Personal Injury Law

What Is UM Insurance In Louisiana

By Timothy Young

If you are a driver in New Orleans, you have motorist insurance. But while many people can appreciate the value of having motorist insurance (aside from the fact that it's the law!), not many people realize how important it is to get uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM) coverage as well.

In Louisiana, drivers only have to have $10,000 worth of insurance, and many drivers opt to only get the minimum amount of insurance required in order to lower their budget. But $10,000 won't be enough to cover car damage and/or medical bills in a serious accident. This means if you get into a car accident with a driver that has little to no insurance, you could end up footing the bill afterwards, even if the accident wasn't your fault. That is where UM coverage comes in.

UM coverage is a policy option that protects its holder if they get into an accident caused by someone who has no or little insurance. It will pay the difference between the injury or damage done and the amount that the other driver is able to pay. It's a way to prepare for the worst, so that, if the worst does happen, you won't be crushed under debt on top of everything else.

While no one wants to be in an accident, it's even worse to be in an accident that isn't your fault and get stuck with thousands of dollars in medical bills or car repair. That's what makes uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage such a valuable investment.

Full post as published by New Orleans Personal Injury Lawyer on April 16, 2010 (boomark / email).