Are You Protected for Bodily Injuries Caused by Uninsured Operators of Motor Vehicles?

Uninsured Motorist coverage is mandated by Missouri law, and is required as part of any liability policy issued to a Missouri resident. Uninsured Motorist coverage pays for damages caused through bodily injuries on account of the conduct and negligence of an uninsured motorist.

The minimum amount of coverage required is $25,000 per person, and $50,000 per occurrence (event). Liability coverage is available to indemnify the insured in situations where the insured is left legally responsible for damages (property and bodily injuries) due to the conduct of an uninsured motorist.

This coverage is important not only when the insured is driving a vehicle, but also can apply when the insured person is riding in another vehicle where an uninsured motorist causes bodily injuries. Uninsured Motorist coverage could also apply where an insured person is injured in a cross-walk walking as a pedestrian, and may come into play when there is a hit-and-run driver making it impossible to verify coverage.

Also, when riding in the vehicle of an insured car as a passenger, Uninsured Motorist coverage applies to that vehicle and will provide coverage when injuries are sustained by not only the driver of the vehicle, but also passengers in the vehicle, due to the conduct of an uninsured motorist.

The amount of insurance (coverage) is an important consideration, because when needed, it may be the only source of recovery and protection. Contrary to what one may expect, the cost of insurance is not directly proportional to the coverage purchased. For illustration purposes, a policy with $250,000/$500,000 is not ten times the premium of the minimum required coverage at $25,000/$50,000. This is because the probability of a serious accident with serious injuries is a small subset of all motor vehicle accidents involving injuries. For that reason, having a reasonable amount of insurance is very valuable and cost-effective when considering protection as a motorist or passenger of a vehicle.



Having adequate insurance to protect you and your loved ones is essential in planning and protecting your future against impossible, unfortunate events that can and all-too-often do occur.