What Is Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
Underinsured Motorist Coverage is insurance protection that may help pay for covered injury losses when an at-fault driver has liability insurance, but that insurance cannot cover the full value of your claim. The coverage applies through your own policy, subject to its terms, limits, exclusions, and Georgia law.
Quick Facts About Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Category
Auto insurance coverage
Used for
Injury claims exceeding another driver’s coverage
Common confusion
It is different from uninsured motorist coverage
Also called
UIM Coverage, UM coverage
Often discussed with
Uninsured Motorist Claim Lawyer
Key Takeaways About Underinsured Motorist Coverage
- It involves an insured driver whose liability limits do not cover the loss.
- Your policy terms and available limits control potential recovery.
- Underinsured coverage is not the same as uninsured coverage.
How Underinsured Motorist Coverage Works
Underinsured Motorist Coverage may respond after an at-fault driver’s liability insurance is not enough to address covered injury losses. The available recovery depends on the damages, the other driver’s policy, and your own policy terms. An insurer may review fault, medical records, wage loss, and other claim evidence.
Related glossary terms: Bodily Injury, Economic Damages, Medical Records.
Your coverage does not automatically pay every unpaid expense. Policy language can address notice, cooperation, exclusions, offsets, and how multiple insurance policies interact. A liability insurer may offer its policy limits, while your insurer evaluates the remaining claim under the underinsured motorist provisions. A settlement release can affect these rights, so the release language deserves careful review before signing.
From the Atlanta Auto Law team
When we review an underinsured motorist claim, we examine the accident facts, available liability coverage, and the client’s policy language. We also compare the claimed losses with the insurance limits and review proposed releases before the claim proceeds. This review helps identify coverage issues that may affect the claim.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage in Practice: A Real-World Example
A driver causes a collision and carries liability insurance, but the available coverage does not address the injured person’s full medical expenses and lost income. The injured person’s underinsured motorist coverage may provide another source of recovery, subject to the policy and applicable law.
Related Services
Related Terms
Bodily Injury
Bodily Injury is physical harm suffered by a person, including damage that follows a crash and…
Economic Damages
Economic damages are financial losses connected to an injury or other legally recognized harm. In a…
Medical Records
Medical Records are documents that record a person's medical history, symptoms, examinations, diagnoses, treatment, medications, and…
Settlement Demand
A Settlement Demand is a written proposal that asks an insurance company or opposing party to…
Atlanta Auto Law
Have Questions About Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
Contact Atlanta Auto Law for practical guidance on Underinsured Motorist Coverage and related personal injury attorney work in Decatur.