), 5k should be plenty to pay the bills.

mjred · Oct 21, 2003

you have a wife?

bosox1086 · Oct 21, 2003

Actuary for an auto insurance co. here. You're covered for the injuries. Call the insurance company and put in a claim. As for the car, some states have UMPD, if you've got that, you're good. If you've got collision, you're good less deductible. If you've got neither, you're on the hook for the car. Regardless of what probably everybody else thinks here, your insurance company is not out to screw you. Make the claim. If everything is as you say, you'll have no problems getting things taken care of.

hanover00 · Oct 21, 2003

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Most policies cover your own vehicle with no deductible, if you are in a normal accident with an uninsured driver. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

daringly , your statement may be accurate in States that make UM Property Damage available. Currently, 23 States do not allow carriers to offer UMPD. The State I live in is one of them. In these 23 non UMPD States, there absolutely would not be payment for damage to an insured vehicle w/o deductible. Collision coverage is the only recourse in this situation.

PatrickMcIrish · Oct 22, 2003

Thanks for the input guys, I went by there but couldn't stay for the whole thing as I had another appointment. Basically I am "covered" to some degree, I have to pay the deductible on the car which is $500 on my policy. Also the medical stuff is paid from my own PIP since they did not catch the driver who hit her. Normally I guess that would come from him but since he took off it is paid through my own policy. In the end my UM does pay for everything, even a little extra for the inconvenience of it all. A buddy of mine had told me to get a lawyer but after talking to the people I don't think I need one.

BTW I live in Florida, not sure if the laws are different in other parts of the country. And yes she will be fine after some basic healing required after this sort of stuff. Very sore through the neck, shoulders and back but nothing serious. I appreciate it.

Jazz · Oct 22, 2003

Good to hear, both on the insurance coverage AND the wife.

Help - UNINSURED MOTORIST question....

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