In today’s world, we are seeing more and more people impacted financially by the COVID-19 fallout. The incidents of uninsured motorists across the country is, unfortunately, on the rise. It’s estimated that nearly 20% of drivers in the state of Florida carry no insurance, not to mention those who carry very little.

We had a couple who had been our client for many years. Tough times hit and the husband came into the agency to remove Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage from their policy against our recommendation and without informing his spouse. Unfortunately, years later we’re made aware of a horrific accident. Their car broke down on I-95 and the husband got out of the vehicle to check what was going on under the hood. A drunken, uninsured driver with no license swerved into the standing car. He killed the husband instantly and seriously hurt the wife. Medical bills piled up and their Personal Injury Protection Coverage (PIP) just didn’t cut it. 

Uninsured Motorist coverage seeks to insure you or any family members or driver when you are not at-fault in a car accident and the at-fault driver is uninsured (has no insurance) or under-insured driver (not enough insurance). After you exhaust your PIP coverage, you may need additional funds to pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and more. UM coverage can do just that. It prevents you from suffering unnecessary financial burdens because of another driver’s mistakes.

The bottom line is that accidents are going to happen. You cannot control the other drivers on the road, so it’s best to take advantage of what you can control: your insurance coverage. Adding UM / UIM coverage to your policy will help ensure you will be able to deal with the financial fallout that often accompanies a car accident.

Be an informed consumer, and talk it over with one of our professional agents, so you can make the right decision when it comes to coverages on your policy!