[Marine1974]

Originally Posted by Lovey2

While trying to get a quote today we were were told by an insurance agent that we did not need to have Uninsured Motorist coverage. He said that Medicare would cover our medical. Does anyone know if this is true? I did search online and it said yes, that Medicare would cover us for medical, just not for other things UNI would cover...loss of wages, mental anguish, the car itself, etc. We're curious if anyone has dropped their Uninsured Motorist coverages. I never really gave it any thought, just always had it. Thanks...

If Medicare covers you for injuries due to an accident, just remember if you are suing someone for damages for your injuries, Medicare and your supplemental will place a lien on your settlement to get reimbursed for money Medicare paid your healthcare providers . Also the Veterans administration general council will place a lien on your settlement and you will need to
appeal and prove any any treatment not related to treatment of your injuries due to your accident. A real hassle. Maybe consider keeping uninsured motorists insurance. You can’t double dip .

[cmeinel@verizon.net]

Originally Posted by Lovey2

While trying to get a quote today we were were told by an insurance agent that we did not need to have Uninsured Motorist coverage. He said that Medicare would cover our medical. Does anyone know if this is true? I did search online and it said yes, that Medicare would cover us for medical, just not for other things UNI would cover...loss of wages, mental anguish, the car itself, etc. We're curious if anyone has dropped their Uninsured Motorist coverages. I never really gave it any thought, just always had it. Thanks...

I was a claims adjuster and I buy UM coverage it is the only insurance you buy that pays for your loss, your injury, your damages etc. Liability you buy to pay for other people’s damage and injury. I was an adjuster and there are more and more uninsured motorists everyday. With immigration problem there is likely to be uninsured drivers than insured in the near future. If you drive a car, I would advise you to get the coverage..cars aren’t cheap, if you get in an accident with a uninsured driver who will pay for your car, towing, ambulance ride etc.

[cphubbell@aol.com]

Originally Posted by Lovey2

While trying to get a quote today we were were told by an insurance agent that we did not need to have Uninsured Motorist coverage. He said that Medicare would cover our medical. Does anyone know if this is true? I did search online and it said yes, that Medicare would cover us for medical, just not for other things UNI would cover...loss of wages, mental anguish, the car itself, etc. We're curious if anyone has dropped their Uninsured Motorist coverages. I never really gave it any thought, just always had it. Thanks...

Any insurance sales person who tells you that you don’t “ need “ any particular coverage should be sure that they have a great Errors and Omissions policy. They could tell you that you do not have to purchase that coverage by state law and should fully describe the coverage to allow you to make the decision.

[Lovey2]

Originally Posted by augustnotes

No no no, don't listen to the people that say skip the uninsured and under insured motorist coverage. I was an insurance agent for forty years and we always added UM/UIM to the policy. With more and more drivers going around with no insurance or the state minimum coverage you need to carry UM/UIM. I have seen claims paid under both conditions and for the person that got into an accident that was not their fault and was suing the driver that was at fault which had no insurance it is nearly impossible to recover any money. Look if they don't bother to carry insurance you can bet they don't have many assets to go after. Look at the premium for the UM/UIM and decide is it worth it to have protection in a law suit if the at fault drive does not carry insurance or his insurance is inadequate? You buy auto insurance to protect you from liability claim in case you make an error in driving and you get sued. Why in the world would you not want to have the same coverage if the other driver makes an error and you are busted up and can no longer do the same functions that you did before the accident. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish, enough said!

Well...40 years ago, I would have agreed. Last week I probably agreed. Now, I've been told something I didn't realize and I'm looking at it differently. I don't need the "loss of income"...nothing will change there. I don't need the medical coverage. I already have (and pay for) that. And my vehicle is covered, right?

