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Available 24/7
(972) 854-7900
In McKinney, underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage is first-party insurance an individual gets to protect themselves in the event they are harmed by a person who has no, or not enough, insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage in Texas is mandatory, but it can be waived if a person signs off saying they do not want that insurance. Otherwise, a qualified motorcycle accident attorney could help you navigate the rules governing uninsured motorist coverage in McKinney and determine how it might impact your case.
In Texas, the mandatory minimum insurance coverages required by state law are $30,000 for bodily injury per individual, with an upper limit of $60,000 per wreck. That means the mandatory minimum will pay up to $30,000 in the event someone is injured by somebody else’s negligence if they have that type of coverage.
Approximately half of the drivers in Texas do not have any liability insurance, even though the state mandates it. What that means is that in a wreck, there is about a 50-50 chance that a person involved in an accident does not have any liability insurance coverage. In some parts of the state, the odds are much higher.
In this situation, underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage would provide an accident victim with coverage when somebody else is at fault for harming them. .
A person can run up $30,000 worth of medical bills very quickly after a motorcycle wreck. If someone is going to commute on a motorcycle, it is crucial that they buy enough underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage to provide themselves with coverage in the event the person who hit them does not have any or does not have enough. Given the severe nature of many motorcycle injuries, it is important that a motorcyclist buy more insurance coverage than the minimum limits when possible.
In many states, UIM coverage will provide up to the limit of the coverage, but the amount of liability coverage reduces the amount of underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage. For example, if someone has $100,000 of UIM coverage and $30,000 of liability coverage, in some other states, the liability coverage would cover the first $30,000, and then the person’s underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage would cover the next $70,000 for a total of $100,000 coverage.
Texas state law does not handle underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage this way. If someone had a $30,000 liability policy and $130,000 to $150,000 worth of loss, they could collect their $30,000 from the third party and then the full $100,000 from their underinsured motorist carrier.
However, there is one caveat to pursuing these claims with motorcyclists, and that is because of a vagary in Texas law. For a motorcyclist to make a claim and recover for underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage, there actually must be an impact with the underinsured/uninsured motorist vehicle.
If a motorcyclist must put their bike on the ground to avoid a wreck, and avoids the wreck but harms themselves in putting the bike on the ground, there may be no underinsured/uninsured motorist carrier coverage. Also, if any motorist takes evasive action to avoid a wreck that is caused by a third party and is involved in a single-vehicle wreck, they may have no underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage.
In short, underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage in McKinney can be tricky. It is important that drivers have this coverage, but it can be very tricky in knowing when it applies and when it does not.
After a motorcycle wreck, you may have a lot of questions and concerns about how your insurance could help you recover for your losses. If you get in an accident with someone who lacks sufficient insurance, you are not completely out of luck, but you may need to talk to a lawyer to determine exactly what your options may be. Call today to discuss uninsured motorist coverage in McKinney with a qualified legal professional.
McCraw Law Group
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