You did everything right. You were driving carefully, following traffic laws, minding your own lane. Then someone else ran a light or crossed the centerline and hit you. And when you try to make a claim, you find out the driver has no insurance. Or nowhere near enough to cover what your injuries actually cost. It’s a frustrating and unfortunately common situation on Missouri roads, and Raytown residents who understand how uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage works are far better positioned to recover what they’re owed.
Missouri’s UM and UIM Coverage Requirements
Missouri law requires every auto insurance policy to include uninsured motorist coverage under RSMo § 379.203. Drivers can reject this coverage in writing, but most don’t, which means most Missouri drivers have some UM protection available to them.
Uninsured motorist coverage kicks in when the at-fault driver has no liability insurance at all. Underinsured motorist coverage applies when the at-fault driver has some insurance, but their policy limits aren’t enough to fully compensate for the injuries caused.
Missouri’s minimum liability requirements are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. That might cover a minor injury but falls far short of what a serious injury costs in medical bills, lost wages, and long-term care. UIM coverage bridges that gap by allowing you to access your own policy for the difference between what the at-fault driver’s insurance pays and what your claim is actually worth.
How the Claim Process Works
Filing a UM or UIM claim means making a claim against your own insurance company. That’s a situation that surprises many people. They expect their own insurer to treat them fairly. In practice, your insurer still has a financial incentive to minimize the payout, and UM and UIM claims are negotiated and disputed just like any other insurance claim.
Your insurer will evaluate the same things any defendant’s insurer would: the nature and severity of your injuries, the medical treatment you received, the impact on your ability to work, and the strength of the underlying liability case against the at-fault driver.
A Raytown personal injury lawyer handles UM and UIM claims the same way they’d handle a direct liability claim against the at-fault driver, building the full evidence record and negotiating from a position of documented strength.
When Stacking Coverage Makes a Difference
Missouri allows stacking of UM coverage in some circumstances. If you have multiple vehicles insured on separate policies, or if multiple household members were injured in the same crash, the available coverage from multiple policies may be stackable depending on your specific policy language. Not every policy allows this, and insurance companies don’t typically volunteer the information, but it’s worth evaluating.
What the coverage eventually pays depends on:
- The policy limits of your UM or UIM coverage
- The amount already recovered from the at-fault driver’s liability policy
- The extent of your documented injuries and economic losses
- Whether your own policy permits stacking
What Happens When the At-Fault Driver Flees the Scene
Hit-and-run accidents create a specific UM situation. When the at-fault driver leaves the scene and can’t be identified, there’s no liability policy to pursue directly. UM coverage becomes the only available source of compensation, and the claim is filed with your own insurer from the start.
Missouri generally requires physical contact between the unidentified vehicle and your vehicle to pursue a UM claim in a hit-and-run scenario, though the specific requirements can vary by policy. Documenting the crash scene thoroughly and filing a police report immediately are both important steps.
Missouri’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is five years under RSMo § 516.120, giving Raytown residents meaningful time to evaluate and pursue their options. But waiting too long risks losing the evidence that makes UM and UIM claims provable.
The Law Office of Daniel E. Stuart, P.A. has represented Missouri personal injury victims since 1994, handling UM and UIM claims throughout Jackson County and the Kansas City metro area. If you were injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver in Raytown, reach out to a Raytown personal injury lawyer to discuss your coverage and what your claim is worth.