Is There A Difference Between Uninsured And Underinsured Motorist Coverage?

All cars registered in the state of Indiana are required to carry a minimum amount of car liability insurance to cover anyone injured by the driver. Our Indianapolis car accident lawyer explains that if you have the misfortune of being in an accident caused by a driver who does not have the required insurance—or does not have enough insurance to pay the total amount of your damages—you will have to rely on your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. This coverage applies to both uninsured drivers and underinsured drivers.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Indiana

hands of car driver on steering wheel, road trip, driving on highway roadUninsured motorist coverage is the part of your policy that pays you for your injuries when someone who has no coverage injures you. It also pays you for your injuries when the at-fault driver has insurance coverage, but the liability limit is not high enough to fully compensate you for all you have suffered. These two situations fall under the same type of policy. In Indiana, your uninsured motorist coverage is automatically included in a minimum-coverage policy, but you may opt out of the coverage by submitting a written request to your insurance company, which we advise against. Along with the $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident UM coverage, you are required to carry the following:

  • $25,000 per person for death or bodily injury
  • $50,000 per accident for death or bodily injury
  • $10,000 per accident for damage to other people’s property

Clearly, serious injuries sustained in an accident can easily lead to medical bills in excess of $25,000. When the at-fault driver’s insurance policy is not enough to cover your injuries, your own UM coverage will contribute up to an additional $25,000 towards your economic and non-economic damages.

James R. Keller
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Partner at Keller & Keller