Drivers in Florida, Georgia, and New York carry liability insurance — coverage that pays the other person if you cause a crash. But the most important coverage on a policy is often the one paying you when someone else causes a crash and either has no insurance or not enough of it.
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage applies when the at-fault driver has no insurance — or in many cases, when they hit and run.
Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage applies when the at-fault driver has insurance, but not enough to cover your losses. If your damages are $200,000 and the other driver carries only minimum limits, UIM is what makes up the gap.
Florida allows drivers to reject or reduce UM/UIM coverage in writing — and many people accidentally do, often years ago, without realizing it. Georgia requires UM/UIM coverage unless it is rejected in writing, but the default limits are often far below what a serious injury actually costs. In New York, basic UM coverage is mandatory, but the supplemental (SUM) coverage that actually protects you in a serious crash is optional and often left at the minimum. If your serious-injury claim ends up below the policy limits because you only carry minimum UM or SUM coverage, that decision lives with you forever.
The good news: making a UM/UIM claim is not 'suing' your own carrier in the typical sense. The claim is structured for it, and your premiums shouldn't go up for making it.
The bad news: insurers fight UM and UIM claims as hard as any other — sometimes harder, because they're paying you directly. A lawyer is often more important on a UM/UIM claim than on a third-party claim.
