Georgia UM/UIM Coverage Is Your Most Important Policy
About 1 in 8 Georgia drivers carries no insurance, and many more carry only the $25,000 state minimum. Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on your own auto policy is the safety net that keeps you from being financially ruined when the at-fault driver cannot pay.
Georgia’s UM Statute
Under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11, every Georgia auto insurer must offer UM coverage in amounts equal to your liability limits. You can reject it, but only in writing. Many drivers have UM coverage they don’t realize they bought — always check your declarations page.
Added-On vs. Reduced-By: A Critical Choice
- Added-On (stacking) UM: Your UM stacks on top of the at-fault policy. $25K + $100K = $125K available.
- Reduced-By (non-stacking) UM: Your UM is reduced by what the at-fault driver carries. $100K – $25K = only $75K of your own coverage.
Added-on costs only a few dollars more per month and can be worth tens of thousands in a serious crash.
When UM/UIM Pays
- At-fault driver is uninsured
- At-fault driver’s coverage is exhausted (UIM kicks in)
- Hit-and-run incidents with physical contact or witness
- Pedestrian, bicyclist, or passenger struck by an underinsured driver
- Phantom-driver crashes meeting Georgia’s evidentiary rules
Settlement Value Ranges
UM/UIM recovery is capped by your policy limit, but within that limit the same valuation rules apply as any injury claim:
- Soft tissue: $15,000 – $75,000
- Surgical injury: $200,000 – $500,000
- Catastrophic: $500,000 – $2 million+
Resident-Relative UM
If you live with a family member who carries UM, you are often covered under their policy as a “resident relative” — even on foot, on a bicycle, or as a passenger in someone else’s car. Stacking household policies regularly doubles or triples available coverage.
Why Your Own Insurer Fights You
Every dollar paid on UM comes from the insurer’s reserves. They will:
- Demand independent medical exams
- Question liability against the uninsured driver
- Offer fast lowball settlements
- Delay payment hoping you give up
2-Year Deadline + Policy Notice Requirements
Georgia’s 2-year personal injury statute applies, and most UM policies require written notice within 30–60 days. Miss either and the claim can be denied.
Free UM/UIM Claim Evaluation
A Georgia UM attorney can identify every policy in your household, force your insurer to pay full value, and stack coverage where available. Free consultations are standard.