Similar slogans are commonplace in advertisements for car insurance. Sounds great right? We all want to be legal when it comes to car insurance, and we all want to save money.
But what does it mean in Kentucky to be “legal” when it comes to car insurance? And what happens when someone who is barely legal in his requirement to have car insurance drives carelessly and causes you or a family member to be injured in an accident?
Many people are shocked to learn that in Kentucky, being “legal” means having liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000.00 per accident. This means that the insurance policy of the at-fault driver will pay a maximum of $25,000 for each injured person, no matter how badly the person is injured. This also means that that “minimal coverage” insurance policies will pay a maximum of $50,000.00 per accident. For example, if six people in one vehicle are injured by a careless driver who has minimal coverage, no matter how badly those six individuals are injured, there will never be more than $50,000.00 to divide among six injured people. When serious injuries or even deaths occur, it is easy to see how minimal coverage would not even come close to fairly compensating victims of a dangerous underinsured driver (DUD).
In my practice, I have seen far too many instances in which people were injured by a careless driver who had minimal insurance coverage. I have had to break the tough news to these individuals that the available insurance coverage is extremely limited. It can be devastating, especially when the injuries are life-altering.
So what can we do to protect ourselves and our families? The answer is purchasing “under insured motorists coverage” (UIM) with your car insurance policy.
Please, do yourself and your family a favor. Talk to your car insurance agent, and be sure that you have “underinsured motorists coverage”.
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