If you have any questions about your uninsured motorist coverage, feel free to contact our Durham Personal Injury Attorneys or Greensboro Personal Injury Attorneys by email at info@kregerthacker.com, by phone at (888) 820-5885 or by providing your contact information in our contact form to the right. Our Durham Personal Injury Lawyers and Greensboro Personal Injury Lawyers will answer your questions free of charge, and never charge clients for phone calls or emails.
What is North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured Motorist coverage is an insurance coverage available to you under your North Carolina Personal Auto Policy, and is intended to compensate you if you are harmed by an uninsured motorist. Your rights to uninsured motorist coverage are derived both from your North Carolina Personal Automobile Policy as well as under Article 9A of Chapter 20 of the North Carolina General Statutes.
How do I know if I have North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Under North Carolina General Statute § 20-279.21, your auto insurance company is required to provide you with Uninsured Motorist coverage. Since February of 2010 you are no longer allowed to reject the Uninsured Motorist coverage.
How much North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage do I have?
The limits for your Uninsured Motorist coverage for property damage is a minimum of $25,000 and up to the highest limit for property damage coverage for any vehicle on your policy. The limits for Uninsured Motorist coverage for bodily injury is a minimum of $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident up to $1,000,000 per person / $1,000,000 per accident.
When can I use my North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage is useable when you have been injured, or your vehicle has been damaged, due to the carelessness or recklessness of an uninsured vehicle. A vehicle is uninsured when:
- there is no bodily injury liability insurance in at least the amount of $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident;
- there is no property damage liability insurance in at least the amount of $25,000;
- there is insurance on the vehicle, but the insurance company writing the insurance denies coverage thereunder;
- there is insurance on the vehicle, but the insurance company has become bankrupt;
- there is no bond or deposit of money or securities posted in lieu of the bodily injury and property damage liability insurance;
- the owner of the motor vehicle has not qualified as a self‑insurer under the applicable North Carolina General Statute;
- the vehicle is not subject to the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Safety and Financial Responsibility Act; or
- the vehicle causing your accident, and/or its operator or owner, can not be identified (e.g., hit-n-run, hit and run, hit-and-run, etc.).
The most common question we receive is whether a person can use his or her North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage after a hit and run accident (a/k/a hit-n-run, hit-and-run, etc.). In order to be able to make a successful claim under your North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage:
- the unidentifiable vehicle must have actually made physical contact with your vehicle;
- the accident must be reported to the authorities within 24 hours (or as soon as possible); and
- your insurance company must be promptly notified of your injuries, property damage and other details about the accident.
For more information about how and when your North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage is available, you can contact one of our Durham Accident Attorneys or Greensboro Accident Attorneys.
Who is covered under my North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Your North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage is generally available to the following people:
- The actual policyholders (e.g., the people specifically named on your North Carolina personal automobile policy);
- While a resident of the same household, the named insured’s spouse and relatives of either the named insured and his or her spouse (again, everyone must be residing in the same household);
- Any person using or riding in an automobile insured under the policy with the consent of the named insured; or
- Any other person lawfully possessing an automobile insured under the personal automobile policy.
If you have questions relating to whether you are covered under your or someone else’s North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage please do not hesitate to contact our Durham Uninsured Motorist Attorneys or Greensboro Uninsured Motorist Attorneys.
What are common policy exclusions for my North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Always look at the current version of your North Carolina auto policy to determine your exclusions and limits of liability. With that said, below are a few common exclusions contained in the Uninsured Motorist Section of the North Carolina Personal Auto Policy:
- The first one hundred dollars ($100) of property damage;
- Punitive damages and associated legal costs;
- Damages under workers’ compensation and/or disability benefits laws;
- Property Damage caused by an unidentified hit and run vehicle (only applies if the operator and owner can not be identified; does not apply to bodily injuries); and
- Any damage that is settled directly with the person causing your damage, and without obtaining written permission from your Uninsured Motorist Coverage insurance carrier.
For more information about your North Carolina Uninsured Motorist Coverage, our Durham Personal Injury Attorneys or Greensboro Personal Injury Attorneys offer free consultations and can be reached by email at info@kregerthacker.com, by telephone at (888) 820-5885 or by completing the Free Consultation Form to the right. Our Durham Personal Injury Lawyers and Greensboro Personal Injury Lawyers are willing to answer any of your questions for free, and will never charge you for a phone call or email.
