The MAXOUT Lawyer | April 1, 2025 | Car Accidents
Uninsured vs. Underinsured Motorist Coverage: What’s the Difference?
We talk to people every day who were hit by drivers with no insurance—or not nearly enough. They’re frustrated, hurting, and wondering how they’re supposed to pay the bills when the other person can’t.
That’s where uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage comes in. If you don’t understand the difference between the two—or worse, if you don’t know whether you have either one—you’re not alone. But this is one of the most important types of insurance you can carry in Louisiana, and it could be the difference between walking away empty-handed or walking away with what you deserve.
UM Coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) protects you when the person who hit you has no insurance at all. Unfortunately, that happens more than people think—especially here in Louisiana, where thousands of drivers on the road are completely uninsured. If you’re hit by one of them, there’s no policy to go after unless you’ve protected yourself ahead of time with UM.
UIM Coverage
Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) steps in when the at-fault driver has some insurance, but not nearly enough to cover your injuries. Let’s say they carry the Louisiana state minimum of $15,000. If your ER visit alone costs $20,000, you’re already underwater—and that doesn’t even touch your lost income, therapy, or long-term care. That’s when UIM coverage makes up the difference, up to the limits of your policy.
Here’s the kicker: many people think they have this protection when they don’t. In Louisiana, UM/UIM coverage must be offered, but it can be waived—and insurance companies don’t always explain what you’re giving up. You could be paying good money for a policy that leaves you exposed to the worst-case scenario.
At MAXOUT Injury Lawyers, we always check for UM and UIM coverage first. It’s one of the most overlooked paths to full recovery. We’ve helped countless clients recover policy limits from their own insurance when the at-fault driver had nothing—or nowhere near enough. It doesn’t raise your rates, and it doesn’t make you the bad guy. It simply protects you from someone else’s bad decision.
If you’ve been in a crash and don’t know what coverage is available—or if you want us to look at your declarations page before something happens—contact us. We’ll break it down in plain language and tell you exactly where you stand.
Because when the other driver brings nothing to the table, we bring the backup plan.