CALL/TXT UTAH CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY JAKE GUNTER AT (801) 373-6345 WITH YOUR UNDERINSURED CLAIM
WHAT IS UNDERINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE IN UTAH (“UIM”) 
Underinsured Motorist Coverage or “UIM” is bodily injury insurance coverage that kicks in when the at-fault car didn’t have enough insurance to cover your injuries.
Example. Rear-Ender Orem State Street. You are rear-ended on State Street, Orem, UT causing you knee surgery from hitting the dashboard. The at-fault car that hurt you only had $25,000 maximum liability coverage. Your surgery alone cost $20,000. The car that hit you was underinsured and offered its maximum $25,000.
After exhausting the at-fault car’s insurance, you can ask your own underinsured policy to start paying.
Example. Intersection Collision Provo, UT. You were involved in an intersection collision near University Avenue, in Provo, UT. You broke your back incurring a $80,000 ER and hospital stay. The at-fault car only had $50,000 in car insurance. The at-fault car was underinsured and offered it’s max $50,000 policy limit.
WHERE IS YOUR UTAH UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE FOUND?
UIM coverage is found in your own car insurance policy. It most often mirrors your liability coverages and looks like this on your insurance declarations page.
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage (“BI”). 25/65 means, $25,000 per person, up to $65,000 per occurrent, regardless of how many people were hurt.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage (“UIM”). 25/65 means $25,000 per person of underinsured coverage, up to a max $65,000 per underinsured occurrence, regardless of how many people were involved.
UIM coverage is often called first party coverage because it is part of your own car insurance policy and not a part of the at-fault insurance company. You are in “privity of contract” as an insured with your insurance company, called the insurer.
UTAH’S UIM EXHAUSTION RULE
You must exhaust the liability carrier’s policy limits before accessing your own underinsured policy benefits. Exhaustion means that you must force the liability carrier to pay its full policy limits.
Example. 25/65 Liability Limits. You are rear-ended on Center Street in Orem, UT. You settle for $21,000. The maximum liability policy limits from the at-fault car was $25,000. You failed to exhaust the at-fault car’s policy limits and are BARRED from accessing your UIM benefits.
Example 50/100 Liability Limits. You are rear-ended in Provo, Utah on University Parkway. You settled your injury claim against the at-fault car for $49,999. You incurred a $45,000 hospital bill alone, clearly entitling you to more than $50K. You failed to exhaust the policy limits and are BARRED from accessing your UIM benefits.
Don’t go in alone to a complicated insurance situation. Call Utah car accident attorney Jake Gunter to give you the best chance of receiving fair and adequate compensation.