Car Accidents are increasingly becoming common in Minnesota. Although some arise due to someone else’s negligence, other accidents are unavoidable. The consequences of an accident are dire, and oftentimes they leave a huge financial burden on the victim and the driver.
That said, umbrella insurance is one of the common ways undertaken by drivers to shield them from huge financial losses originating from a car accident. Essentially, an umbrella insurance policy sets out to fill in coverage gaps that you may have from your other insurance policies. Case in point, if you’re involved in an accident and you need medical costs, umbrella insurance provides cover for these extra costs.
That said, here is what you need to know about umbrella insurance in Minnesota and how an attorney can help you after a car accident.
What is an Umbrella Insurance Policy?
Put simply, this is a type of insurance that covers costs when all other insurance or liability coverage is exhausted. It is primarily sold to individuals with substantial underlying auto liability coverage. Also, some of the fundamental facts to note about umbrella insurance are:
- They typically offer between one and five million dollars of liability coverage.
- An umbrella policy is not a stand-alone policy. In other words, it can’t exist on its own. As such, in order to purchase umbrella insurance, you must
- have a certain level of liability coverage.
- Your car or home insurance is the primary line of defense, even if you have umbrella insurance.
Put briefly, umbrella insurance comes into play only when the underlying liability coverage is exhausted. This means that after a car crash, umbrella insurance will only be considered secondary insurance, which provides additional coverage for the losses incurred.
Will Umbrella Insurance Provide Coverage after a car accident in Minnesota?
The simple answer is that it depends. Although umbrella insurance may provide additional coverage against uninsured or underinsured motorists, many do not. Often, the cheaper umbrella policies cover only the insured’s personal liability, which means that not all injuries are covered.
The problem originates from the fact that people aren’t sufficiently informed when purchasing an umbrella policy. Often, insurance agents in Minnesota are known to lack knowledge of what exactly is included or excluded in the policies they sell. Therefore, they don’t provide customers with sufficient information concerning the policy, which ultimately prevents them from making an informed decision.
That said, umbrella insurance may provide coverage after a car accident in Minneapolis. However, it is imperative to understand the type of coverage before purchasing. Unfortunately, insurance companies take advantage of victims of car accidents and may not cover some of the losses incurred.
As such, it is imperative to have an attorney by your side as soon as an accident occurs.
How can an attorney in Minnesota help?
Essentially, an attorney can help you safeguard your rights. Noteworthy is that all insurance companies are out to make a profit. Therefore, when dealing with claims, they tend to make decisions that will maximize their profit at the expense of the other parties. As such, hiring an attorney helps level the playing field and ensures that the losses are covered sufficiently.
In addition, an attorney will gather sufficient evidence to establish your claim. Put briefly, it isn’t easy to obtain compensation independently. This is partly due to the complexities surrounding the claim process in Minnesota. As such, having an attorney helps you establish that your claim is valid and demonstrate to the insurance company why you deserve a certain amount to cover your losses.
Contact Personal Injury Attorneys in Rochester & Twin Cities
If you or your loved one has been involved in a car crash in Minnesota and has umbrella insurance, it is imperative to contact an attorney immediately. An umbrella insurance coverage doesn’t mean that you will be compensated immediately. Instead, the insurance company may dispute your claim on various grounds.
As such, it is imperative to contact an attorney as soon as possible. The attorneys at Patterson Dahlberg can help safeguard your rights and interests.
Contact us today for a free case evaluation.