Uninsured/Underinsured Car Accidents in Athens

Georgia law requires insurance companies to offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to every policyholder. However, you are not required to carry it. If you declined this coverage when you purchased your policy, you may not be able to use it after an accident. Reviewing your current policy with an attorney is a good way to understand exactly what coverage you have available.

If the at-fault driver’s liability policy is not enough to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages, your UIM coverage can step in to cover the remaining gap, up to your policy’s limits. For example, if the at-fault driver has $25,000 in liability coverage but your damages total $100,000, your UIM coverage could potentially cover the remaining $75,000, depending on your policy limits and how your coverage is structured.

Georgia offers two types of uninsured motorist coverage. Traditional UM coverage, sometimes called “reduced by” coverage, reduces your UM benefit by the amount the at-fault driver’s insurance pays. Add-on coverage, sometimes called “excess” coverage, allows you to collect from both the at-fault driver’s policy and your own UM policy independently, without one reducing the other. Add-on coverage generally provides significantly more protection and is worth having if it is available to you.

Hit-and-run accidents are treated as uninsured motorist claims in Georgia. If an unidentified driver caused your accident and left the scene, you may be able to make a UM claim under your own policy. Georgia law does require that there be physical contact between the hit-and-run vehicle and your vehicle or person in most circumstances, so documenting the scene thoroughly and reporting the accident to law enforcement right away is important.

Yes. In Georgia, your uninsured motorist coverage can apply even if you were not in your vehicle at the time of the accident. If you were struck as a pedestrian or while riding a bicycle by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver, you may be able to file a UM claim under your own auto insurance policy. This is an area where policy language matters significantly, and an attorney can help you understand what your specific coverage allows.

Georgia law generally prohibits insurance companies from raising your rates solely because you filed a UM claim when you were not at fault. However, insurance policies and companies vary, and it is worth understanding your specific policy terms. An attorney can help you navigate the claims process in a way that protects your rights as a policyholder.

Insurance companies sometimes deny UM claims on technical grounds or offer settlements that do not come close to covering a victim’s actual losses. You have the right to dispute a denial or a low offer, and in some cases, to pursue the matter through arbitration or litigation. An attorney can evaluate whether the insurer’s position is justified and fight for the full amount your policy should provide.

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Georgia is generally two years from the date of the accident. However, your insurance policy may have its own notice requirements that must be met much sooner. Failing to notify your insurer in a timely manner can affect your ability to make a claim, so it is important to act quickly and consult with an attorney as early as possible.

Many people assume that dealing with their own insurer will be straightforward, but UM and UIM claims can be just as adversarial as claims against an at-fault driver’s insurance. Your insurer’s goal is still to minimize what it pays out. Josh Branch spent years on the defense side of personal injury cases, giving our team a clear understanding of how insurers evaluate and challenge these claims from the inside. We use that knowledge to make sure our clients receive every dollar their policy entitles them to.