When most people think about auto insurance, they think about protecting their car.
But some of the most important coverage on your auto policy may be protecting you — even when you aren’t inside your car.
If you’re an avid runner, cyclist, or someone who regularly walks along public roads, Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage deserve a closer look.
This can be especially important if your career depends heavily on your physical abilities. Dentists, surgeons, contractors, mechanics, tradespeople, medical professionals, and many other workers could face significant financial consequences if a serious injury affects their ability to work.
What Are UM and UIM Coverage?
Uninsured Motorist coverage is designed to protect you when you’re injured by an at-fault driver who doesn’t have insurance.
Underinsured Motorist coverage can come into play when the at-fault driver has insurance, but doesn’t carry enough liability coverage to fully compensate you for a covered bodily injury claim.
Think about it this way:
You can purchase substantial liability limits to protect other people if you cause an accident.
But you don’t get to choose how much insurance the person who hits you purchased.
UM and UIM coverage help address that problem.
Can UM Coverage Protect You While You’re Running or Walking?
This is something many people don’t realize about their auto insurance.
Imagine you’re out for your normal morning run and you’re struck by an uninsured driver.
You weren’t driving. You weren’t sitting in your car. Your car may not even be anywhere nearby.
But your auto insurance may still be extremely important.
The Missouri Department of Commerce & Insurance explains that Uninsured Motorist coverage applies to bodily injury and can cover injuries sustained as a pedestrian when you are hit by an uninsured driver.
You can read the Missouri Department of Insurance’s explanation of Uninsured Motorist coverage here:
Missouri Department of Commerce & Insurance — Auto Insurance FAQs
This is an important distinction because UM bodily injury coverage isn’t primarily about the value of your vehicle. It can protect you from bodily injury caused by an uninsured motorist — including in situations where you aren’t even inside your vehicle.
For runners, walkers, and other people who regularly spend time along public roads, that makes your UM limits worth paying attention to.
What If You’re Riding a Bicycle?
Cyclists should be asking similar questions.
If you spend significant time riding on roads alongside cars and trucks, you’re exposed to drivers every time you ride.
A serious collision between a vehicle and a bicycle can produce injuries that are dramatically more significant than the damage to the bicycle.
That’s why cyclists should talk with their insurance agent about how their specific auto policy’s UM and UIM provisions apply when they’re riding a bicycle.
Don’t simply ask, “Do I have uninsured motorist coverage?”
Ask:
“How would my UM and UIM coverage respond if I’m hit by a vehicle while riding my bicycle?”
That is a much better insurance question.
Your Biggest Asset May Be Your Ability to Work
This is where the conversation becomes especially important for certain professions.
Consider a dentist who suffers a serious hand injury.
Or a surgeon whose hand, wrist, shoulder, or back is permanently injured.
Or an HVAC technician, electrician, plumber, mechanic, carpenter, or construction worker who suffers injuries that prevent them from performing physical work.
Even if that person eventually returns to work, a serious injury could potentially affect their career for years.
Medical bills are only one potential financial consequence of a serious accident.
Depending on the circumstances, damages associated with a bodily injury claim can potentially involve lost income, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other damages.
That’s why someone with a high income shouldn’t only think about carrying high liability limits to protect their assets.
They should also think about the limits available to protect themselves if someone else causes the accident.
The Other Driver’s Insurance May Be the Problem
Here’s a scenario worth considering.
You’re riding your bicycle when you’re hit by a driver who causes a serious accident.
The driver has insurance — but carries relatively low bodily injury liability limits.
Your injuries are significant enough that the available liability insurance isn’t sufficient to address your damages.
That’s where Underinsured Motorist coverage may become extremely important.
You did everything right.
You bought good insurance.
You weren’t responsible for the accident.
But none of that determines how much liability insurance the other driver purchased.
Your own UIM coverage may provide another potential source of recovery, subject to your policy, its limits, applicable law, and the circumstances of the accident.
Should Runners and Cyclists Consider Higher UM/UIM Limits?
If you frequently run, walk, or cycle along roads, UM and UIM limits are worth discussing with your insurance agent.
Don’t choose limits simply because they’re the cheapest option.
Consider your exposure.
How frequently are you around moving vehicles as a pedestrian or cyclist?
What would happen financially if you suffered a serious injury?
How much income could be affected if you couldn’t work?
What insurance would be available if the driver who injured you had little or no insurance?
Those questions can lead to a very different insurance conversation than simply asking, “What’s the cheapest auto policy?”
What About UM/UIM Coverage on an Umbrella Policy?
This is another conversation worth having with your insurance agent.
A personal umbrella is commonly associated with providing additional liability protection above underlying policies. However, you should not assume that purchasing an umbrella automatically gives you additional Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage.
Availability and coverage vary by insurance company, policy form, endorsement, and state.
If you’re a runner, cyclist, or someone particularly concerned about a serious injury caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, ask your agent specifically:
“Can my umbrella provide excess Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage?”
If the answer is yes, ask what limits are available and how the coverage works with your underlying auto policy.
That one question could uncover a significant difference between two insurance programs that otherwise appear very similar.
Insurance Isn’t Just About Protecting What You Own
We spend a lot of time talking about protecting houses, cars, jewelry, boats, and other assets.
Those things are important.
But your ability to earn an income over the next 10, 20, or 30 years could be worth considerably more than any vehicle sitting in your driveway.
If you’re a runner or cyclist — particularly if your career depends heavily on your physical abilities — take a few minutes to review the Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist limits on your auto policy.
Then ask whether additional UM/UIM protection is available through your personal umbrella.
Your auto insurance shouldn’t only protect you from what happens when you cause an accident.
It should also be structured with the possibility that someone else causes one — and doesn’t have enough insurance to protect you.
By Kirk Reisner