Law Bike
UNDERINSURED MOTORIST BILL SB-276
Senate Bill 276 will be taken to the Senate floor during the 2008 General Assembly session. The bill passed the 2007 Senate by a wide margin -- 46-3 -- though opposition is loud among legislators who work within the insurance industry. The proposed legislation would authorize Georgia drivers to "stack" their underinsured motorist (UM) coverage on top of an at-fault driver's liability insurance in order to cover injury and damage costs stemming from an accident.
Current Georgia law allows an offset of the at-fault driver’s policy, though almost half of all U.S. states do not allow the offset, including our neighbors South Carolina and Alabama. Currently, if you are involved in an accident and the at-fault driver has $25,000 in liability coverage and you have $25,000 in underinsured motorist coverage, the most you could recover is $25,000. If passed, SB-276 would allow a maximum recovery of $50,000.
UM coverage is designed to pay for all damages incurred in an accident caused by another, at-fault driver, when that driver has less liability coverage than needed to pay these costs. UM coverage is purchased as an optional part of an auto insurance policy, at an additional cost.
Call your state senator in support of SB-276.
Chuck Watwood,
Lawbike.com