This blog was posted by Shaw-Cowart Personal Injury Lawyer in Austin, representing clients in Austin and the surrounding areas

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Claims in the Austin Area

Being hit by a driver with no insurance is a frightening situation, but uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can still pay for your injuries. This coverage, known as UM/UIM, comes from your own auto policy and steps in when the at-fault driver cannot cover your losses. Texas requires insurers to offer it on every policy under Texas Insurance Code Chapter 1952. The Austin car accident attorneys at Shaw Cowart help drivers use this coverage after a crash with an uninsured or underfunded driver. More information on car – auto accident lawyers in Austin on this wep-page.

Uninsured drivers are common on Austin-area roads, which makes UM/UIM coverage essential. When the driver who hit you has no insurance, too little insurance, or flees the scene in a hit-and-run, your own policy may be the only meaningful source of recovery. Many Texas drivers carry this coverage without realizing it, because insurers must offer it and it is added unless the policyholder rejects it in writing. Austin car accident attorneys regularly find UM/UIM benefits that victims did not know they had.

UM/UIM claims are different from ordinary claims because you are dealing with your own insurer. That can feel reassuring, but the company still has a financial interest in paying you less, and these claims often become adversarial. Austin car accident attorneys treat a UM/UIM claim with the same rigor as a claim against another driver, because your insurer can dispute fault, question your injuries, and undervalue your losses just as readily.

What Uninsured Motorist Coverage Covers

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance at all. It pays for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering up to your policy limits, standing in for the coverage the other driver should have carried. In Texas, UM coverage also typically applies to hit-and-run crashes, where the responsible driver cannot be identified, giving victims a path to recovery they would otherwise lack.

What Underinsured Motorist Coverage Covers

Underinsured motorist coverage fills the gap when the at-fault driver has insurance, but not enough. Texas only requires drivers to carry minimum liability limits, and a serious injury can easily exceed them. When the other driver’s policy is exhausted and your damages are higher, UIM coverage pays the difference up to your own limits. This is common in crashes that cause surgery, long-term treatment, or extended time off work.

Why Texas Drivers Need This Coverage

The risk of a crash with an inadequately insured driver is significant in Texas. Many drivers carry only the state minimum liability limits, and others drive with no insurance despite the legal requirement. When one of them causes a serious wreck, an injured victim without UM/UIM coverage can be left with bills and no one able to pay them. That gap is exactly what UM/UIM coverage exists to close.

When a UM/UIM Claim Applies

Several common situations trigger uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage:

  • The at-fault driver has no insurance — UM coverage steps in for your losses.
  • The at-fault driver flees — hit-and-run crashes are typically covered under UM.
  • The at-fault driver’s limits are too low — UIM coverage pays the remaining gap.
  • You are a pedestrian or cyclist — your auto UM/UIM coverage can still apply when a vehicle hits you.
  • You are a passenger — you may be covered under the driver’s policy or your own.

Your Own Insurer May Still Fight You

A UM/UIM claim can turn into a dispute with your own insurance company. To pay a UM/UIM claim, the insurer often requires proof that the other driver was at fault and that your damages exceed the available coverage, and it may resist on both points. In Texas, UM/UIM claims involve specific procedural rules that make them more complex than a standard liability claim, which is why having an attorney matters even when you are filing under your own policy.

What to Do After a Crash With an Uninsured Driver

Protect your claim the same way you would in any crash. Call 911 and get a police report, which is critical in hit-and-run cases for documenting that another vehicle caused the wreck. Photograph the scene and gather witness contacts, seek medical care immediately, and notify your own insurer that a UM/UIM claim may follow. Before giving any recorded statement, even to your own company, talk with an attorney.

Talk to Shaw Cowart About Your UM/UIM Claim

Recovering under your own policy takes the same skill as any injury claim, and your insurer will not simply hand over full value. Shaw Cowart reviews your coverage, proves the other driver’s fault, documents your damages, and pushes your insurer to pay what the policy owes. The firm works on contingency, so you owe no attorney’s fees unless your case is won.

If an uninsured, underinsured, or hit-and-run driver injured you in the Austin area, contact the Austin car accident attorneys at Shaw Cowart. The consultation is free. Call [PHONE] today to learn what your policy may cover and how to protect your rights under Texas law.