I’m not in the business of selling insurance—believe me. But in all my years of litigating injury cases I find many clients do not have adequate auto insurance coverage.

Make sure you have excellent liability coverage. $250,000 coverage doesn’t cost much more that $100,000. You should have at least $10,000 in medical payment coverage (even if you have health insurance). Finally, think about buying an umbrella policy of at least $1 – 2 million.

Talk with a good insurance agent. Don’t be afraid to shop around to get quotes from several. You’ll be surprised to see that just a small increase in your premium can get you much better coverage.

This is important for two reasons:

1. It protects you if you cause serious injury to someone else, and

2. It actually can be used to pay for your damages if you are hurt by someone uninsured or underinsured.

I have been able to work out great results for clients who were hurt by uninsured/underinsured drivers because they had appropriate coverage under their own insurance policies. Then again, I’ve seen too many people who have regretted they were not told about the importance of this coverage. It is best to be prepared.

Let me be clear. In New Hampshire, the law does not require drivers to carry automobile or motor vehicle insurance. Many drivers are totally uninsured or carry minimal insurance. Therefore, it is extremely important to protect yourself and your family by having good and sufficient uninsured motorist coverage. Doing so could make all the difference in the world between financial ruin or receiving maximum compensation after an automobile or motor vehicle crash. Unfortunately, many insurance agencies do not do a good enough job educating their insureds on the importance of this insurance coverage.

Charlie Donahue is a people-lawyer, so if you have any questions about a personal injury, and want straight talk and honest answers, contact DONAHUE LAW FIRM now for FREE advice.