Winter weather driving is dangerous. Prepare for winter driving. Review your auto insurance needs. It is essential to have enough insurance in a car accident.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Insurance
This type of insurance – usually called U/UIM – protects you (and all occupants of your vehicle and family members) when you are run over by an Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist – usually a drunk driver. If you (and your family) are badly hurt by an uninsured or underinsured motorist, this insurance stands in the place of the other driver and pays your claims, just as the other driver’s liability insurance would pay them … if the drunk had any insurance. It is staggering how many Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist we have on Alaskan roads. U/UIM is VERY important insurance for you and your family.
Statutory Minimum – Not Fully Insured
Prepare for winter weather driving. Buy at least as much U/UIM insurance as you buy liability insurance. Consider buying more to better protect your family. This insurance coverage may be all that is available to address a lifetime of medical bills, unemployment and pain. I recommend at least 100/300 coverage. It is far better than 50/100, but it does not provide much beyond minimal protection. The next step up is 250/500 or $250K per person, and $500K per accident.
IMPORTANT: U/UIM insurance is usually less expensive than liability insurance. It is not linearly priced. In other words, doubling your U/UIM coverage will usually NOT double your premium payment. It is smart to think: “How much is my life – and my family’s lives – worth?”
Medical Payments Insurance For Winter Driving
Medical Payments or “MedPay” insurance normally pays for medical bills arising from an automobile accident. It covers you and all occupants of your vehicle. And while it is not mandatory under Alaskan law – it should be. Many people have no MedPay or only $5,000. This is not enough.
How Much Will I Pay
I recommend you buy $100K of “MedPay” insurance. It should cost between $50 and $75 every six months. People with good MedPay coverage rarely get bankrupted by medical bills and aren’t harassed by collection agencies after a Motor Vehicle Accident. It is cheap peace of mind. Buy all you can afford.
Prepare for winter weather driving. Review your auto insurance needs. It is essential to have enough insurance in a car accident.
The Merdes Law Firm has been helping injured Alaskans for more than 30 years. It’s who we are. And while we hope you never need us … We’re here if you do. ~ Ward Merdes
Sources: Forbes, Merdes Law Firm
Image Source: AdobeStock
