What Is Excess Underinsured Motorist Coverage?

If you are involved in a crash where the at-fault driver is either uninsured or underinsured, you could end up in serious trouble, even if you do have the underinsured motorist protection coverage mandated by the ICBC under the Basic Autoplan policy. A catastrophic injury can cost huge amounts of money even with basic insurance, but for a small fee, you can protect yourself and your family by purchasing excess underinsured motorist coverage.

Preszler Injury Lawyers is a trusted personal injury law firm that can pursue a court case on your behalf when a catastrophic injury occurs. We serve all of British Columbia, and our results speak for themselves.

Legal Minimums

By law, every motorist in Vancouver must carry at least $200,000 in liability insurance to cover claims if they hurt someone else in a car accident. That amount is supposed to cover lost income claims and for pain and suffering.

Unfortunately, that minimum requirement is all that many drivers carry. When injuries are serious, or the injured person cannot return to work for a long time, that amount of money does not last long. The injured party’s own ICBC insurance will then kick in, and that mandatory minimum is $1 million. For most people, that is sufficient, but not when injuries prove catastrophic.

Catastrophic Injuries

Catastrophic injuries are those from which the person will never fully recover, remaining permanently disabled and unable to work. Examples of such injuries may include:

• Spinal cord damage
• Traumatic brain injury
• Amputation
• Severe burns

That $1.2 million is not going to pay for all of your rehabilitation and other expenses, support you and your family for your lifetime, or offer pain and suffering compensation. However, if you opted to purchase Excess Uninsured Motorist Protection coverage, also known as Extension Uninsured Motorist Protection, you should have enough money to cover you and your family’s needs. All it costs is an extra $25 annually for an additional $1 million in coverage.

Even more coverage is available for those interested. For another small fee, you can increase your coverage to $3 million, $4 million, or $5 million, which includes the $1 million Basic Autoplan insurance.

Excess Uninsured Motorist Protection

Purchase excess uninsured motorist protection either via the ICBC or a private insurance agent. Not only does this additional coverage protect you against uninsured or underinsured motorists, but also against unidentified motorists if you are a victim of a hit and run.

The excess protection covers you and every member of the household in the vehicle with this extended coverage. The ICBC notes that for complete protection, every household vehicle must have extended coverage added so that you and family members are covered in every vehicle owned. The excess protection also covers and you and all household members injured as pedestrians or cyclists, or in a vehicle that you do not own. This coverage extends throughout the country and the U.S.

Decide just how much excess coverage you and your family require by taking your annual income into account, and how you would maintain your lifestyle if the worst happened. Not every person or family will need millions of dollars in coverage. However, even those with relatively modest standards of living will require substantial amounts of money to live in their current fashion if there is little or no income available, and you are dealing with a serious disability as well.

ICBC Catastrophic Injury Claims

In any ICBC claim, a personal injury lawyer will determine the extent of the physical injuries suffered in the crash, as well as the emotional effects. When it comes to catastrophic injuries, the lawyer can also aid in working with the ICBC to ensure that all medical and rehabilitation services are in place to help the patient recover to the best of his or her ability.

Contact a Vancouver ICBC Lawyer

If you or a family member suffered a catastrophic injury in a motor vehicle accident, an ICBC lawyer at Preszler Injury Law can help you at this difficult time. Arrange a complimentary consultation by contacting us online or calling or texting 24/7. We will evaluate your claim and let you know your options. Because we work on a contingency basis, there is never a fee unless we win your claim.