Why are my Supplementary Underinsured Motorist coverage (S.U.M.)important?

Andrea asks: Why do you say to match my S.U.M. insured limits to my liability limits?

A: Your liability insurance limits are protecting you from other’s when you are at fault in an auto accident in New York. The S.U.M. limits protect your family when you are hit by an at-fault driver, who carry’s the NY minimum of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.

Example, you get hit by an at-fault, minimum limit driver, with you and your 2 kids all injured. Their insurance will max out at $50,000 and your pain and suffering are now mounting up to over $92,000 and climbing! Where do you get the additional monies to pay for this?

Supplemental Underinsured Motorist coverage (“SUM”) is coverage that may be available to provide additional bodily injury coverage for injured victims of motor vehicle accidents when the responsible party does not have enough insurance. In NYS, the minimum liability coverage requirement for bodily injury limits is $25,000 (per injured person) and $50,000 (per accident). This insurance coverage is wholly inadequate to cover the pain and suffering and economic losses that an injured party (YOU) suffers as a result of a motor vehicle accident.

That is why you can do an easy test with your insurance coverages, Andrea! If you only have $25,000/$50,000 of S.U.M. coverage, your insurance company/broker cares more about added claims on their books, than your families care!

In my office, if your have $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident to protect you from others, you’ll also have $250,000/$500,000 of S.U.M. coverage. That is the rule we go by everytime.

So don’t just believe what I post here, pull out your coverage page on auto policy. See if your insurance company is looking out for you or themselves. Easy to do your own review, quick and simple.

Then call us to correct what they messed up on.
Because who want to stay with a company that hasn’t your families best interest at heart?