DNA Life Stories - Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury

Carl, 62
Married grandfather near retirement
I haven’t needed Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury yet, but let me tell you: I’m glad I got it. I picked a higher coverage limit because that’s what I’m comfortable with.

Think about it—what would happen if I got really hurt in an accident and the other driver didn’t have insurance? That’d mean I’d be responsible for my own medical expenses and other financial obligations – even though the accident was their fault. In my mind, it’s good to plan for the worst.

Tim, 35
Married rookie dad
I was idling in line at a toll booth surrounded by cars, and the guy pulling up behind me didn’t stop in time. He rammed into my car hard and pushed me into the car in front.

Besides the damage to my car, my back was a wreck. And to make things even worse, this guy was one of those who didn’t like to bother with car insurance. So I had some very large bills, and he didn't have any insurance to cover what he was responsible for.

What happened next? My Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage kicked in and covered a lot of my medical expenses. But a lot more came out of my own pocket. I learned my lesson after that: Paying a little extra for higher limits on this kind of coverage is worth every penny.

Eric, 43
Single dad of two, going back to school
Last summer I got in my first accident ever, but at least it wasn’t my fault. As we were heading through an intersection, some guy ran the red light and plowed into us.

The car was totaled, but luckily the kids were fine. I didn’t fare quite so well—I landed in the emergency room. And to top it off, the other driver didn’t have any insurance at all. Without the Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage I got through Allstate, I would have had to pay all my own medical bills.

Alice, 45
Single mother of two
There are some crazy drivers out there. They shouldn’t even be allowed on the road! My boyfriend and I were driving home from dinner—it had been a long time since we had a night away from the boys—and this other driver blew right through a stop sign and smashed into us!

I had to go to the hospital. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything too serious. But that other driver was tearing around without any insurance. I was going to have to pay for everything myself.

Now, I’m not hurting for money, but that hospital bill was pretty painful to look at. Luckily I didn’t have to pay a dime out of my pocket. That’s because when I bought my car insurance, I increased the limit for Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury protection for something just like this. It’s been six months since the accident—I’m as good as new and I’m not in debt. There’s a lot to be thankful for.

Heather, 64
Widowed and retired
I’m lucky enough that I’ve never needed this coverage. But my sister did when a driver with no insurance ran a red light and crashed into the side of her car. It took a lot of medical care to get her back on her feet, and her own insurance was barely enough to cover it all.

Things could have turned out much worse, but it still got me thinking. After that I gave my Allstate agent a call, just to make sure I had the right amount of Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage. Now that I know things are squared away, I feel much better.

Amy, 32
Married, no kids, buying her first home
Let me tell you—when you’re doing 70 on the highway, any sort of crash can do a lot of damage. I was out in my little car when a big pickup sideswiped me and pushed me off the road.

I got really hurt in the crash and spent a few days in the hospital. And the truck’s owner didn’t even have insurance! This Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage really helped with my hospital bills.

Mike, 23
Recent grad starting first job
So my friends and I were sitting at a red light a couple years ago, waiting for it to turn. As soon as it did, the car next to me tried to slide into our lane. But since we were already moving, he drove right into the side of my car. What a dumb move.

I needed a couple stitches after that, and it turned out this guy didn’t even have insurance. So I got stuck with the bill—or at least, I would have. In the end, my Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage covered my damages. That was awesome.

Jenny, 24
Young professional, just married and getting ready to move in with husband
You’d think that someone who didn’t bother getting car insurance would at least try to drive safely. But that wasn’t the case with the lady who ran a stop sign and slammed into my poor car.

She hit me pretty hard, and I ended up in the emergency room. Even with my regular health insurance, I still got some scary bills. But since I had Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage, all my bills were covered. Phew!

Greg, 22
About to graduate and buying his first car
When I was six, my mom was in a really bad car crash and almost died. She spent weeks in the hospital and had months of physical therapy afterward. To make things even worse, the driver that caused the accident didn’t have any insurance. That was a really rough year for my family.

Ever since then, my parents have had pretty high limits on their car insurance—especially Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury. We haven’t needed it, but who’s gonna complain about that?