What does your auto insurance policy look like? That may not be a question you’re prepared to answer, but if you’re in an accident, your Underinsured Motorist (UIM) policy can make all the difference in your recovery.
Sure, you can go with just the basics to save a couple of dollars every month and not get a policy, but being underinsured can cost thousands. For the peace of mind you need, Dr. Brad Bradshaw is sharing everything you need to know about underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City.
Table of Contents
What Is Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
Essentially, underinsured motorist coverage is additional insurance that ensures compensation if someone that is negligent in causing a motor vehicle crash doesn’t have a policy large enough to pay for your full damages. Because if you get hurt in an accident and the person at fault doesn’t have enough coverage, there are two possible outcomes:
- With Coverage
In a severe or catastrophic injury case, you get all of the at fault party’s insurance. Then you move to UIM. This underinsured motorist coverage kicks in to pay another layer.
- Without Coverage
While mandatory liability can cover some of your injuries, often it does not cover everything. If the other motorist isn’t insured to pay for your complete recovery, you may end up losing many thousands of dollars.
Whether it’s that beat-up sedan flying by on I-70, or that overloaded truck on Broadway, underinsured drivers are everywhere in the city of fountains. Underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City is one of the best ways to protect your property and your peace of mind. That’s why Dr. Brad Bradshaw recommends adding coverage before you need it! Because once the wreck happens, it’s too late.
Is It Mandatory?
Underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City is completely optional on both sides of state line. However, that doesn’t mean you should skimp on coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage, however, is highly recommended to ensure drivers are protected if a driver isn’t insured adequately.
Coverage Details
There are many variables when it comes to your insurance coverage. We’re not expecting everyone reading this to be an insurance expert. So, here are two important details to consider as you add underinsured motorist coverage to your policy:
Your Deductible
Unlike other coverages, underinsured motorist coverage doesn’t have a typical deductible you’d find in a collision or bodily injury.
Stacking Coverage
In some cases, you can add this coverage to multiple vehicles. This can help keep costs low, and depending on the current law, your contract might allow you to “stack” underinsured motorist coverage for additional money compensation.
Types of Coverage
Basic auto insurance policies cover only what’s necessary. So, when someone says they have full coverage that means only the minimum required by law. Liability and uninsured driver coverages are mandatory to protect your property and penalize irresponsible drivers. However, if you’re injured in an accident, they rarely cover the entirety of your losses. Underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City breaks down into two separate categories.
Underinsured Motorist Property Damage (UIMPD)
In any auto accident, property damage only adds to the stress of recovery. If a driver doesn’t have adequate insurance to cover your vehicle’s repairs, underinsured motorist coverage works to cover the rest. This ensures that you don’t have to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket to get back on the road after an accident.
- Property Damage
Whether it’s your pride and joy or just a way to get from A to B, your vehicle is important! The cost of body shops, parts, labor, towing, and more all add up. That’s why some underinsured motorist coverage helps to cover additional property damage beyond state mandates.
Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UIMBI)
This type of coverage works to come closer to fairly and fully compensating you and the people in your car in an accident caused by someone who doesn’t have enough insurance. Compensation included in this type of underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City includes medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
- Medical Bills
While the typical state minimum of $25,000 for injuries may seem like enough, the cost of healthcare after an accident can add up fast. Total costs of a car accident that results in an injury can easily top $40,000, according to the National Safety Council. Unless you like spending thousands on hospital bills, you need underinsured motorist coverage.
- Lost Wages
Bills don’t stop just because you’re injured. That’s why having underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City is crucial. Without enough coverage to make ends meet, injuries from an accident can put your home, family, and life in jeopardy.
- Pain and Suffering
One of the most important factors in any personal injury case is the emotional and physical distress involved. As you work with our experienced personal injury lawyers, we can build a case that maximizes your compensation.. While basic insurance policies don’t always compensate drivers for pain and suffering, underinsured motorist coverage can with the help of an attorney.
How an Attorney Can Help
Dr. Brad Bradshaw Law Firm has learned a thing or two in our half a century of settling auto cases. With help from our team of attorneys, individuals hurt in an accident can medically recover comfortably while we handle the hard conversations. In any car accident, it’s important to understand the details of your claim.
Know Your Claim
When we work with accident victims to navigate their underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City, there are 3 areas where experience comes in handy. To build strong cases, here are ways we work to educate, negotiate, and litigate:
Your Policy
As we investigate your claim, our attorneys can understand the more complex language in your policy. We’ll also help you use that language to get the maximum compensation possible. With decades of experience using insurance policies, our firm is trusted for cases built to win.
Your Accident
The details of your accident can make or break your claim for additional compensation. That’s why our team of attorneys goes above and beyond to thoroughly investigate accidents. We believe in using clear evidence to support claims involving underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City.
Your Insurance
When you’re recovering from an injury, the last thing you probably want to do is deal with insurance. Auto insurance companies spend millions of dollars every year on teams of adjustors and defense attorneys to fight claims. That’s why having an attorney to fight for your maximum compensation is so important.
How We Get Justice
Consulting an attorney experienced with underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City can make all the difference in your recovery. With a deep understanding of the details surrounding disputes with drivers and insurance companies, Dr. Brad Bradshaw’s law firm fights for the maximum compensation possible.
There are many personal injury firms out there, but very few can go toe to toe with some of the wealthiest companies in the US. And we have low fees in auto, semi-truck and motor-cycle cases. Our low fees and full compensation settlements put more money in our client’s pockets. This is how we fight for our clients every day:
Consultation
In our initial consultation, it’s best to be as detailed as possible about why you’re seeking our help. We’re always happy to offer advice to those who need it, but if you have a possible claim, we may advise you to take action.
One of the biggest factors that determines when to take action is what is at stake. That’s why our attorneys get to know our clients as people, what really has happened to them. By getting to know your hopes, your life, and your circumstances, we can advise with a personalized approach to your potential case.
Investigation
If we do advise you to take action, we’ll need to further investigate the details of your claim. By looking into the initial details, we can typically build a strong case. But since there’s no such thing as a typical accident, each case is fact-specific, we may have to dig deeper to get the compensation you deserve from your underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City.
Here are a few examples of important details and ways we can dig deeper into your case:
Initial Details
- Your accident report from the police.
- Documentation of your accident and injuries.
- Your insurance coverage when the accident occurred.
- Any conversation you’ve had with insurance regarding your accident.
Digging Deeper in Severe/Catastrophic Injury Cases
- Gathering eyewitness accounts of the accident.
- Investigating the crash site.
- Recreating the accident.
- Sourcing independent experts.
Dr. Brad Bradshaw’s Firm combines the efforts of our entire team to get the best possible outcome for every case we help with. With clear evidence, advocacy, and experience, our team helps get you the maximum compensation possible. That’s why we spend so much time and effort in this stage of a case.
Settlement
In one long-term study, our internal results showed a 98% settlement rate, and most of these cases, 80%, settled at the lower rate of 25% or less. And it’s those 2% of cases that we try, and get great results, that drive up the value of settlement for our other clients’ cases.
Dr. Brad Bradshaw believes that you should never settle for less than you deserve. To get the maximum compensation possible, we negotiate with insurance companies using the law the facts of your specific case, including your policy to the fullest extent.
Assurance With Insurance
For anyone hurt in an accident, peace of mind is not always easy to find. But with Dr. Brad Bradshaw’ Firm, victims can rest easy knowing they’re protected by a caring team of attorneys and support staff. For any questions about your underinsured motorist coverage in Kansas City, we’re just a click or call away! Contact our office, or get an initial review of your case online in minutes.
