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UM/UIM coverage is a type of automobile insurance you buy to protect yourself when you are injured in an automobile crash caused by someone else. UM/UIM coverage stands for "uninsured motorist" or "underinsured motorist".

Therefore, UM/UIM coverage protects you when you are injured in a crash caused by someone else and that person either has no bodily injury liability coverage or not enough coverage to compensate you for your injuries. It pays for your injuries and damages relating to your injuries, like medical expenses and lost wages.

UM/UIM coverage does not pay for property damage to your car. UM/UIM coverage is also available to you if you are hit by a car as a pedestrian or bicyclist, or as a passenger in a vehicle owned by someone else.

In Florida, your insurance company is required by law to automatically make UM/UIM coverage available to you with the same limits as your bodily injury liability coverage, unless you reject UM/UIM coverage or select lower limits in writing. Generally, you may not have UM//UIM coverage limits higher than your bodily injury liability limits.

However, you may "stack" your UM/UIM coverage if you have multiple cars. If you purchase stacked UM/UIM coverage, the coverage on each car is added together and the total amount is available to you.

Many people are surprised to learn that bodily injury liability coverage is not required in Florida. Therefore, many people do not buy it to keep their premiums low. Even when bodily injury liability coverage is purchased, many people buy insurance with very low limits (typically $10,000.00).

As a result, the odds of you getting into an accident with someone with no insurance or not enough are high. Therefore, you should protect yourself by having UM/UIM coverage. Please call me at 727-397-5571 if you have any questions about UM/UIM coverage.

Paul R. Cavonis
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Injury Law and Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney
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