Why Every Georgia Driver Needs to Understand Uninsured Motorist Coverage
If you are hit by a driver with no insurance or not enough insurance, the financial impact can be severe. Medical bills, vehicle repairs, and lost wages add up fast, and the other driver’s policy may not cover it. In Georgia, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage helps protect you when the at-fault driver cannot pay.
In this blog, we’ll answer the question: “How does uninsured motorist coverage work?”, why it’s essential for protecting yourself after a crash, and how working with an experienced Atlanta car accident lawyer can help you recover the compensation you deserve.
What Is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage protects you when the other driver cannot pay for your damages after a car accident.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage applies when the at fault driver has no car insurance. This type of coverage helps pay for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages if an uninsured driver causes an accident. It can also cover injuries to your passengers.
In Georgia, uninsured motorist coverage includes two types: bodily injury and property damage. Uninsured motorist bodily injury covers medical bills, pain and suffering, and funeral costs. Uninsured motorist property damage pays for repairs to your vehicle, if included in your policy.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Underinsured motorist coverage applies when the at fault driver’s insurance is not enough to cover your total losses. This coverage helps make up the difference between the other driver’s liability limits and your actual costs.
For example, if your medical bills are $75,000 but the other driver only carries the Georgia minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person, your underinsured motorist coverage can cover the remaining amount, depending on your policy limits.
Why This Coverage Matters
Many drivers in Georgia carry only the state minimum liability insurance. This amount may not cover serious injuries or property damage. Without uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, you could be left to pay those costs out of pocket.
Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Required in Georgia?
Uninsured motorist coverage is not required by law in Georgia, but insurance companies must offer it when you buy an auto policy.
Georgia Law on UM and UIM Coverage
According to Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11), insurance companies must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage with every new car insurance policy. You are not required to accept it, but you must decline it in writing. If you do not reject it, the coverage becomes part of your policy.
This law ensures that drivers have the option to protect themselves against the risk of an uninsured or underinsured driver.
What Happens If You Decline Coverage
If you reject this coverage, your insurance will not help you pay for injuries or property damage caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver. You will have to rely only on the at fault driver’s insurance, which may not be enough. You could be responsible for your own medical bills, vehicle repairs, and other costs.
Drivers who decline this protection often face serious financial consequences after a car accident.
Why Many Drivers Choose to Keep It
Even though it is not required, many car accident attorneys recommend keeping uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. It helps protect against unexpected costs if the other driver has no insurance or too little coverage.
How Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Work in Georgia?
Uninsured motorist coverage helps pay for your losses when the other driver cannot cover the cost of an accident.
Filing a Claim Through Your Own Insurance
If you are hit by a driver with no insurance or not enough insurance, you can file a claim under your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Your insurance company will then evaluate your damages and compare them to the at fault driver’s liability coverage. If that coverage is missing or too low, your UM or UIM policy can step in.
This process helps cover medical expenses, lost wages, and damage to your vehicle. It protects you when the at fault driver cannot.
Difference Between Reduced-by and Add-On Coverage
In Georgia, you can choose between two types of UM and UIM coverage: reduced-by and add-on.
- Reduced-by coverage pays the difference between your policy limits and the other driver’s insurance. If you have $50,000 in UM coverage and the other driver has $25,000 in liability coverage, you can only collect up to $25,000 from your policy.
- Add-on coverage gives you the full amount of your policy on top of what the other driver carries. Using the same example, you could collect the full $50,000 from your policy in addition to the $25,000 from the other driver.
Under Georgia law, insurers must explain these options when you buy a car insurance policy.
Coverage in Hit and Run Accidents
Uninsured motorist coverage also applies in hit-and-run cases. If the other driver leaves the scene and cannot be identified, they are treated as uninsured under Georgia law. Your UM coverage can help pay for your injuries and property damage, as long as you report the incident promptly and provide proof of the hit and run.
Why Understanding This Coverage Matters
Many drivers in Georgia do not carry enough insurance. If you rely only on the at-fault driver’s insurance, you may not receive full compensation for your injuries and losses. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage gives you a way to protect yourself and your family from the financial impact of a serious auto accident.
Why UM/UIM Coverage Is Critical in Georgia
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage gives Georgia drivers essential protection against uncovered losses after a car accident.
High Number of Uninsured Drivers in Georgia
Georgia has a high rate of uninsured drivers. If you get into an accident with one of them, you may have no way to recover your losses unless you have uninsured motorist coverage. Without this coverage, you may have to pay for your own medical bills, lost wages, and car repairs.
State Minimum Liability Limits Are Often Too Low
Georgia law requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage. These limits may not cover serious injuries or the full value of your vehicle.
If the at fault driver carries only minimum coverage and you suffer major injuries, their insurance may run out quickly. Underinsured motorist coverage helps fill that gap, so you are not left with unpaid expenses.
Medical Costs and Lost Wages Add Up Fast
In a serious auto accident, emergency care, hospital bills, and follow-up treatment can cost tens of thousands of dollars. If you miss work, your lost wages only increase your financial burden. UM and UIM coverage help you manage these costs when the at-fault driver’s insurance is not enough.
This coverage works with your auto insurance policy to pay for bodily injury, medical expenses, and other damages that would otherwise go uncovered.
Protects You in Hit and Run Accidents
Hit-and-run drivers are treated as uninsured under Georgia law. If a driver flees the scene and cannot be found, your uninsured motorist coverage can help pay for medical care and property damage.
Without this coverage, you could be forced to pay for everything on your own, even if you were not at fault.
A Simple Way to Protect Yourself
Adding UM and UIM coverage to your car insurance policy is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself against the risks of driving in Georgia. It provides coverage when the other driver has no insurance, not enough insurance, or disappears after the crash.
Contact an Experienced Atlanta Car Accident Attorney Today!
If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, you don’t have to face the financial aftermath alone. Our team at Atlanta Metro Law is here to help. We understand the challenges that come with UM and UIM claims, and we know how to deal with insurance companies that try to avoid paying what you deserve.
Contact us today at 864-894-2045 for a free case consultation!