[Villagesgal]

My husband was hit years ago while on his bike by an uninsured driver who owned nothing but an old truck. After 3 surgeries putting rods in his legs and reconstructing
his hips, my husband walked with a bad limp the rest of his life. We had uninsured motorist coverage, yes they pay even if you are riding a bike or walking. Our attorney sued our insurance company. Our insurance company paid all the medical expenses, over $400,000, he got $480,000 for pain and suffering, he will never be the same physically, and the attorney got $350,000 and that was 21 years ago. I would never go without uninsured motorist coverage anywhere, especially here in Florida. The accident was here. You need a lot more than just your current medical bills covered. You always think you will never need insurance, until you do.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Villagesgal

My husband was hit years ago while on his bike by an uninsured driver who owned nothing but an old truck. After 3 surgeries putting rods in his legs and reconstructing
his hips, my husband walked with a bad limp the rest of his life. We had uninsured motorist coverage, yes they pay even if you are riding a bike or walking. Our attorney sued our insurance company. Our insurance company paid all the medical expenses, over $400,000, he got $480,000 for pain and suffering, he will never be the same physically, and the attorney got $350,000 and that was 21 years ago. I would never go without uninsured motorist coverage anywhere, especially here in Florida. The accident was here. You need a lot more than just your current medical bills covered. You always think you will never need insurance, until you do.

Sorry about the event, but an excellent example.
Thanks for sharing.

As always, "you" insure for what you can't afford.
Premiums are cheap, coverage could be great.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by cphubbell@aol.com

Any insurance sales person who tells you that you don’t “ need “ any particular coverage should be sure that they have a great Errors and Omissions policy. They could tell you that you do not have to purchase that coverage by state law and should fully describe the coverage to allow you to make the decision.

Spot on IMHO…

[lawgolfer]

Originally Posted by Lovey2

While trying to get a quote today we were were told by an insurance agent that we did not need to have Uninsured Motorist coverage. He said that Medicare would cover our medical. Does anyone know if this is true? I did search online and it said yes, that Medicare would cover us for medical, just not for other things UNI would cover...loss of wages, mental anguish, the car itself, etc. We're curious if anyone has dropped their Uninsured Motorist coverages. I never really gave it any thought, just always had it. Thanks...

UM/UIM is the most important insurance you can buy. Any agent who tries to talk an insured out of having it should be flayed alive or buried up to his/her neck in an ant hill.

Liability insurance benefits someone you injure and protects your assets against a claim by the injured person.

UM/UIM insurance protects you and your family by stepping into the place of the uninsured/underinsured driver and pays for your medical care, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. If your claim is not resolved by negotiation, it goes to arbitration. Most arbitrators, myself included, lean in favor of the insured, recognizing that he/she has paid for the coverage and is deserving of its benefits.

UM/UIM covers claims "arising out of the use of an automobile". Thus, if you are a pedestrian and hit by an auto, whether on a street or in a parking lot, you have coverage. If you are riding a bicycle and a person throws open a car door in your path, you're covered. The UM/UIM coverage is very broad. It covers you and members of your family not only in the vehicle you have insured, but in any vehicle in which you or a family member is a passenger. This gives you great comfort when your teenage child is out riding with his/her no-good friend or your aged parent who lives with you is riding with his/her half-blind friend.

Perhaps the greatest benefit is the Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage as you get to choose the amount of protection you want for yourself, your family, and your passengers. It covers your damages in excess of the limits of the person who injured you. Thus, if that person had the minimum limits of 15/30 and you have UM/UIM limits of $1M, you can recover up to $985,000 from your own carrier. During the years I was practicing law in California with its outrageous number of uninsured/underinsured drivers, illegal aliens, druggies, etc, I spent a great deal of time driving to/from courthouses and law offices on some of the most high-risk roads in the country. To protect myself and my family, I carried UM/UIM limits of $5M as, were I to be killed or disabled, the odds were that it would be while in an automobile. Of course, now that I am retired, our children grown, and we are financially secure, I have reduced those limits to $1M. For anyone who thinks I was being overly cautious, I should mention that I had a 34 year old partner with a non-working wife and two young children, who was killed by a drunk driver.

