Do I Have Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

If you are a licensed driver in the state of Connecticut, you are required to carry minimum liability insurance and uninsured motorist coverage. UM coverage should be included on your normal auto insurance policy.

Just like with your other auto insurance coverage, Connecticut imposes minimum coverage amounts on UM policies. These amounts are as follows:

• $25,000 per person in bodily injury coverage
• $50,000 per accident in bodily injury coverage

Note that you are not required by law to have UM coverage for property damage. However, you may elect to add additional UM coverage, including extra coverage in addition to the minimum bodily injury requirements, to your policy.

Additionally, it is important to know that your UM policy covers yourself, your family, and anyone in your car at the time of the accident.

How Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Work?

If you are hit by an uninsured driver or involved in a hit and run, your first step would be to turn to your own auto insurance provider for UM compensation. In other words, you will need to file a claim with your own insurance company to recover damages.

For example, say you were hit by someone who was texting and driving at the time of the collision. Both you and your passenger suffer moderate injuries in the accident. The distracted driver stops after the accident but tells you that they don’t have any car insurance. After the accident, you go to the doctor to seek treatment for your injuries, as does your passenger. While your passenger’s injuries turn out to be relatively mild, yours are more serious. You have to take time off work to heal, meaning you miss out on a week’s worth of wages. When you file a claim with your insurance company for UM compensation, you should be able to recover up to $25,000 for your losses. Together, both you and your passenger cannot recover more than $50,000 for all losses you both sustained as a result of the accident.