When it comes to thinking about car wrecks, hit and runs and even fender benders, it’s easy to exclude yourself from the equation, convincing yourself you are a great driver and would never be part of something like that. And it’s easy to see how one could see things that way – an owner of a spotless driving record, never had a claim, and maybe you even drive more carefully than Grandma Sue on Sunday mornings. At the end of the day, though, it doesn’t matter. It’s not all about you.
Sure, your coverage is to cushion you in the event of a poorly executed blind spot check, a lead foot at the stop light or even black ice, but it’s also there to protect you from others and the mistakes they may make while driving. As unfortunate as it is to think, you really don’t know if that person driving next to you cares as much as you do. Statistics tell us that over 1 in 10 drivers in Indiana have no auto insurance whatsoever. Next time you are driving down I-465, look around you. Within your line of vision, at least one of your neighboring drivers does not have car insurance. Now, if they happen to be the one who hits you, are you protected from them? This is where uninsured and underinsured protection comes in to save the day…assuming you have it of course.
Let’s put this in perspective. You are driving down I-465. It’s a sunny day, your windows are down and you’re happy as a clam. Suddenly, you notice a car in the other lane starting to swerve and before you know it, the hood of that same car is in your passenger’s seat. The owner of this car, Debbie Dingbat, has successfully totaled your $20,000 baby and likely your soul in the process. Ms. Dingbat informs you she has no insurance. None. Zero. At this point you are thinking one of two things: thank goodness my agent explained uninsured motorist insurance with me – I have that and this will be okay. Or, I’ve never heard of uninsured motorist insurance but I hope maybe that was just included in the cheap rates my online company promised me. Hint: it’s not included. If you find yourself in the second group, you are now officially on the hook for the entirety of the $20,000 you just watched fall apart. Oh, and is your car paid off? Better hope so, because if not the bank will still be expecting payments on your now un-drivable vehicle. Without uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, your insurance company does not pay a dime toward your loss. It’s time to start thinking about uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
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