Everyone who drives in Texas needs to purchase an insurance policy. If drivers cause crashes, their policies can pay for the losses sustained by others. Motorists also have the option of adding supplemental coverage to their policies that can address numerous other scenarios and provide them with better protection in a broader range of circumstances.
One of the most valuable but underrated forms of protection is underinsured motorist protection. The drivers who understand what this unique type of coverage protects them from may see the benefit in purchasing supplemental coverage.
What does it mean to be underinsured?
Uninsured motorist protection protects people from hit-and-run crashes and scenarios where drivers who are at fault for collisions lack the legally required insurance coverage. Underinsured motorist protection applies in scenarios where collision expenses go beyond the coverage carried by a driver.
The type of vehicle a motorist operates is not necessarily indicative of their coverage. Plenty of people driving late-model vehicles and sports cars only purchase the minimum coverage required by law. Drivers in Texas may have as little as $25,000 in property damage coverage, which may not be enough to replace a totaled vehicle.
Additionally, bodily injury coverage requirements can fall far short of the total cost of serious injuries. The state only requires $30,000 in injury-related coverage in cases where one person gets hurt. That minimum requirement doubles to $60,000 in coverage per crash if more than one person sustains an injury.
When crashes cause serious injuries and force people to miss time at work, underinsured coverage can make a major difference for the party not at fault for the wreck.
Even treatable injuries can be expensive
A professional who breaks their leg or their collarbone in a car crash might expect to file a basic claim against the other driver’s liability coverage. Although fractures may eventually heal, they do generate significant expenses.
People with broken bones may require hospitalization or even surgery in some cases. Depending on their career, they may be unable to work for eight weeks or longer as they heal. They likely also need to attend physical therapy. $30,000 may not be enough to fully cover medical expenses and replace their lost income.
When a driver with insufficient insurance causes a wreck, victims with extensive property damage losses and serious injuries may need to file claims against their own policies. Working with an attorney familiar with complex car crash compensation claims can be beneficial for those worried about covering their collision expenses in such scenarios.
