Most people who drive in Cincinnati recognize that they are supposed to have automobile insurance that will pay compensation to people they injure because of an accident that is their fault. While too many people ignore this rule, the majority of Ohioans are responsible enough to go out and purchase some insurance that keeps them legal on the road.
However, there is another set of people out on the road, probably far larger than the group of uninsured motorists, who only buy the minimum amount of insurance they need to “stay legal.” In Ohio, this minimum amount of insurance must cover a person responsible for an accident up to $25,000 per injured person with a cap of $50,000 per accident. Additionally, a person’s automobile insurance policy must also pay for up to $25,000 to repair the other person’s damaged car.
This amount is not much. For one, with the rising cost of medical care, $25,000 might not pay for an injured person’s medical bills even if they just have to spend a few days in the hospital after an accident. Moreover, when one factors in that an injured person is entitled to lost wages and other compensation from an at-fault driver, including things like pain and suffering, it is easy to see how $25,000 or even $50,000 just won’t go that far.
This is why people might consider buying UM coverage to make sure that they have protection should they get hurt by someone who was driving with inadequate, albeit legal, automobile insurance. Should there be an accident, however, getting access to this important benefit still involves filing a claim and dealing with one’s own insurance company, which many people feel is best done with the help of an experienced accident attorney.