After my recent accident, I'm curious to see what people's assumptions are regarding uninsured motorist coverage - in this case, through Progressive
Vehicle damage I believe, pretty sure at least here in GA medical is a separate line - for both you and others.
Well, my assumption was the vehicle was included as well. If you go to Progressive's website, it says both medical and vehicle. But apparently it's specific to the state you live in, and because I'm in WI, the vehicle is not covered. The agent didn't explain that, nor was that made clear through the online portal when I added the bike. To me, that's false advertising.
I would say my mistake, as it's stated in the policy. Problem is, I did this all online, and chose paperless, so never actually received a copy of the actual policy. It's 'available' if I request it. Didn't think I needed to, as the website seemed clear. There are no caveats stating exceptions by state. It might seem silly to some to not carry full coverage, but I've got 10 bikes, and that gets expensive. most of the bikes are worth less than $5k, so figured if the accident was my fault, I'm cool paying the bike out of pocket. I figured if it was the other driver's fault (which it was in this case), then their insurance would cover everything, unless they didn't have insurance, in which case the UIM coverage kicks in.
Damn. That sucks. I guess you can sue them in court and get a judgement. You may never see any $$$ but do it in case they ever get a job or tax refund.
Yeah, the driver is basically homeless, and doesn't have anything to take. I'm not a litigious person, but have been through the process before, and it's not worth years of my time to chase what may amount to nothing. Now....what I did do, after getting blown off by both my agent and the claim adjuster on coverage, was elevate it to corporate. They basically told me to go pound sand. I've been chasing this for weeks, but wasn't ready to give up. I finally told them, under advice from my counsel, this cases amounts to false advertising based on their website, and will be reported to the OCI for Wisconsin. I got a call from a "Senior Coverage Administrator", who said they'll make an exception and cover the bike, and the website will be changed. My main reason for posting this, was wondering how many other people followed this same logic, and have their asses hanging in the breeze and don't realize it.
It depends on the State of residence I think. I know that here in Florida, unless it changed recently uninsured/underinsured coverage will not cover your vehicle, only injuries. loss of wages etc. You must carry collision to get paid for the vehicle. Considering that roughly 20% of the vehicles on the road here have no insurance it is money well spent. Not to mention that I think the minimum required is $10K/$20K which barely covers the ambulance ride. Crazy part in this State is you do NOT have to carry insurance on your motorcycle at all!!
If your state is a no fault state, you can go against the other parties insurance for a mini tort. in michigan, that is now up to 3000. sorry to hear about your accident. Ski
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) What happens if someone who doesn't have insurance hits you? Sometimes, they'll pay out of pocket for damages. But if they can't, UM/UIM pays for your medical bills, damages to your motorcycle, and lost wages if you can't work. Example: You're blindsided by a driver with no insurance and no way to pay for the injuries they've caused. UM/UIM coverage will pay for your injuries up to the limits of your policy. This is from their website. So how would most people read this? Doesn't say anything about by state. If it doesn't state an exception, it's reasonable to assume the statement is true for all policy holders.
Could have been way worse. Got it slowed down to about 20 from 55 when I hit. Was aiming for the front fender, but had very little time to react, so just caught his window pillar with my shoulder. Torn rotator. Have to give kudos to the local FD, as I was in an ambulance in 5 minutes and on the way to the hospital.
Yeah, I've always worked under the assumption that UI covered your losses if the other person doesn't have coverage. If you only carry basic coverage then you are on the hook for the damage to your own vehicle, and your liability will cover the other person's vehicle and medical (or property depending on what you hit).
I've seen people wait it out. Essentially, hedging that the person will eventually find employment, and then taking them to court and getting the wage garnishment order attached to their SSN through the courts. Sure it takes forever but, money is money.
Money is definitely money...but time is really valuable as well. My last experience with a suit lasted 4 years, and yes I finally got a settlement, but it was a huge investment in my time for what amounted to a minimal gain. Really not sure it was worth it.
Also in WI but use American Family. I just checked and my policies on the app state "Uninsured Motorist - Bodily Injury". I probably would not have deduced that I need to pick up additional coverage for vehicle damage (I currently have full coverage on both our cars so N/A to me right now)
My son was hit by an uninsured motorist in Alabama a few months back. AllState said they only cover bodily injury, and all his damages were to the vehicle. Canceled that part of my policy(bodily injuries will also get covered by our medical insurance, then they can go sue the driver if they want). Never crossed my mind until that event that uninsured motorist coverage did not cover our vehicle. Luckily in Alabama, you submit a form to the AL DOT and if the person refuses to pay for your damages, they get their license and car registration suspended until they do. The threat of that alone got the uninsured motorist to agree to a payment plan. Probably wouldn't go after someone with no means, but this person was just gambling that they wouldn't need insurance. They had a job, spouse with a job, etc.
Well, if nothing else good came of this stupid accident, people are at least checking their coverage. I've talked to a lot of people that work for me, and they all thought UIM coverage took care of vehicle and medical.
