Were You In An Accident With An Uninsured Motorist?

The first thing you should know is that, in Florida, the owner of a vehicle is not required to carry bodily injury liability insurance coverage. If they hit you, they are required to carry insurance to fix your car. They are not required to carry insurance to fix you.

So how do you protect yourself from injuries that might be caused by another? Through purchasing what is known as “UNINSURED MOTORISTS COVERAGE.” You buy it from your own insurance company, on your own insurance policy. It places you in the same position as if the negligent party indeed had liability coverage to the extent of your uninsured motorists coverage (known as UM coverage).

We believe it is the most important auto coverage you can purchase. It protects you against those irresponsible people who do not purchase liability coverage on their own policy, who are often the same people with poor habits such as driving after drinking, driving while distracted, driving unsafe vehicles and being generally irresponsible about many things in life.

If you have uninsured motorists coverage, we can manage your claim in a way that it is accessed when the negligent party causing your accident either has no coverage or has inadequate coverage. Your UM coverage actually becomes underinsured motorists coverage in some circumstances. Your own insurance company can totally avoid any obligation under your UM coverage, however, if certain procedures are not carefully and precisely followed, procedures that are governed both by state statute and other state law, and also by your own insurance contract.

When a UM claim is made, your own insurance carrier actually becomes your adversary as they step into the shoes of the negligent party, often denying negligence and often denying your full claim for damages.

A lawyer needs to steer your claim through this process. We have almost 40 years of experience in handling UM claims in the Ocala area.

Talk to us at The Briggs Law Firm: 352-671-4600.