Uninsured Motorist And Auto Insurance Memphis

Driving the streets of Memphis many citizens have often found themselves wondering about whether or not other Memphians are insured. In this article we will discuss uninsured motorist and understanding how this part of your Memphis insurance policy works by answering questions such as will you be covered if the other driver doesn’t carry auto insurance Memphis.

If you currently carry uninsured motorist insurance as part of your total auto coverage, the chances are very good that you will be covered for the accident. If you were to ask any local Memphis insurance agent if you should carry uninsured motorist, the answer would be a resounding yes, especially in this city since there are so many uninsured motorist. This is especially true with the current economic situation with most people looking for ways to trim expenses and save money. Unfortunately, insurance is one area where many people look first to cut expenses.

In the state of Tennessee, as a tort state, residents are required to carry a minimum amount of insurance. However, in many states, uninsured motorist within each state have been statically proven to be as high as twenty five percent making it even more important that Memphis area drives carry uninsured motorist coverage.

What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Generally speaking, uninsured motorist is that part of your policy which will pay for medical expenses for injuries received to both you and your passengers if you are in an accident where the other driver is legally responsible for the crash and is uninsured and in some cases even if they have coverage, they could be underinsured.

A uninsured driver is defined as someone involved in an accident and is responsible for the accident who is not insured; did not meet minimum state requirements for liability insurance. Hit and run drivers, drivers that leave the scene of an accident are consider by most states as uninsured drivers which usually falls under bodily injury.

We should discuss underinsured drivers. Memphis insurance professionals know what the legal limits and requirements for the state of Tennessee so your agent will be able to answer any questions about state minimums. Underinsured drivers are those drivers that meet state requirements but do not have their limits within their policy high enough to pay for damages caused by an accident. It should be noted that most insurance companies consider uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist as two different areas of coverage.

Some states have mandated uninsured motorist as a requirement, however most states do not require uninsured motorist coverage and only require liability coverage. If you as Memphis insurance policy owner, purchase uninsured motorist coverage, your coverage must comply with state mandates but cannot exceed the policy limits outlined by your insurance company.

When purchasing auto insurance Memphis area residents should seriously consider adding uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage. Memphis is a high accident and uninsured motorist city so you want to have the assurance if you were unfortunate enough to have a accident that is the fault of another driver, that you are made whole, just as you were before the accident occurred. By providing yourself with the coverage, you are being both physically and fiscally responsible in lower you risk. What’s more is both uninsured and underinsured motorist protection is realativily inexpensive for the enormous advantage of having the coverage.

If you were unfortunate enough to be in a car accident and you have uninsured coverage, your medical bills will be paid, wages that may have been lost can be replaced and compensation can be given for pain and suffering. Most importantly, if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist, you are covered since many times the responsible party and uninsured motorist seldom has the money to pay out to injured parties.

Memphis area residents know the ongoing joke we hear daily on local Memphis radio stations about Memphis drivers. Unfortunately, there is an element of truth to the joke and should be considered sage advice in areas of Memphis insurance. Having the minimum liability limits if you are a driver is mandated by state law in Tennessee. However, you should give yourself added piece of mind by adding uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist to your auto insurance Memphis policy.