Earlier this year, we asked for your insurance related questions on our Facebook Page. It’s time that we answer another of the questions that we received, and this one’s all about auto insurance! Heidi asked us the following question:
“If auto insurance is mandatory, why are there many uninsured motorists driving? Why isn’t this enforced?”
While we don’t understand why a driver would choose to endanger others by driving without sufficient insurance, we can explain the danger of uninsured motorists, and how you can protect against them with the help of a car insurance policy from our agency.
What is an Uninsured Motorist?
As you could probably guess, an uninsured motorist is someone who drives a vehicle without auto insurance coverage. What may surprise you is that The Insurance Research Council (IRC) estimates that 1 out of every 7 drivers in the US is currently uninsured. This is a huge concern because any auto accident caused by an uninsured driver can mean significant costs that aren’t covered by liability insurance policies.
To combat the fact that nearly 15% of drivers are uninsured, most states now require auto insurance policies to include uninsured motorist coverage. Massachusetts is one of these states.
Massachusetts Auto Insurance Requirements
In the state of Massachusetts, there is a minimum amount of insurance that must be held by each driver. When you get a Massachusetts auto insurance quote, this is the absolute minimum amount of coverage that you must purchase according to state laws:
- Bodily Injury to Others: $20,000 per person; $40,000 per accident
- Personal Injury Protection: $8,000 per person, per accident
- Bodily Injury Caused by an Uninsured Auto: $20,000 per person; $40,000 per accident
- Damage to Someone Else’s Property: $5,000 per accident
As you can see, anyone with auto insurance in the state of Massachusetts has at least $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident worth of coverage against uninsured motorists. This means that you don’t need to fear getting into an accident with an uninsured motorist – your car insurance policy has built in protection against this situation. This protection typically includes coverage for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Ask your Massachusetts insurance agent if you have coverage against uninsured motorists for your property, including your home and automobile.
If you want to discuss the uninsured motorist coverage in your Massachusetts auto insurance policy, all you have to do is call 617-298-0655 and speak to a Vargas and Vargas Insurance agent. We can let you know how much coverage you have for accidents involving uninsured motorists, and let you know if you should increase your coverage. And if you have any questions about any of your insurance policies, feel free to call our agency and ask one of our expert Massachusetts insurance agents.
Stay tuned to the Vargas and Vargas Insurance Blog for more answers to the questions that you submitted, and much more!
