Following an accident, clients often discover that their automobile insurance coverage is insufficient. While a detailed analysis of coverage and the intricacies of each is beyond the scope of a blog article, there are three primary areas of automobile insurance coverage of which you should have a general understanding: Liability Coverage, Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage and Medical Payments Coverage.
Liability Coverage is insurance that protects you if you are at fault for an accident and injure someone else. The State of Georgia currently requires mandatory, minimum liability limits of $25,000.00 per person/$50,000.00 per accident. This means that a policy with 25/50 liability limits will provide up to $25,000.00 of coverage per person and not more than $50,000.00 per accident regardless of the number of people injured.
Uninsured/Underinsured Coverage (commonly referred to as “UM” coverage) is optional insurance coverage in the State of Georgia that protects you if someone injures you and does not have insurance or does not have sufficient insurance to fully compensate you for your injuries. UM coverage also applies if you are the injured victim of a hit-and-run accident. Many people reject this coverage because it is optional and because it seems fundamentally unfair that one’s own insurance company would have to pay for injuries caused by someone else. However, if you do not have UM coverage, and the at-fault driver has little or no insurance, you could be left with unpaid medical bills, unpaid lost wages and other damages that could result in financial ruin to you and your family.
Medical Payments Coverage (commonly referred to as “MedPay” coverage) is another optional insurance coverage in the State of Georgia. MedPay pays for the medical expenses of the driver and passengers in your automobile which are incurred as a result of an accident regardless of who is at fault. If you do not have health insurance, MedPay enables you to obtain medical treatment that you might not otherwise be able to afford. Even if you have health insurance, MedPay coverage offers some benefits that you might not have if your treatment is paid for by a health insurance company, benefits which could result in a larger net recovery to you from your personal injury settlement. Also, you should be aware that using your MedPay coverage to pay your medical expenses does not bar your claim for compensation against the at-fault party.
Read your policy and check your limits. If you have questions about your policy, contact Bass Law to review your coverages with Attorney Dondra Bass O’Neal at no cost to you. You may contact us directly through this website or by calling 912-344-4294.