4 Things You Need to Know About Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Oregon
You probably know that if you own a car, you need to have auto insurance. Indeed, it is against the law in Oregon to drive a car without a minimum amount of liability coverage. Additionally, Oregon also requires your insurance company to include uninsured motorist coverage as part of your policy.
Uninsured motorist (or UM) coverage can be a confusing subject for many Portland drivers. So here are four things you need to know about UM coverage and how it can protect you in the event of a car accident.
- UM Coverage Exists Because Many Oregon Drivers Don’t Follow the Law
Basically, UM coverage pays you benefits if you are injured by a driver who ignored Oregon law and drove their vehicle without liability insurance. This may not have been intentional. Some drivers had policies that lapsed because they forgot to pay their premiums. But that still means they do not have insurance.
- Your UM Coverage Is the Same as Your Liability Coverage–Unless You Decide Otherwise
By default, Oregon law requires your UM coverage to equal the liability coverage in your policy. For reference, you must carry liability coverage of at least $25,000 per person or $50,000 per accident. That means you must carry the same amount of UM coverage.
But what if you chose to purchase more insurance than required by the state? Let’s say your liability coverage is $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident. In that case, your UM coverage would also be this amount unless you elect a lesser amount of coverage. In other words, when you purchase your auto insurance, you can opt for less UM coverage than liability coverage. But you still must purchase minimum UM coverage of $25,000 per person or $50,000 per accident.
- Required UM Coverage Only Covers Personal Injury
Oregon only requires you carry UM coverage to pay for any bodily injury sustained by you or another insured person, such as a passenger in your vehicle, due to an accident caused by an uninsured driver. You can choose to purchase additional Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage, which would pay you benefits to repair or replace your damaged vehicle. But property damage is not included in many carriers UM bodily injury policies. Check with your insurer about this.
- UM Coverage Also Applies to Hit and Runs
An “uninsured motorist” includes a negligent driver who flees the scene of an accident and is never unidentified. So if you are injured in a hit-and-run accident, you can turn to your UM coverage just the same as if you were hit by a known driver without insurance.
Contact a Portland UM/UIM Coverage Disputes Lawyer Today
Just because you have uninsured motorist coverage, that is no guarantee that your insurance company will be there for you in the event of an accident. Insurers often deny UM claims for a variety of reasons. If you need legal advice or representation from a qualified Portland UM/UIM coverage disputes attorney, contact Rosenbaum Law Group, PC, today at 503-288-8000 to schedule a free consultation.
