Uninsured Motorist/Underinsured Motorists in the State of Alabama

In Alabama, all drivers are required to carry minimum insurance policy amounts of $25,000 for bodily injury liability (per person), $50,000 maximum for all bodily injuries (per accident), and $25,000 maximum for property damage liability (per accident). This coverage is known as 25/50/25. If a driver does not have insurance at all or does not have these minimum amounts of coverage, they will be considered uninsured or underinsured.

If an uninsured or underinsured motorist causes a crash and injures others, those who’ve been hurt might not be able to recover enough money to pay for their medical treatment, repair or replace their vehicle, and recoup other losses like they should by making a claim against their uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.

Fortunately, with uninsured/underinsured (UI/UM) motorist coverage on your own policy, you could potentially get the money you need to rebuild your life after a crash. However, getting your auto insurance company to pay for it, even when you have a policy in place, can be challenging. It’s crucial to turn to an experienced car accident lawyer for help.

The Alabama uninsured/underinsured motorist attorney at the law firm of Gartlan Injury Law have extensive experience helping those in our community with UI/UM claims. Call us today for a free consultation to discuss your legal options.

What Is The Cost of Auto Accident Injuries?

In a recent year, more than 35,000 people died in traffic crashes in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. What’s worse is that the number of deaths is currently higher than it has been in over a decade. In addition to death, millions are injured in auto accidents each year.

Traffic crashes cost Americans tens of billions of dollars each year in medical bills and lost wages, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The average fatal car crash costs more than one million dollars. Of course, there is no way to measure the loss that a single individual may feel after losing someone or having the person’s own life permanently changed in an auto accident.

The average cost of non-lethal, yet disabling accidents is over $95,000. Even in car accidents where there is seemingly no injury, the cost of vehicle repair alone can cause serious financial hardship.

In almost half of recent fatal crashes, drivers were engaged in a risky behavior such as:

• Not wearing a seat belt
• Being impaired or intoxicated
• Driving at excessive speed

Another risky behavior apart from driving habits is driving in Alabama without uninsured motorist coverage. The terrible burden of being involved in a bad auto accident is multiplied when a negligent driver did not have insurance at all or had insufficient insurance to make the victim whole.

Is Uninsured Motorist/Underinsured Motorist Coverage Required in Alabama?

Alabama does not require that drivers have uninsured or underinsured vehicle coverage. Ironically, the State of Alabama ranks number seven out of the fifty states for having the most uninsured drivers.

Although drivers are not required to have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, insurance companies are required to offer such coverage as part of their standard policies. A driver must affirmatively reject the coverage in order to not have it.

Why Should You Get Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Alabama?

According to statistics, more than 19 percent of Alabama residents drive without car insurance. With so many uninsured or underinsured drivers on the road in Alabama, having uninsured coverage could mean that your vehicle damage and medical bills don’t come out of your own pocket if you are struck by a negligent uninsured or underinsured driver.

It is also noteworthy that while collision car insurance will cover vehicle repairs, it will not cover medical bills. Also, comprehensive car insurance only covers damage to a vehicle if it results from something besides a crash, such as weather or vandalism, so it would not help if you are struck by an underinsured motorist in the State of Alabama.

There are more than 150,000 auto accidents in Alabama each year. The likelihood of an accident involving an uninsured driver is about one in five. With these odds, having uninsured motorist coverage is in your best interest.

In addition to avoiding these risks, it is good to know that uninsured motorist coverage is not expensive. It only costs about $50 to $75 on average per year to get uninsured motorist coverage for property damage and bodily injury. This cost is minuscule when compared with the potential losses from a serious accident involving an underinsured motorist in the State of Alabama.

How Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Work?

If you are struck and injured by an uninsured motorist in the State of Alabama, the fact that you were not at fault in the accident may serve as little comfort. If the other driver does not have car insurance, there may be little to recover from them even if you can prove that they were negligent.

Fortunately, your own UI/UM policy could kick in if you’re involved in a crash with a driver who does not have insurance. You could file a claim against your own car insurance policy. Once you demonstrate that the other side was at-fault and is unable to pay for your injuries and damage to your property, you could collect what you’re owed under your policy.

How Much Uninsured Motorist Coverage Do Alabama Drivers Need?

Although uninsured motorist coverage is not required in Alabama, insurance companies are required to offer $25,000 in uninsured motorist coverage for bodily injury ($50,000 per accident). Given the high percentage of uninsured drivers in Alabama and the cost of auto accidents, it is a good idea to purchase more, if you can afford it. The decision for most people will be based on how much risk they are willing to accept while driving in a state with many uninsured motorists like Alabama.

Contact a Car Accident Attorney in Alabama Today

If you have been injured by an uninsured or underinsured motorist in Alabama, the team at Gartlan Injury Law will be ready to help. We understand how frustrating it is to be injured in a crash caused by someone else and have seemingly no recourse for holding them accountable. Fortunately, you might be able to get the money you need if you have UI/UM coverage. However, getting your insurer to pay often requires the assistance of a skilled lawyer.

Call the Alabama uninsured/underinsured motorist lawyer at Gartlan Injury Law for the qualified legal counsel you need and deserve. Our consultations are free, and we’ll never charge you anything until we recover money for you. Contact us online or call us now.

Visit Our Alabama Car Accident Law Offices