Uninsured Motorist Coverage. Reject?

[SteveRivet]

I saw a few years ago a 60 minutes style story about one of these "Fix everything wrong in your life" hucksters that recommended dropping this coverage so his devotees could save a couple bucks.  One of his faithful got killed by an uninsured driver, leaving the family penniless, and they successfully sued the huckster when they found out he hadn't dropped his own coverage.

They may have actually changed laws and notifications because of this, which is why you're seeing it now.

[TimmyTheHog]

<SNIP>

This class of insurance is covering yourself in case someone else does something stupid and you get hurt.

</SNIP>

This sums it up.

My friend was in a pretty bad T-boned a few years back when he was on a road trip from Seattle to Portland.

The other driver had only the minimum which covers less than half of what his car is worth, let alone the bill of his medical.

If weren't for this insurance, he would had to pay for thousands of medical bill and loss of wage. He is self employed.

Long story short, I don't know how it is varied between states to state, but it is a small price to pay and not a place you want to cheap on on especially on a 2 wheel.

[philwarner]

In most states uninsured/under insured coverage only covers medical expenses . I would contact your agent and ask questions .

 Dusty

    I thought about reinstating my uninsured motorist coverage after my Odyssey mini-van hit a car that ran a stop sign and drove into my lane of moving traffic from a side road.  I almost got stopped and didn’t hit the car hard enough to disable it, and the driver took off like the proverbial bat according to the folks behind me.  The Jeep directly behind me was just able to stop, but was rear ended by a pickup and a young couple in a nice suburban full of kids totaled their Suburban slamming into the pickup.  The city policeman said it was shift change at the chicken processing plant on the corner of that intersection, so you can do the math about the legality of the driver.

   I had just installed a dash cam in the Odyssey and was able to give the police a video of the car pulling across traffic and the impact, a photo of the car, driver, and passenger, the make model and year of the car, and even a list from the county assessor of the names and addresses of all the owners of that model and year of car in the county.  Now here’s the interesting part.  The policeman said he could not locate the car or driver without a license plate number.

   Oh yes, I confirmed that uninsured motorist coverage in Arkansas covers only medical bills so even if I had it, I would still be out the $1500 damage to the Odyssey and the other folks are most likely out the damage on a rear ended Jeep, a smashed pickup, and a totaled Suburban, while an uninsured and likely undocumented driver gets off Scott free because the police were not inclined to make the effort to look for someone who could just fade away.  Perhaps we need an insurance policy that will cover the cost of hiring someone to find those drivers the police are not inclined to look for.

[pyoungbl]

Recently my wife was involved in a parking lot incident.  Basically, she was parked at the grocery store and opened her door to get out of the car.  A truck pulled in and nailed her open door.  Luckily she was not hurt but the repair bill was $1800 for a new door.  After much discussion between the insurance companies mine decided that there was too much 'he said, she said' to take the claim to the mat.  My company paid the claim using UM coverage where there was a $200 deductible rather than our collision with a $500 deductible.  We won't be charged for an at fault accident.  As far as I am concerned the UM coverage was a good idea and I'm glad we had it.  Oh, I can still go after the other driver on my own dime but that really does not make sense financially.  Bottom line, there are too many situations where either the other guy has no insurance or the liability is cloudy...why take a chance.

[philwarner]

Recently my wife was involved in a parking lot incident.  Basically, she was parked at the grocery store and opened her door to get out of the car.  A truck pulled in and nailed her open door.  Luckily she was not hurt but the repair bill was $1800 for a new door.  After much discussion between the insurance companies mine decided that there was too much 'he said, she said' to take the claim to the mat.  My company paid the claim using UM coverage where there was a $200 deductible rather than our collision with a $500 deductible.  We won't be charged for an at fault accident.  As far as I am concerned the UM coverage was a good idea and I'm glad we had it.  Oh, I can still go after the other driver on my own dime but that really does not make sense financially.  Bottom line, there are too many situations where either the other guy has no insurance or the liability is cloudy...why take a chance.

You are lucky.  When someone apparently backed into my 06 Jag super V8 in a parking lot and cracked the bumper cover, the insurance company said it was a collision and not covered by comprehensive.  I don't have insurance with that company any more.

[Kent in Upstate NY]

My wife was an insurance agent and she was adamant about UM Coverage. I have max Liability, Comp, Collision and U/M. 200/month for 3 vehicles.

[Lannis]

My wife was an insurance agent and she was adamant about UM Coverage. I have max Liability, Comp, Collision and U/M. 200/month for 3 vehicles.

Whee doggies, that's a lot of money.   I don't think I've ever owned any vehicles worth ponying up $24,000 every ten years to insure them!!

Lannis

[Dilliw]

Whee doggies, that's a lot of money.   I don't think I've ever owned any vehicles worth ponying up $24,000 every ten years to insure them!!

Lannis

Says the man who is still driving his Festiva, correct?

[Lannis]

Says the man who is still driving his Festiva, correct?

That's not a bug, it's a feature!   Gets me everywhere I want to go, gets 42 MPG, a set of tires is $180, and no harm and no foul if someone dings it ...

It's just one more way of saving my money for things that make a difference to me .... old retired dudes on a fixed income gotta be careful ...

