Chattanooga Attorney for Uninsured Motorist Claims. Call (423) 255-7642
Under Tennessee law, a driver is only required to carry liability insurance in the amounts of $25,000 for injury to or death of one person, $50,000 for injury to or death of two or more people in any one accident, and $10,000 for damage to property in any one accident. In a wreck with even moderate injuries, those coverage limits can be consumed very quickly by medical bills and lost wages. In a serious wreck with more significant injuries, the minimum liability insurance coverage required by law may cover only a small fraction of medical bills and other out-of-pocket expenses, and nothing for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. To make matters worse, some drivers do not carry any liability insurance at all.
The best way to protect yourself from uninsured or underinsured drivers is to buy as much uninsured/underinsured ("UM") insurance coverage as you can afford. In Tennessee, insurance companies are required by law to offer UM coverage in the amount of your automobile liability coverage limits. For example, if you purchase an auto insurance policy that provides you with $300,000 of liability coverage for bodily injuries caused by you, then your insurance company must offer you the option of buying $300,000 of UM coverage. Although not required to by law, some insurance companies also offer UM coverage in the amount of a policyholder's excess or "umbrella" liability policy. For example, if you carry a $1,000,000 personal liability umbrella policy, your insurance company may give you the option of buying $1,000,000 in UM coverage. Call your insurance agent to find out whether you have enough UM coverage to protect yourself and your family from the thousands of uninsured or underinsured drivers on our roads.
If you have UM coverage and have been injured due to another driver's fault (regardless whether you were in a vehicle or simply crossing the street as a pedestrian), your UM coverage may apply to any damages or injuries you suffer in excess of the amount of liability insurance coverage carried by that driver (for example, if you carry $300,000 in UM coverage and are injured by a driver with only $25,000 in liability coverage, your maximum insurance coverage will be $300,000--your UM policy may cover up to $275,000 in damages in excess of the $25,000 provided by the other driver's liability insurance).
To learn more, please contact me or request a free evaluation of your case.
The best way to protect yourself from uninsured or underinsured drivers is to buy as much uninsured/underinsured ("UM") insurance coverage as you can afford. In Tennessee, insurance companies are required by law to offer UM coverage in the amount of your automobile liability coverage limits. For example, if you purchase an auto insurance policy that provides you with $300,000 of liability coverage for bodily injuries caused by you, then your insurance company must offer you the option of buying $300,000 of UM coverage. Although not required to by law, some insurance companies also offer UM coverage in the amount of a policyholder's excess or "umbrella" liability policy. For example, if you carry a $1,000,000 personal liability umbrella policy, your insurance company may give you the option of buying $1,000,000 in UM coverage. Call your insurance agent to find out whether you have enough UM coverage to protect yourself and your family from the thousands of uninsured or underinsured drivers on our roads.
If you have UM coverage and have been injured due to another driver's fault (regardless whether you were in a vehicle or simply crossing the street as a pedestrian), your UM coverage may apply to any damages or injuries you suffer in excess of the amount of liability insurance coverage carried by that driver (for example, if you carry $300,000 in UM coverage and are injured by a driver with only $25,000 in liability coverage, your maximum insurance coverage will be $300,000--your UM policy may cover up to $275,000 in damages in excess of the $25,000 provided by the other driver's liability insurance).
To learn more, please contact me or request a free evaluation of your case.