As a auto accident lawyer in San Antonio, my clients know very well that I strongly encourage Texas drivers to carry Uninsured (UM) and Underinsured (UIM) insurance protection. So, why is this coverage so important? This coverage is important in Texas because Texas leads the nation in uninsured automobiles on the highways.
This means that if you’re involved in an accident, the changes are pretty good that the other driver may not have any insurance, which is where UM coverage steps in to cover your losses. Texas injury lawyers know all too well the regret and hardship that comes when there is no insurance coverage to cover serious car or trucking accidents
Additionally, in Texas the minimum coverage amounts are very low. If you’re involved in a serious accident, you’ll likely find that even if the insurance company pays you the full policy limit (which is all they are legally required to pay you), it may be insufficient to cover your medical bills, property damage, and other losses. This is where UIM coverage comes in and helps to bridge the gap between the small liability policy held by the other driver, and your actual damages, which can far exceed the other drivers policy limits. In Texas, the minimum insurance is a 30/60/25 policy, which means $30,000 per person, with a maximum of $60,000 (no matter how many people are injured) per accident, and a maximum of $25,000 in property damage.
This means that even if you are fortunate enough to find a driver who has liability insurance (it’s been estimated that up to 40% of drivers on Texas roads have no insurance at all), there is a very good chance that the insurance coverage they do have will be insufficient to cover your actual damages.
This is why both UM and UIM coverage are so critical for Texas drivers, and the coverage is not all that expensive to add to an existing policy.