Lannis

[Moparnut72]

 I don't have uninsured motorist insurance coverage on my bike. The cost is almost as much as my regular full coverage almost doubling my insurance cost. However I just got the renewal on my insurance. I had switched from a Harley to a MG in July and my new policy is almost half of what I was paying for the Harley. So maybe I should check into uninsured motorist again.
kk

[philwarner]

I don't have uninsured motorist insurance coverage on my bike. The cost is almost as much as my regular full coverage almost doubling my insurance cost. However I just got the renewal on my insurance. I had switched from a Harley to a MG in July and my new policy is almost half of what I was paying for the Harley. So maybe I should check into uninsured motorist again.
kk

I had 5 vehicles insured with Hagerty Classic Car insurance including my 2004 Triumph America insured with an agreed value of $5K.  When I bought the Guzzi I called to see what it would cost to add a 6th and was pleasantly surprised to find at an agreed value of $3k and zero deductible comp and collision it only added $27 per year.  That is without uninsured motorist but with $100K passenger injury coverage in the event I ever carry a passenger.

[pyoungbl]

Years ago I was in the insurance business.  In Virginia the UM coverage was 25/50 and cost $6 per vehicle.  That was a no brainer.  Times have changed.  I just looked at my Progressive renewal bill for 2020 and find that UM is much more expensive than my base liability coverage...like about 100% more!  That tells me that the insurance companies have found that a huge number of motorists in Virginia are not insured.  Nuttin...Nada...Zil ch.  Thus, you better cover your own ass because the other guy probably ain't gonna do so. 

[Texas Turnip]

Automobile insurance is mandatory in Texas. What a joke when you have an estimated 25% running around with no insurance and many with no license. Road blocks should be set up and it you don.t have a license or insurance your vehicle is impounded. "Oh, this is too hard on the poor people cry the libs."

Back when I was driving semi I was involve in three hit and run accidents in one month. Farmers Insurance wanted to cancel me. Damn, when you get hit when you are parked with the  4 ways on and cones out and police cars get hit with their flashing lights on.

I have no use for those with no insurance.
Tex

[Bill929]

My ex-wife was hit by a hit and run driver (as a pedestrian) and a good friend of mine was hit (while riding his bike) by a driver with minimum insurance.  Both people had health insurance, but the FL uninsured/underinsured policies they carried covered a lot more than just their hospital bills.  In addition to their deductibles and co-pay requirements the the UM policies paid out six figures for lost salaries both missed a lot of work), pain and suffering and future disability issues.  I would never ride w/o a substantial UM policy as most drivers who are insured don't carry enough to cover your real world damages from a serious injury accident.  Another friend of mine was air flighted and the bill for that helicopter ride to the ER was over $20k.  Many health policies cap the amount of transport or have separate deductibles, so that is certainly another concern. 

[Moparnut72]

I have a membership in an transport/ambulance company. They pick up whatever insurance doesn't cover wether by ground or air. It runs about $100 a year. Cheap. I have used it once, the helio ride was $20K in 1998. I don't know what what it would be now.  Three years ago before the new comp all I could get was air. We I needed to go to a bigger hospital and the helio couldn't fly due to weather and they didn't do ground then. So I went by ambulance, the bill was over $9K. I had to pay 10% out of pocket.
kk

[Bill929]

I have a membership in an transport/ambulance company. They pick up whatever insurance doesn't cover wether by ground or air. It runs about $100 a year. Cheap. I have used it once, the helio ride was $20K in 1998. I don't know what what it would be now.  Three years ago before the new comp all I could get was air. We I needed to go to a bigger hospital and the helio couldn't fly due to weather and they didn't do ground then. So I went by ambulance, the bill was over $9K. I had to pay 10% out of pocket.
kk

Would you mind sharing what company you use?  Our health insurance has limits on transport coverage, so a supplemental plan would be very appealing to me.  Thanks, Bill

[twowheeladdict]

I didn't read all the posts, but I reject uninsured coverage. 

My collision and comprehensive cover the bike.

My medical insurance covers me.  They won't be happy that they don't have another insurance company to go after and will probably get nothing out of the uninsured but that is what it is.

[LowRyter]

This thread got me interested to check my own coverage.  I've got 4 bikes, 4 four wheel vehicles and a travel trailer.   Two of my bikes are liability only so I wanted to check them.  Well, none of my bikes had UM.   Two bikes are "full coverage" but no medical.  That really surprised me. 

So I got medical coverage, whether their fault or mine.  $5k medical in any event, that should fill the gap with my medical insurance and medicare. 

Funny that in some states it's important to have and here, they keep it hidden.

I guess I should check the cars next?

[Mr Pootle]

Over here we have the Motor insurers Bureau, set up in 1946. It runs two slightly different schemes, one for the victims of uninsured drivers, and one where the guilty driver is untraced. The bureau pays compensation, and if the other party is identified, but uninsured, pursues him to recover its outlay.

[kingoffleece]

There is really no such thing in the M/C world stateside as "full coverage" say my Insurance Agency tenants.
Several here are either in the business, were in it, or have family in it.  I don't believe one of them has said "just skip it".

[Moparnut72]

Would you mind sharing what company you use?  Our health insurance has limits on transport coverage, so a supplemental plan would be very appealing to me.  Thanks, Bill

Sorry it took so long to get back to you on this. It is a local company that offers this service, north western Nevada and north eastern Calif. I would look for the company that provides the service in your area and see if they offer a membership plan. There are couple in my area that do. The one I used for years is about 80 miles away but they serviced our area for air transport only. It was $30 a year. A new company also does our area with both air and ground. I switched to their service, just under $100 for both.  Hope this helps.
kk