The worst thing about insurance agents is that they sell insurance by price and not by the needs of the insured. Thus, as the OP noted, the agent told him that he didn't need UM/UIM so as to reduce the premium he quoted. Other agents tell their clients that UM/UIM is "not required". If an insurance agent tells you this, stand up and leave his/her office immediately.

The agent also told the OP that Medicare would cover his medical expenses. While this is true, everyone our age knows that Medicare is limited, particularly as regards long-term care. For those who have chosen an Advantage plan, your choice of doctors is further limited. UM/UIM coverage is only limited by the amount of coverage you are willing to buy.

I'll close this diatribe by telling the saddest I handled. A very successful man was referred to me by his business attorney. The man's son was killed when a passenger in a car of college students returning home after final exams overturned when the driver fell asleep (a not uncommon accident for students returning to California from college in Nevada or Utah). The driver had the minimum limits of 15/30 which his carrier promptly paid. The father wanted me to recover what I could from his own insurer, which the father thought had limits of $Millions. He intended to fund a scholarship in his son's name with whatever I was able to obtain. It turned out that his insurance agent had him sign a form declining all UM/UIM coverage as it substantially reduced the premium and the agent was competing on price with another agent. While he was very successful in his business, the father knew little about insurance. I knew the offending agent. I cussed him out to his face and bad-mouthed him to everyone I could for the years I remained in practice.

[lawgolfer]

REPLYING TO CP HUBBELL;

Please read my lengthy post above. The problem with suing an agent is twofold. First, he will have the insured sign a form either waiving UM/UIM coverage or acknowledging that he has chosen minimum limits for the UM/UIM coverage even though he has chosen liability coverage with higher limits. The second problem is that, legally, the agent is NOT an agent of the insured, but, rather, is an agent of the insurance company. Thus, in most states, unless the person purchasing insurance asks the agent for advice on UM/UIM coverage and is given advice upon which he acts, the agent has no liability. This is in contrast to an insurance broker who is acting on behalf of the person seeking insurance. Also, the law in some states is very harsh and the insured is bound by the "four corners" of the written policy and is obligated to read the policy. These are the reasons that I declined to sue the agent in the story about the rich man I relate above..

[Lovey2]

Originally Posted by Marine1974

If Medicare covers you for injuries due to an accident, just remember if you are suing someone for damages for your injuries, Medicare and your supplemental will place a lien on your settlement to get reimbursed for money Medicare paid your healthcare providers . Also the Veterans administration general council will place a lien on your settlement and you will need to
appeal and prove any any treatment not related to treatment of your injuries due to your accident. A real hassle. Maybe consider keeping uninsured motorists insurance. You can’t double dip .

Thanks, I guess. Not even thinking about double dipping or suing. If I am compelled to sue someone and I have to reimburse Medicare and the Veterans admin (what they have to do with me I don't know) for any expenses they paid for me that would be the right thing to do, no? I don't have a problem with that.

[lawgolfer]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

There is another recent thread on this topic. Here is the link:

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

What your agent told you is absolutely correct. In some states, UM insurance is mandatory, but not in Florida. I have never purchased UM insurance since moving to Florida. I consider it a waste of money.

To anyone who reads this RP please do not believe the opinions expressed therein. The RP can believe anything he wants; however, he poses a danger to anyone who acts on his opinions. Please read all the following posts, particularly those by the insurance agent; the claims adjuster; the woman whose husband was on a bicycle when hit by an uninsured driver; and mine.

[Lovey2]

Originally Posted by lawgolfer

UM/UIM is the most important insurance you can buy. Any agent who tries to talk an insured out of having it should be flayed alive or buried up to his/her neck in an ant hill.

Liability insurance benefits someone you injure and protects your assets against a claim by the injured person.

UM/UIM insurance protects you and your family by stepping into the place of the uninsured/underinsured driver and pays for your medical care, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. If your claim is not resolved by negotiation, it goes to arbitration. Most arbitrators, myself included, lean in favor of the insured, recognizing that he/she has paid for the coverage and is deserving of its benefits.

