Many times it takes a motor vehicle crash to help you realize your car insurance does not provide sufficient coverage. Having maximum car insurance coverage is essential, as the average car accident that leads to a serious injury can costs tens – if not hundreds – of thousands of dollars.

Car insurance is expensive, but not as expensive as a crash can be if you’re unequipped to pay for the damage. Here, we examine two scenarios where extra insurance and/or higher coverage amounts can only help you in the event of an accident.

• Collision with an uninsured motorist. Unfortunately, a lot of drivers don’t follow the law, and they drive without insurance. Some drivers only maintain the bare minimum of coverage on their vehicles, meaning they are underinsured if a crash does serious physical damage to the vehicles, or leads to a serious injury. If you were hit by an uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM), it is essential to have ample UM coverage on your policy. Without it, you could be stuck paying for the damage yourself.
• Victim of a hit-and-run crash. Another scenario occurs when you are the victim of a hit-and-run crash. In this situation, the driver flees the scene of the collision. You can make a UM claim with your insurance company, but only for the amount that you carry.

How much insurance do you need?

At a minimum, the state of Tennessee requires that you carry a 25/50/15 policy. That means you have to have:

• $25,000 for bodily injury for one person
• $50,000 for bodily injury per incident (total combined)
• $15,000 for property damage per accident

As you can see, the law doesn’t require UM coverage – though it does mandate that you have to be offered it by your insurance carrier. If you choose to purchase this additional coverage, you must buy a limit of 25/50. You can also buy a policy for UM property damage; that minimum is $15,000. Most Tennessee insurance agents offer UM coverage in the same amount as your liability coverage unless you execute a written waiver that you reject such coverage. You should always carry liability and UM coverage well above the legal minimums.

We suggest upping you limits to at least 100/300/100, if you can. Yes, this will increase the amount of money you pay each month, but the increases for additional coverage above the state minimums are generally modest in light of how it helps to protect you in the event of an accident.

If you cannot afford to raise your coverage amount by that much, you can always purchase additional policies. In Tennessee, MedPay coverage can help offset the costs of medical bills, and collision coverage will help with everything, including theft and damage form natural events. It’s a bit like a homeowner’s insurance policy, in that there is a wide range of damage covered under the policy.

At Delius & McKenzie, PLLC, we fight on behalf of clients who have been injured in car accidents in Tennessee. Our Sevierville injury lawyers always put your best interests first. To schedule your free initial consultation, please call (865) 428-8780 or fill out our contact form. We proudly serve clients in Sevierville, Seymour, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge.