How Much Insurance Coverage Should You Have?
by
Baskin Jones on Feb. 11, 2021
Accident & Injury Car Accident Accident & Injury Personal Injury Accident & Injury Wrongful Death
Summary: Often we get the question about how much auto insurance a client should keep on their vehicle.
During my recent appearance on Mississippi Public Broadcasting's "In Legal Terms", I was asked how much insurance coverage someone should have to cover themselves in case of an accident. I realized that most people are similarly confused when it comes to this question, so I decided to answer it in detail. Read on to learn how much insurance coverage YOU should be carrying.
You
should carry an amount of coverage you can afford but which can cover
your risk if you caused a wreck (liability) or something terrible were
to happen to you or a family member in a car wreck
(uninsured/underinsured). The insurance company
will not write you an uninsured policy that is higher than your
liability limits on your vehicle (State minimum liability is $25,000 per
person and up to $50,000 per wreck).
Uninsured coverage will
be stacked on Mississippi policies among all of the vehicles on your
policy. So if you have $25,000 in Uninsured/Underinsured coverage on 3
vehicles on your policy you actually have $75,000 per person and up to
$150,000 in total uninsured coverage available to cover your injuries
and damages in a wreck.
Choosing the right amount of coverage can be a little trickier. Your
liability coverage should seek to protect any assets you have from an
auto liability claim, and you uninsured / underinsured be a number to
cover the unthinkable. I commonly hear of individuals carrying $100,000
in liability coverage and UM of $100,000 across the vehicles on their
policy. Excess and umbrella policies are also available if you have
additional assets to protect from liability.
I am also
always happy to talk if you have more questions about this, or try to
answer general, legal questions. My normal practice is in the following
areas:
|
□ Car Wrecks □ 18-Wheeler Wrecks □ Motorcycle Wrecks □ Bicycle/Pedestrian/ Car Accidents |
□ Serious Slip and Fall Injuries □ Other Injury Claims □ Workers' CompClaims □Offshore/Riverboat/ Dock Injuries |
Keep us in mind if we can be of any further assistance to you or your family.