A Wisconsin uninsured driver (or underinsured) is a major problem. Buying car insurance in Wisconsin is important and today I read a client’s Wisconsin car insurance policy reminding me. The car insurance does not protect my client enough.

Wisconsin consumers we help are smart. They are wise enough to get referred to attorneys who are not a heavy advertising lawyer-mill and know when lawyers are skilled in their area of law. This is mainly why I am surprised at this car insurance policy.

The Car Insurance Policy

This car insurance is bad because its limits are:

Bodily Injury $100,000 per person/$300,000 per occurrence
Property Damage $100,000 per occurrence
Medical Payments $5,000 per person
Uninsured Motorist $50,000 per person/$100,000 per occurrence

Underinsured Car Insurance in Wisconsin

Notice, UNDERINSURED MOTORIST is not listed.  In my opinion, underinsured motorist insurance is one of the most important, you must buy it. If it is not listed on your policy, call your agent now. This insurance protects you and your family from bad drivers with little car insurance. Everyone should carry underinsured car insurance limits of at least $250,000 per person.

Wisconsin Uninsured Driver

Second, notice the UNINSURED MOTORIST limit is only $50,000. This is very low. In Wisconsin, lobbyists for insurance companies (American Family, State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, Progressive, Sentry, GEICO, Wilson Mutual, USAA, etc.) got our Governor and legislature to destroy Wisconsin car insurance law in 2011. The car insurance law changes hurt you by reducing the value of all Wisconsin car insurance you bought. Uninsured driver insurance protects you and your family from the worst – a Wisconsin uninsured driver – someone with NO CAR INSURANCE. These are reckless drivers, which is why residents buying car insurance in Wisconsin should carry at least $250,000 per person in car insurance against an uninsured driver.

Medical Payments Car Insurance

Third, the medical payments limit of $5,000 per person is too low. The amount needed for that insurance will depend on your Wisconsin health insurance policy. Typically, werecommend at least $10,000 in medical payments insurance.

“Full Coverage”

Some people think their insurance agent gave them “full coverage” but often that is not true. You need car insurance not only to protect your assets but to protect you and your family. I cannot stress enough the need to have sizable uninsured driver and underinsured motorist limits. We see tragic car crashes and injuries every day and uninsured driver and underinsured motorist policies protect you best but only if you buy enough insurance.

Umbrella Car Insurance – Underinsured/Uninsured Driver in Wisconsin

Finally, if you can, do what we do. Don’t just buy car insurance but buy an UMBRELLA POLICY with an UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED RIDER. Umbrella insurance is cheap given the amount of coverage you can buy, which is often $1,000,000 or $2,000,000, and adding an underinsured and uninsured driver rider is easy.

What Next?

It bears repeating – uninsured and underinsured car insurance protects you. Buy it for yourself to protect you and your family from Wisconsin drivers who have no car insurance or little car insurance! And then if an uninsured driver hits you, do not trust your insurer to pay up, as Allstate’s Claims Manual shows those represented by personal injury lawyers get about 3 times money more than those who do not have reputable personal injury attorneys.