What is an underinsured motorist? An underinsured motorist is often abbreviated UIM.
I don’t have “full coverage” insurance in Oregon, do I still have underinsured motorist protection? Oregon does not require underinsured motorist property damage. You will need to check your policy to see what your insurance company is required to pay. “Full coverage” is a phrase that is often means having insurance for one’s own vehicle damage if one is at-fault for the accident. Thus, “full coverage” is not a term that fully applies to an underinsured motorist claim because an underinsured motorist claim can also apply to a bodily injury claim. Usually, even if you do not have full coverage for your vehicle, you may have an underinsured motorist claim if you suffer bodily injury as a result of another driver’s negligence and the other driver has less insurance than you for bodily injury claims.
Why should I drive with plenty of liability insurance in Oregon? If you are in a vehicle accident that is not your fault with a driver with minimal insurance limits, you can use any higher insurance limits that you have purchased as compensation for your bodily injury claims, assuming your injury claims are serious enough. Usually, your underinsured motorist limits will be equal to your liability limits. See ORS 742.504(4)(d). If you are seeking uninsured motorist coverage, you will want to seek consent to settle for the policy limits with your own insurance company prior to accepting the settlement.