Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Hawaii
Over the years, many of our clients have come to us with questions about accidents involving drivers without uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. For your convenience, we’ve created this FAQ to help answer some of the most frequently asked questions about uninsured motorists in Honolulu and how this insurance coverage affects you if you’ve been in an auto accident.
If you have any other questions or simply need more clarification on uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, our Hawaii auto accident lawyers would be glad to review your case and offer you more solutions.
Do I really need uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage?
Yes. There are statistics that show one in four drivers is a Hawaii uninsured motorist, and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage protects you from the injuries they cause.
Underinsured motorist coverage protects you in the event that a driver does not have enough insurance to compensate you for your injuries. The minimum insurance coverage in Hawaii is $20,000, which is often not enough to cover medical expenses, not to mention wage loss, disability or worse.
What is “stacked” Hawaii uninsured motorist coverage and how does it work?
With stacked coverage, the underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage on each one of your automobiles is added together, providing the most insurance protection and often costs only a few dollars more per year.
Additionally, the uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage of any family member still living with you is also added to your available benefits. This means, there may be two or more policies with uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage that would be available to compensate for any injury you receive from an uninsured or underinsured motorist.
Do I need to be in my car at the time of accident to get Hawaii uninsured motorist benefits?
No. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been injured as a pedestrian, bicyclist, or passenger in someone else’s car; uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is “personal and portable.” That means your protection coverage is available to you, and your family members who reside with you, whenever you are injured in a traffic accident.
How much Hawaii uninsured motorist coverage should I get?
Your insurance company is required to offer you uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in an amount equal to that of your bodily injury liability coverage (the insurance that covers you in the event that you injure someone else). Higher limits of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage are usually inexpensive, so we recommend purchasing the maximum amount of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage available.
How do I find out if I have Hawaii uninsured motorist coverage?
Your insurance company is required to offer this coverage to you, and it is in your best interest to obtain such a policy. We’ve seen firsthand what can happen to individuals who don’t have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, so we urge you to call you insurance agent to confirm that you have uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
Will my rates increase if I make a claim for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage benefits?
No. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is considered “optional additional coverage.” Under Hawaii law, an insurer may not raise insurance rates if an insured makes a claim against “optional additional coverage.”
If I have “Full Coverage,” does that mean I also have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage?
“Full coverage” is a very vague term. In our experience, many people who believe that they have “full coverage” do NOT have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. We recommend calling your insurance agent to find out if you have this coverage. If you don’t, tell your insurance company or agent that you want the maximum stacked uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage available.
For more on how we can help if you’ve been in an accident with someone who as uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, give us a call or contact us online.