I previously talked about uninsured motorist coverage. Basically, this insurance covers you if you are in an accident caused by a driver without insurance. (See my other post from today about how there should be fewer uninsured drivers in the state.)
An uninsured driver is someone who either has no insurance or whose insurance company denies coverage. The first category of uninsured motorists is easy to figure out. Despite the law, there are many people driving around with no insurance. The second category is a little harder to figure out. Some people may be driving around thinking their spouse or parent has insurance for them, but in reality, they do not have insurance. For example, when I was a teenager, my dad had a Corvette. State Farm insured it, but they specifically excluded me from coverage. If I was driving it, I would have been uninsured.
Because of the second category of people, there are many people driving around who think they have insurance, but in reality, they do not. This is bad. Bad for them, but even worse for you – especially if you do not have uninsured motorist coverage. If you are hit by one of these people, and you do not have uninsured motorist coverage, you will be forced to sue them. While I take cases against uninsured drivers, primarily because I think they should have to answer for causing an accident AND not having insurance, many attorneys will not take these cases. In these situations, you will find yourself out of luck.
So, I recommend everyone pay the premium for uninsured motorist coverage. With somewhere between 40 and 70 percent of all drivers uninsured, depending on where in the state you are, its a gamble not worth taking.