When you’re involved in a car accident, you expect the at-fault driver’s insurance to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle damage. Unfortunately, thousands of drivers on the road carry little or no insurance at all. When an uninsured or underinsured driver causes a crash, victims are often left scrambling to figure out how to pay for the fallout.
This is where Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) Coverage becomes one of the most important protections you can buy. In our work at Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, we regularly handle cases where UM/UIM coverage becomes the lifeline that saves an injured person from financial ruin.
What Is Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage protects you when the driver who caused the accident has no insurance at all. Despite insurance being legally required, many drivers either let their policies lapse or never obtain one in the first place.
UM coverage can pay for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Vehicle repairs
- Funeral expenses in fatal cases
In hit-and-run accidents—where the other driver flees and cannot be identified—UM coverage often applies as well.
What Is Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage?
Underinsured Motorist Coverage applies when the at-fault driver does have insurance, but not enough to cover your damages.
For example:
If your medical bills are $150,000 and the other driver only carries $15,000 in liability coverage, their insurance will be exhausted quickly. Your UIM coverage can step in and pay the difference, up to your policy limit.
UIM coverage helps with:
- Remaining medical bills
- Additional lost wages
- Long-term treatment costs
- General damages like pain and suffering
Why UM/UIM Coverage Matters
- Medical Costs Add Up Fast
- Many Drivers Carry Only Minimum Coverage
- Hit-and-Run Cases Are Increasing
- UM/UIM Coverage Is Affordable
- You Cannot Add It After an Accident
When UM/UIM Coverage Applies: Real-World Scenarios
UM/UIM coverage may apply when:
- The at-fault driver has no insurance.
- The at-fault driver flees the scene (hit-and-run).
- The driver has insurance, but not enough to cover your losses.
- You are struck as a pedestrian or bicyclist.
- You are injured while riding in someone else’s car that carries UM/UIM coverage.
How UM/UIM Claims Work
- File a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance first.
- Once their coverage is exhausted—or if none exists—your UM/UIM claim opens.
- Your insurance company becomes the party responsible for compensating you.
- Despite being your insurer, they may still dispute your injuries or damages.
- Hiring a lawyer prevents the insurer from undervaluing your claim.
Frequently Asked Questions About UM/UIM Coverage
Do I need UM/UIM if I have health insurance?
Yes. Health insurance does not compensate you for pain and suffering, lost wages, or vehicle damage. UM/UIM does.
Does UM/UIM cover my passengers?
Usually, yes. Your UM/UIM policy often protects any passengers in your vehicle at the time of the crash.
Is UM/UIM coverage required by law?
Some states require insurers to offer it, but you can reject it.
Will my insurance rate go up if I file a UM/UIM claim?
Not typically.
Does UM/UIM apply in hit-and-run incidents?
Yes, in most cases.
Contact Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver? Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help.
Call us today or visit our website for a free consultation. No upfront fees, you don’t pay unless we win.
We proudly serve East Baton Rouge Parish, Lafayette Parish, Orleans Parish, and their surrounding areas:
Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – Baton Rouge Office
404 Europe Street
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70124
(225) 263-4787
Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – New Orleans Office
365 Canal Street Suite 415
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130
(504) 294-3804
Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – Lafayette Office
1318 Camellia Boulevard Suite 206
Lafayette, Louisiana, 70508
(337) 473-2991
Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – Metairie Office
111 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Suite 255
Metairie, Louisiana, 70005
(888) 601-0127