When purchasing car insurance, your agent will present you with an option called “uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.” While you’re doing the responsible thing and getting insurance for your vehicle and yourself, you don’t have any guarantee that other drivers on the road are acting in a similarly responsible way. This type of coverage acts as protection if you are ever in an accident with an underinsured or completely uninsured vehicle.

Given that nearly every state legally requires drivers to maintain liability insurance, you might be tempted to forego this coverage as an unnecessary expense. However, that could be a costly mistake. Check out some of the important reasons you need uninsured motorist coverage, despite state laws that require drivers to insure their vehicles.

Some Motorists Ignore the Law

Unfortunately, some drivers simply ignore the law. They drive without the legal minimum coverage, and thus put everyone else on the road at risk; it's up to you to protect yourself. Because there are laws in place and the chance of an uninsured driver are relatively slim, however, and this type of coverage is fairly inexpensive and well worth the cost.

Minimum Coverage May Not Be Enough

Another reason you need to protect yourself is that the medical costs to treat any injuries you and your passengers sustain could far exceed the liability limits of the at-fault driver's car insurance policy, even if they are compliant with state law. Georgia requires bodily injury liability coverage of only $25,000 per person to a per-accident maximum of $50,000. If you and several passengers are injured in a collision, the costs of treatment could easily reach six figures. Without underinsured motorist coverage, you would be responsible for amounts beyond the at-fault driver's policy. Your best bet is to pay the small extra premium to get uninsured or underinsured driver protection.

BestRate Auto Insurance in Statesboro, GA, is a respected seller of motorcycle and car insurance, with locations in both Statesboro and Vidalia. Their experienced team will help you protect yourself against uninsured and underinsured motorists; they can assist you in English or Spanish, and they specialize in helping high-risk drivers find quality coverage. To speak with them in person, check out their website for a map and business hours, or call (912) 489-5942 to request an auto insurance quote.