Opinion ID: 2453589
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: UM/UIM Coverage Generally

Text: While a traditional auto liability policy protects an insured from liability to third parties, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is not liability insurance in any sense. 9 Couch on Insurance § 122:2. Rather, UM/UIM coverage is first-party coverage; it allows an insured to collect payment from his own insurer for injury suffered as a result of the actions of an at-fault uninsured or underinsured driver. Id. UM/UIM coverage is inherently complementary to auto liability insurance; both coverages are directly anchored in the activities of driving. UM/UIM coverage has become widely available in the United States as the result of legislative efforts to provide compensation to insured motorists injured by uninsured or underinsured at-fault drivers who failed to carry adequate liability insurance. Id. UM/UIM coverage assures that motorists who have purchased automobile or motor vehicle liability insurance can obtain compensation from their own insurer in the event they are injured by a negligent driver who lacks adequate liability insurance.