Millions of vehicles traverse Georgia’s roadways every day, and the best way to make sure you’re protected from accidents is to practice safe and defensive driving practices. But sometimes, no matter how safely you drive and how closely you adhere to driving laws and regulations, accidents can still happen.
You may be thinking, “That’s why there’s insurance.” After all, Georgia law requires drivers to carry liability insurance in case they wind up causing property damage or injuries as the result of an auto accident. But the sad fact is, there are plenty of drivers on the roads right now who aren’t carrying insurance or who have inadequate coverage. Even the law itself only requires minimal coverage of $25,000 per injured person and a maximum of $50,000 per accident.
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That means that even when the driver is determined to be at fault, the insurance company is only liable for $25,000 or $50,000 max. Considering that even a minor injury can result in thousands of dollars of medical costs, it’s not difficult to see how your own out-of-pocket costs can quickly mount – and can continue to mount while your car accident attorney builds your case. And if you’re involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, it’s even worse. If your accident requires prolonged therapy or loss of wages due to work absences, it doesn’t take long for the minimum amounts to be used up.
UM Coverage
Fortunately, Georgia offers an option: To get the most protection possible from your insurance coverage, you can buy an optional type of insurance called uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (or UM coverage). UM coverage eliminates at least some of the very real risks of sharing the roads with uninsured or underinsured drivers. Depending on your policy and your insurance company, UM insurance offers different coverage limits just like your “regular” insurance. But there is one critical difference you need to pay attention to.
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Until recently, all UM insurance was considered “reduction” coverage. That meant any insurance coverage held by the other driver would be deducted from your own coverage to determine the effective amount that could be collected under your UM policy. Even if you had UM coverage of $50,000, under reduction, you’d only be able to collect $25,000 from your policy once the other driver’s insurance was deducted.
However, under recent changes to insurance laws, now drivers can choose from reduction or “excess” when they buy UM coverage. The “excess” option means your coverage is added to the driver’s coverage so you get more peace of mind and more money to cover your losses.
Car Accident Attorney in Marietta
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Whether or not you have UM insurance, it’s not unusual for insurance coverage to fall far short of providing you with the compensation you deserve after an accident. That’s why having a skilled Marietta car accident attorney is so critical. An experienced attorney understands the long-term costs of a motor vehicle accident and how to develop your case so it fully protects your rights. As a car accident lawyer in Marietta, Roger Ghai is ready to help accident victims protect their rights and their life savings. If you’ve been in a car accident, call the Law Offices of Roger Ghai at 770-792-1000 and schedule your confidential consultation today.
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