Insurance can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s important to understand your insurance coverages so you’re able to best protect you and your family on the road. One of the coverages you’re required to carry in Massachusetts is uninsured motorist coverage. What does this cover, and how does it protect you? Here’s everything you need to know about uninsured motorist coverage in MA.
What is an uninsured motorist?
An uninsured motorist is one that does not carry auto insurance. While insurance is a requirement for drivers in most states, including Massachusetts, this does not mean every single driver on the road is following the law. A driver without insurance will most likely be unable to pay for injuries they cause in an accident.
That’s where uninsured motorist (UM) coverage comes in. This covers you, your passengers and family members who live with you for bodily injuries when hit by a driver who is operating their vehicle without insurance. It will also pay for injuries sustained in hit-and-run accidents.
Accidents with an uninsured driver
If you’ve been involved in any accident, you should exchange information with the other driver. Record their insurance policy number if available, and take down their phone number and license plate number. Take pictures of the accident scene. Call the police and file a police report. Then, contact your auto insurance carrier and open a claim.
If you were the victim of a hit-and-run, you probably won’t have much information. Call the police and file a report. Tell the officer everything you can remember about the accident. Contact your insurance carrier and open a claim.
This process can sound scary, but we’re here to help. Plymouth Rock makes it easy to file a claim, and our specialists will guide you through every step. Our skilled adjusters will review the accident and make sure your claim is settled in a timely manner.
How can you protect yourself and your family?
The best way to protect yourself and your family is to carry more coverage on your policy. In Massachusetts, UM covers you from uninsured drivers, but does not cover you against an underinsured driver. An underinsured driver is one that has insurance, but not enough to pay for injuries they cause. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage protects you from situations where an at-fault driver has insufficient coverage. You can purchase more UM and UIM coverage up to your bodily injury liability limit.
It’s important you purchase higher limits on your policy, especially if you have UIM coverage. You can only use UIM when your limits are higher than the bodily injury liability coverage of the other driver. For example, if your UIM limit is $25,000 and someone with the minimum bodily injury coverage of $20,000 causes $40,000 of injuries, you can only collect a total up to your own limit of $25,000. In this case, you would get $20,000 from the other driver’s coverage and only $5,000 from yours.
Remember that neither UM nor UIM coverage protects your vehicle from physical damage. If you want to make sure your vehicle is protected, collision coverage helps pay for damages sustained from hitting another vehicle or object. It also covers you if you find that your car had been hit while it was parked.
| UM and UIM coverage | Collision coverage |
| Helps pay for your medical expenses | Helps pay to repair damage to your vehicle |
Still have questions about insurance in Massachusetts? We’ll be happy to help. Contact us and one of our friendly insurance specialists will guide you through coverage options.
