Catherine C Ford, Writer
@catherine_ford_1
You need uninsured motorist bodily injury insurance, even if you have health insurance, if you live in one of the 22 jurisdictions that may require this coverage. Uninsured motorist bodily injury insurance (UMBI) pays for injuries sustained by you and your passengers in an accident caused by a driver who does not have insurance.
Purchasing UMBI is worth it, even if you have health insurance and UMBI isn’t required, because you won’t have to pay a deductible and coverage for injuries and lost wages extends to your passengers. UMBI also covers funeral costs, loss of income, and pain and suffering, which health insurance may not cover.
Key Differences Between UMBI and Health Insurance
| Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Insurance | Health Insurance |
| Covers medical expenses for you and your passengers | Only covers your medical expenses |
| Covers lost wages for you and your passengers | Does not include coverage for lost wages |
| Typically does not have a deductible or co-pay | Usually has a deductible and a co-pay |
| Not limited by a specific network of providers | Often has a network of healthcare providers that policyholders have to use to be covered |
Why Get UMBI Even if You Have Health Insurance:
- UMBI can help cover medical expenses when your health insurance, personal injury protection, or medical payments coverage has been exhausted.
- UMBI does not have a co-pay or deductible that you must meet before your expenses are covered, unlike health insurance.
- Having UMBI can give you a wider selection of healthcare providers, since this coverage is not bound to a specific provider network like health insurance.
- Wages you or your passengers have lost due to being unable to work after a car accident are covered by UMBI, with specific limits based on your state and policy selections.
- UMBI covers your injuries if you are a victim of a hit-and-run.
- UMBI also applies if you are a pedestrian and are hit by a car.
To learn more, check out WalletHub’s guide on uninsured motorist coverage.
People also ask
What is underinsured motorist coverage?
Underinsured motorist coverage is a type of car insurance that applies when the policyholder is in an accident caused by a driver who doesn’t have sufficient liability insurance. If the policyholder’s expenses exceed the at-fault driver’s limits, underinsured motorist covers the remaining bills up to a certain amount.
How Underinsured Motorist Coverage Works
Say that you are involved in an accident that leaves you with $35,000 in vehicle damage. Typically, the at-fault driver’s property damage liability insurance...
read full answerIs uninsured motorist coverage required in Georgia?
No, uninsured motorist coverage is not required in Georgia, as drivers can reject the coverage in writing. Still, insurance companies are required to offer at least $25,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person (up to $50,000 per accident), as well as $25,000 in uninsured motorist property damage insurance per accident.
Uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) coverage pays for the medical bills of the policyholder and their passengers who were injured in an accident with an uninsured...
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