According to a 2021 study by the Insurance Research Council, approximately one in eight drivers in the United States does not have auto insurance. In Nevada, an estimated 10.4 percent of motorists do not carry any auto insurance, according to data from the Insurance Information Institute. This means that you have a relatively high chance of being involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver at some point in your life. When this happens, it can be difficult to obtain fair financial compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other accident-related damages—but it is not impossible.
If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on your auto insurance policy, you can file a claim with your own insurance provider after an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist. UM/UIM insurance is also available when you are injured in a hit-and-run accident and cannot identify the at-fault motorist.
At Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P., we assist clients in Reno and throughout the state of Nevada with complex car accident matters, including accident claims involving uninsured and underinsured motorists. Our attorneys can review your auto insurance policy and go over your options with you during a free, no-obligation consultation. As your legal team, we are prepared to pursue every possible source of compensation in our effort to maximize your recovery.
Call us today at (775) 284-8888 or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation with our uninsured/underinsured motorist accident lawyers in Reno.
Is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage Mandatory in Nevada?
In Nevada, uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is not mandatory. Although your insurance provider is required to offer you UM/UIM insurance, you are allowed to reject this coverage in writing.
If you have not opted out of purchasing UM/UIM insurance in writing, you can still recover the minimum UM/UIM coverage, even if you did not purchase the coverage as part of your auto insurance policy.
For drivers who choose to carry UM/UIM coverage, insurance companies must offer the minimum amounts of coverage:
- $25,000 in bodily injury/death per person
- $50,000 in bodily injury/death per accident
While these amounts represent the minimum UM/UIM coverage in Nevada, you may choose to add additional coverage, up to the amount of your liability coverage. In our opinion, the UM/UIM coverage is the most important coverage you can buy to protect yourself and your family from injuries caused by others who are not adequately insured.
It is also important to note that, in Nevada, UM and UIM coverage are grouped together. This means that if you have UM insurance, you also have UIM coverage. In other words, if you have UM insurance in Nevada, you are automatically covered when you are hit by an uninsured motorist, and you can receive supplemental coverage if you are injured by someone who only carries the state’s minimum liability insurance requirements when this is not sufficient to cover the extent of your damages.