What if you are seriously injured in an auto accident caused by a hit-and-run or uninsured car? If you own a car, you can protect against this possibility through your car insurance policy by purchasing Supplementary Uninsured Motorist coverage (SUM) as part of your auto insurance. SUM coverage lets you seek compensation for injuries by making a claim with your own insurance company. If you and your insurer cannot agree on what is fair compensation, arbitration can be used to decide your SUM claim.

For example: you are a pedestrian crossing the street in the crosswalk with the light in your favor and you are hit by a car which flees the scene. If you suffer a serious injury such as a leg fracture and your car insurance policy has only Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM), then the maximum compensation you could receive is $25,000.00. However, if you had purchased SUM coverage, then the compensation available from your insurance company would be much larger.

This example shows why you should have your insurance agent put SUM coverage in your auto insurance policy, not just UM. The cost for this increased protection in your policy is small.

If you have any questions about SUM coverage, please call me at 212-391-1139 or email me at dh @ holzberglaw.com.