One of the most important insurance coverages a driver can purchase in Louisiana is UNINSURED / UNDER INSURED MOTORIST BODILY INJURY COVERAGE also called UMBI coverage. By Louisiana law, your policy will include UMBI coverage at the same limits as your Bodily Injury Liability Coverage unless you choose otherwise. To opt out of UMBI coverage, an insurance provider has a policy holder sign a “selection / rejection form” commonly called a “waiver” that legally allows the company to not provide UMBI coverage.
While you may have “full coverage,” you would not have UMBI
coverage. This results in having liability insurance to provide coverage
for the harms and losses you might cause others, but no coverage if you
are the victim of a crash and the other driver lacks insurance or does
not have enough insurance to cover your damages.
Each month I receive phone calls from injured people hit by someone that
does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance. If you do not
have UMBI coverage, this can cause severe financial hardship. Do not let
your insurance agent talk you into waiving UMBI coverage to "save
money.” In the long run, it will cost you more if you do not have
UMBI. UMBI does not cost that much and is needed here in the Shreveport-
Bossier Area.
If your insurance agent did not sell you UMBI coverage you should change companies and immediately add UMBI coverage to your coverage. Also, don’t let your agent sell you UMEO (economic only) insurance to "save money.” UMEO does not cover bodily injury nor pain and suffering. It is also difficult to collect under the UMEO provision of the policy.
This is a copy of a UM waiver. Never sign a waiver.