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Underinsurance? What Happens If the At-Fault Driver Has Too Little Insurance?

| Jun 18, 2012 | Insurance Industry

I have written a few previous posts discussing the importance of uninsured motorist coverage on your auto insurance policy if you are involved in a serious auto accident, but no posts focused solely on underinsured motorist coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage will also serve as underinsured motorist coverage if you are involved in a car crash with someone who has too little insurance. In Rhode Island the minimum liability coverage is only $25,000 and in Massachusetts it is even less at $20,000. If you have been seriously injured in a car accident or a motorcycle accident, your medical bills alone might easily exceed these small amounts of money.

Depending on the coverage you have on your policy, and the amount thereof, you may be able to use your uninsured motorist coverage to help pay for the damages over and above the amount of coverage that the at-fault driver maintained. Your insurance company will essentially “take the place of” the at-fault driver’s insurance company. There is a major difference between Rhode Island and Massachusetts when it comes to underinsurance law.

Underinsurance in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has more favorable laws than Massachusetts if you have been seriously injured in a car accident and need to utilize your underinsurance coverage. If the at-fault driver’s insurance company has paid it’s policy limits, whether that amount is the minimum $25,000 or $300,000, but it is less than the full value of your claim, then you can turn to your own policy. Your insurance company will be able to “write-off” the amount that you already received from the other company but you are still entitled to the full value of your uninsured motorist policy no matter how large or small. For example, if your full value is approximately $100,000 and the at-fault driver has a $50,000 policy, then you have roughly $50,000 that you are still owed. If your uninsured motorist policy is equal to $50k or more then you are likely to be fully compensated. If your policy is for the state minimum of $25k, then you are entitled to the full amount but you will still not be fully compensated for your loss.

Underinsured motorist coverage in Massachusetts

The concept and workings of uninsured motorist in Massachusetts is largely the same as described in the Rhode Island section above with one major exception. In Massachusetts, you can not “stack” your insurance policy on top of the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. Your coverage amount must be in excess of the at-fault driver’s policy or you will not be able to access any money from your own insurance. For example: Your injury is worth $50,000 and both the at-fault driver and your own policy is for the Massachusetts minimum of $20,000. In this scenario you are not entitled to ANY of your underinsured motorist because your policy is not in excess of the at-fault driver’s. This is why Rhode Island law is much more advantageous because in this scenario you would be entitled to $40,000 in Rhode Island but only $20,000 in Massachusetts.

Some Other Points

arbitration v. court

If you begin the process of trying to settle your serious injury claim with your own insurance company, you are bound to your insurance contract. This means that you must cooperate with the insurance company in ways that you did not have to with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Another major difference is that many insurance companies have written arbitration provisions into their insurance policies. This means that all disputes, including underinsured motorist claims, must be dealt with by arbitration rather than litigation. This can be either a blessing or a curse, but arbitration is for another blog post.

other household members

Your car accident attorney should also review all of the household members at your residence because their auto insurance policies, if different than yours, might cover you for underinsurance.

Attorney Lamy has extensive experience in handling auto accident cases including uninsured and underinsured motorist cases whether these are resolved by settlement, litigation, or arbitration. If you have been seriously injured in an auto accident, it is imperative that you speak to an experienced auto accident attorney right away. Contact my office for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we collect money for you.

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