Motorists Beware! A new study reports that 21% of drivers in Tennessee are uninsured. Read about the study here.
I would love to know what percentage of the drivers that have insurance have only the minimum limits ($25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident).
Use this information to educate your clients about the need to purchase adequate levels of uninsured / underinsured motorist coverage. I have always thought it was an outrage that an agent could persuade a person to waive UM / UIM limits equal to that of their liability limits. While I agree that the limits purchased should be a made of choice, I also think that the agent should be required to say, in writing, what it would cost the customer to have UM / UIM limits equal to their liability limits. Such a rule would ensure that the consumer made an informed decision about what to purchase. I also think that the customer should be required to waive equal limits in writing every year, not just once during the life of the relationship.
Any consumer who understood the risk would always purchase equal limits – the cost is not that great. UM / UIM is perhaps the least expensive insurance you can buy.
Thanks to the Kentucky Injury Law Blog for telling me about this study.