Mississippi law requires all drivers to maintain minimum liability insurance limits on the vehicles they drive. This covers you if you are at fault and cause someone else to have a personal injury in a car accident or 18 wheeler wreck. However, not everyone gets liability insurance as the law requires. Roughly 25% of Mississippi drivers are uninsured. If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident with someone who doesn’t have car insurance in Mississippi, you could be in for a major headache. You could be on the hook for your own medical bills and repair costs. You are only protected if you have uninsured motorist coverage. This is commonly referred to as UM/UIM coverage. The purpose of UM/UIM is to allow you to recover from your own insurance company what they would have been able to recover from the uninsured negligent party. Your UM/UIM insurance would kick in to cover your damages if you are in a car wreck with someone who has no insurance or less than enough insurance to pay for your medical bills.
Many people confuse UM coverage with “liability” coverage. Liability coverage will not cover you if you are in a car wreck from someone with no car insurance in Mississippi. Liability insurance is designed to pay for injuries and losses caused by you. In other words, liability insurance protects the driver you hit in a car wreck, not you. Even “full-coverage” will not protect you unless you have UM coverage on your policy. UM/UIM coverage also protects you if you are in a motor vehicle accident with someone with less insurance than you. Additionally, UM/UIM could protect your family members against uninsured drivers in Mississippi.
Your car insurance agent may tell you that this coverage isn’t mandatory and that you can save money by “rejecting” it. This rejection must be in writing. UM/UIM coverage is designed to protect you in the event you are injured by an uninsured or under-insured driver. The coverage is very affordable and could save you a lot of money and headache in the long run. If you live in the state of Mississippi, do yourself a favor and make sure you have UM/UIM coverage on your vehicle today.
Having an experienced Personal Injury Attorney in Jackson, MS is essential for getting you the compensation you deserve. If you’ve been injured in a car wreck in Mississippi, the experienced attorneys at Chhabra & Gibbs are here to help. We believe in doing everything in our power to deliver you the results you deserve, and will be by your side every step of the way when dealing with the insurance company. Contact an experienced Mississippi Personal Injury attorney today at our office by calling 601-948-8005 or by using our live chat on our website.
