What Will My Uninsured Motorist Coverage Actually Pay For After a Car Accident?

In Missouri, there are two different mandatory insurance policies: standard auto insurance, and an uninsured motorist policy.

The uninsured motorist policy kicks in when you’re involved with either an uninsured driver or a driver that flees the scene of the accident, also known as a hit-and-run. However, this type of policy is not as all-encompassing as you think.

What’s Covered

Your uninsured motorist policy generally only covers bodily injuries. The state minimum is set at $25,000 for bodily injury per person and $50,000 for bodily injury per accident.

You are also free to purchase higher coverage to increase your protection.

What Isn’t Covered?

You may not be able to pay for any car repairs through your uninsured motorist policy. The law does not require insurance companies to include this protection in the policy, and if you do want to protect your vehicle you likely need a separate insurance policy.

Other damages you may have been able to collect through an insurance claim are also not covered:

• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Counseling expenses, etc.

Additionally, this insurance doesn’t apply to underinsured drivers. In some cases, the at-fault driver may have insurance, but their coverage isn’t enough to cover the full extent of your damages, in which case an underinsured motorist policy should help pay for what’s left.

Underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage are two different types of policy, and the former is not mandatory in Missouri.

What Happens If Your Uninsured Policy Doesn’t Pay?

If you have any costs other than medical bills, and cannot cover them with your uninsured motorist policy, you may have some other options at your disposal.

One option is to sue the at-fault driver and collect damages through the courts. Uninsured drivers, however, often don’t carry these policies because they don’t have the money to pay for it, so even if you sue them you likely won’t be able to win much in damages, but you may be able to collect some money to pay for your car repairs.

If you’re a hit-and-run victim, you could possibly collect some damages from the Victim’s Compensation Program. This program is designed to work in tandem with other compensation sources, such as auto insurance, and provide additional support if needed. 

Have You Been Involved in a St. Louis Car Accident?

If you need to file an uninsured motorist claim, please reach out to an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney at The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. for help. Even if you’re dealing with your own insurance company, an experineced attorney can help you get the full amount of compensation you are entitled to.