UM/UIM covers claims "arising out of the use of an automobile". Thus, if you are a pedestrian and hit by an auto, whether on a street or in a parking lot, you have coverage. If you are riding a bicycle and a person throws open a car door in your path, you're covered. The UM/UIM coverage is very broad. It covers you and members of your family not only in the vehicle you have insured, but in any vehicle in which you or a family member is a passenger. This gives you great comfort when your teenage child is out riding with his/her no-good friend or your aged parent who lives with you is riding with his/her half-blind friend.

Perhaps the greatest benefit is the Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage as you get to choose the amount of protection you want for yourself, your family, and your passengers. It covers your damages in excess of the limits of the person who injured you. Thus, if that person had the minimum limits of 15/30 and you have UM/UIM limits of $1M, you can recover up to $985,000 from your own carrier. During the years I was practicing law in California with its outrageous number of uninsured/underinsured drivers, illegal aliens, druggies, etc, I spent a great deal of time driving to/from courthouses and law offices on some of the most high-risk roads in the country. To protect myself and my family, I carried UM/UIM limits of $5M as, were I to be killed or disabled, the odds were that it would be while in an automobile. Of course, now that I am retired, our children grown, and we are financially secure, I have reduced those limits to $1M. For anyone who thinks I was being overly cautious, I should mention that I had a 34 year old partner with a non-working wife and two young children, who was killed by a drunk driver.

The worst thing about insurance agents is that they sell insurance by price and not by the needs of the insured. Thus, as the OP noted, the agent told him that he didn't need UM/UIM so as to reduce the premium he quoted. Other agents tell their clients that UM/UIM is "not required". If an insurance agent tells you this, stand up and leave his/her office immediately.

The agent also told the OP that Medicare would cover his medical expenses. While this is true, everyone our age knows that Medicare is limited, particularly as regards long-term care. For those who have chosen an Advantage plan, your choice of doctors is further limited. UM/UIM coverage is only limited by the amount of coverage you are willing to buy.

I'll close this diatribe by telling the saddest I handled. A very successful man was referred to me by his business attorney. The man's son was killed when a passenger in a car of college students returning home after final exams overturned when the driver fell asleep (a not uncommon accident for students returning to California from college in Nevada or Utah). The driver had the minimum limits of 15/30 which his carrier promptly paid. The father wanted me to recover what I could from his own insurer, which the father thought had limits of $Millions. He intended to fund a scholarship in his son's name with whatever I was able to obtain. It turned out that his insurance agent had him sign a form declining all UM/UIM coverage as it substantially reduced the premium and the agent was competing on price with another agent. While he was very successful in his business, the father knew little about insurance. I knew the offending agent. I cussed him out to his face and bad-mouthed him to everyone I could for the years I remained in practice.

Many thanks for not just an opinion, but facts. Appreciate your time.

[D.C.Villager]

I got it because I live in an area where there are a lot of drivers with little to no insurance. This is what my insurance sales rep told me. So I got a rather large uninsured motorist policy. Years later I was in an accident that required two surgeries and I used that policy.

That said, my health insurance paid for the surgeries originally. Then the health insurance required my car insurance policy to pay them back.

Plus, you are right. Your health insurance will cover your car accident.

[nancyre]

Uninsured motorist coverage is a type of auto insurance that provides extra security to drivers who are hit by drivers who do not have any liability insurance coverage12345. In Florida, it is not mandatory to take out uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance, but auto insurers are obliged to offer it to you, and you have the option of turning it down1. Uninsured motorist coverage covers you if you suffer damages inflicted by a driver who was driving without insurance or who had too little insurance2. It is intended to provide you a backup source of recovery if you are harmed in a crash by someone without liability insurance at all or without enough coverage to cover your damages.

[donfey]

True only if you don't carry your own collision and personal injury insurance. IMO, Uninsured motorist only benefits the insurance company.