Uninsured motorist coverage can apply to a variety of situations including but not limited to the following:

It’s important that you start a claim soon after your accident as there are time limitations on how long you have to file a claim. If you wish to discuss your accident with a car accident lawyer in Tampa, FL, contact John Bales Attorneys now. If we handle your case, we only get paid if you do.

Call the auto accidents attorneys at John Bales Attorneys now for a FREE consultation at (800) 225-5564, or fill out our online form.

In one case, a law firm was able to help a distraught woman who was hit by an uninsured driver in an at-fault state. This driver was clearly at fault for the accident. In fact, he said at the scene that he knew he was at fault, but had no insurance to pay for the damage. The client had purchased collision coverage only, thinking she was doing the smart thing by saving money. Because neither driver had any insurance that applied to the crash, this woman thought she was out of luck. Still, she called a law firm, which agreed to take her case.

After investigating the facts, the law firm discovered that the at-fault driver was driving his girlfriend’s mother’s vehicle — with the permission of his girlfriend, to run an errand. Also, as it turned out, the mother and daughter had an agreement that the daughter could borrow her mother’s car as needed from time to time. That meant the at-fault driver was a “permissive user” could borrow her mother’s car as needed from time to time. That meant the at-fault driver was a “permissive user” under the policy — someone who has permission to drive the car — which meant that he covered by the mother’s liability insurance. In most states, liability coverage will cover permissive users of an insured automobile. This was true even though the driver of both vehicles involved in the accident were personally uninsured.

This scenario is actually quite common. Although laws in almost every state require all drivers to have liability insurance, many violate the law. An experienced personal injury lawyer may be able to help by searching thoroughly for an applicable insurance policy covering any party involved in the accident.

The Florida state legislature enacted a policy requiring the insurance company to make you sign a separate document if you refuse UM or UIM coverage. Your insurance carrier is also required to offer you uninsured motorist coverage. If you elect to reject UM or UIM coverage the insurance broker will often avoid explaining the importance of the coverage. Because UM or UIM insurance tend to favor the insured person, it exposes the insurance company to a much greater risk.