Uninsured and underinsured drivers

An uninsured driver has no auto liability insurance at all. An underinsured driver has a policy, but its limit is too small to cover the injuries they caused. Both situations leave an injured person looking beyond the at-fault driver for help.

Some auto policies include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. When it applies, your own insurance company may pay some of what the other driver cannot. Whether you have this coverage, whether it applies, and how much it pays all depend on your actual policy and a careful review of the facts.

Find your own policy

Your own auto policy is useful if you have it available. The declarations page is the summary that lists your coverages and limits, and the policy booklet explains the terms. Keep both if you can find them, along with any renewal notices.

  • The declarations page for every vehicle in your household
  • The full policy booklet, if you have it
  • Your agent's name and contact information
  • Any letter your insurer sent after the crash

Keep the claim information

If you have already reported the crash to your insurer, write down the claim number, the adjuster's name, and the date you called. Keep copies of anything you sent them and anything they sent you. Do the same for any contact from the other driver's insurer, if there is one.

A police report that notes the other driver had no proof of insurance is useful. So is any letter from their insurer denying coverage or stating a policy limit.

Track your medical care and losses

Your claim will rest on what the crash cost you: medical bills, time away from work, and how the injuries have changed daily life. Keep a simple running list of providers, appointment dates, and expenses as you go.

Talk with the office

These claims often involve your own insurance company, and that can feel awkward. The office can explain how the process usually works and help you understand what your policy says.

The consultation is free, and there is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation. Call (907) 569-6633, Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 Alaska time, from anywhere in Alaska, or send a short note through the site.