Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in Georgia

Rejection and selections

O.C.G.A. 33-7-11 requires covered policies to provide UM protection subject to statutory choices and exceptions. A named insured may reject the coverage in writing. The statute excludes umbrella or excess liability policies unless they affirmatively provide it. A prior rejection also matters to specified renewals, so the current premium alone does not answer the coverage question.^[1]

Added-on and reduced-by forms

The statute provides coverage in addition to available liability insurance without duplicating payment for the same loss. It also permits a written selection of difference-in-limits coverage, commonly called reduced-by coverage. In that form, the comparison between available liability coverage and the UM limit can materially change what remains available. These are different policy choices, not interchangeable labels.^[1]

Unknown drivers and procedure

For an unknown vehicle, the statute generally requires physical contact, with an alternative when another eyewitness corroborates the claimant's account. It also requires accident reporting and contains service rules for the UM carrier, including actions against an unknown "John Doe" defendant. Notifying an adjuster should not be mistaken for completing statutory litigation procedure.^[1]

Related entries

• Hit-and-run crashes in Georgia Georgia duties after a hit-and-run crash and the separate requirements for unknown-driver uninsured motorist claims.
• Georgia auto insurance and minimum liability limits Georgia minimum liability limits and the distinct roles of collision and uninsured motorist coverage.
• Georgia crash-claim deadlines Georgia injury and property filing periods, government notice requirements and limited tolling provisions.