Uninsured, underinsured motorist coverage needed by drivers in Illinois and throughout America

Guest blog courtesy of Jim S. Adler & Associates, Houston, TX.

What’s the worst thing that can happen to you in a car crash that’s not your fault? Beyond suffering injuries and damages, it could be trying to get financial compensation from an uninsured or underinsured driver.

As many as 14 per cent of all drivers in America are believed to be uninsured, despite the fact that states across America have laws requiring car insurance.  In Illinois, an estimated 13 per cent of drivers are uninsured, according to a study by the Insurance Research Council. By contrast, 4.1 million Texas  drivers – or 22 per cent – don’t have auto insurance.

Insured drivers face a great injustice when they’re struck by uninsured motorists. With no insurance company to petition, the injured person may have a difficult time pressing a financial claim against a deadbeat driver, who generally lacks the financial resources to pay. An insured victim also may have trouble collecting from his or her own insurer, since insurance companies are loathe to pay for the mistakes of drivers they don’t cover.

But insured drivers do have an alternative: They can buy UM and UIM coverage, or uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist protection. Paying extra for such coverage can cost about 30 per cent of a liability policy, but it can offer huge dividends if the insured driver is injured by another driver lacking insurance.

Then, UM/UIM coverage can pay for medical bills, lost present and future wages, and pain and suffering. Without such coverage, the injury victim may be victimized in another way: financially.

Laws governing car insurance vary from state to state. Illinois law mandates that drivers should not operate a vehicle without minimum liability insurance of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per collision. (Of course, this small amount, in a major accident, defines what’s considered an “underinsured” motorist.)

But state laws have gotten tougher. A revision of Illinois laws in 2007 provided that persons found guilty of driving with no auto insurance face an automatic three-month suspension of their driver’s license. They also can be fined between $600 and $1,100, including a $100 license reinstatement fee.

Texas laws lack such teeth beyond a driving citation or traffic ticket. In recent years, some motorists have been ticketed multiple times for driving without insurance, yet have continued to operate their vehicles illegally. Two Houston-area cities, Richmond and Pasadena, have fixed that glitch by passing laws requiring uninsured drivers’ vehicles to be impounded until insurance is secured.

While Illinois law requires insurance companies to provide an option for UM/UIM coverage, it does not require motorists to purchase it. Even so, most Illinois car insurance policies are believed to include coverage against uninsured and underinsured motorists.

The great difficulty of gaining compensation from uninsured drivers makes it clear that such coverage is warranted. Only then can an innocent victim have a solid chance of gaining economic recovery for injuries and damages caused by negligent drivers who lack sufficient insurance. Longtime Texas personal injury law firm Jim S. Adler & Associates strongly urges drivers to get UM/UIM coverage.

Bruce Westbrook
Internet Writer/Editor
Jim S. Adler & Associates
Houston, TX

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