Stacking Auto Insurance: Maximizing Your Coverage Benefits

Stacking auto insurance is a way to increase your coverage and protection if you are in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. Stacked insurance combines coverage limits from multiple policies or multiple cars on the same policy. This means that you can file claims against underinsured or uninsured motorist policies that you or another family member in the same household have, even if the policies cover vehicles that were not involved in the accident.

Characteristics	Values
Definition of Stacking Auto Insurance	Stacking auto insurance is a way to increase your coverage and protection if you are in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
What can be stacked?	Only uninsured motorist (UM) or underinsured motorist (UIM) bodily injury coverage can be stacked. UM coverage pays for costs resulting from an accident with an uninsured driver, while UIM coverage comes into play if the damage costs more than the other driver's insurance coverage limit.
What cannot be stacked?	UM and UIM property damage coverage cannot be stacked.
How to stack coverages?	There are two ways to stack coverages: across multiple policies or within one auto insurance policy.
Stacking across multiple policies	When your name is on multiple insurance policies, you may be able to stack the UM coverage limits. This could be your own policy and another policy where your name is also listed, such as that of a spouse or family member. This is sometimes called vertical stacking.
Stacking within one auto insurance policy	If you have multiple vehicles insured on the same policy, you can opt to stack the UM or UIM coverage. Since each vehicle has its own coverage limit, those limits can be stacked. This is sometimes called horizontal stacking.
Number of States Allowing Stacking	A total of 32 states allow some form of stacking insurance, but companies in some states do not have to offer the option.
States that allow both kinds of stacking	Florida, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin
States that only allow vertical stacking	N/A
States that do not permit insurance stacking at all	N/A
Insurers offering stacked insurance	Not all insurance companies offer stacked insurance, even in states where it is allowed. Certain states allow insurers to add anti-stacking language into policies.
When to stack insurance?	You should only stack your car insurance if it's more affordable than buying an equivalent level of unstacked coverage.

What You'll Learn

Stacking insurance increases coverage for medical payments
Stacking insurance is only available in certain states
Stacking insurance is beneficial after an accident with an uninsured/underinsured driver
Stacking insurance is a way to combine coverage limits from multiple policies
Stacking insurance is a way to increase your uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage

Stacking insurance increases coverage for medical payments

Stacking auto insurance is combining the coverage limits of multiple vehicles or policies to increase the total coverage available in the event of an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist. This is especially useful if you are injured in an accident and the at-fault driver has little or no insurance. Stacking insurance increases your coverage for medical payments, protecting you and your family financially in the event of an accident.

In the case of an accident, stacking insurance can provide much-needed protection. If you are injured in a car crash and the at-fault driver has insufficient insurance, your uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage will come into play. This coverage will pay for your medical bills, loss of income, and pain and suffering up to the limit of the policy. By stacking your insurance, you increase the limit of this coverage, ensuring that you have sufficient funds to cover your medical expenses and other costs associated with the accident.

The process of stacking insurance involves combining the coverage limits from multiple vehicles or policies. You can stack insurance vertically, within a single policy, or horizontally, across multiple policies. For example, if you have two vehicles on the same policy with a UM/UIM limit of $25,000 each, by stacking your insurance, you increase your coverage limit to $50,000 per accident. Similarly, if you and your spouse have separate insurance policies for your vehicles, you can stack the coverage limits of both policies, providing even higher coverage in the event of an accident.

The ability to stack insurance varies by state, and not all states allow it. Additionally, some insurance companies may choose not to offer stacking even in states where it is permitted. It is important to review your insurance policy and understand the laws in your state to determine if stacking is an option for you.

By stacking your insurance, you increase your protection against financial losses in the event of an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist. This is especially beneficial if you or your passengers do not have adequate health insurance to cover medical expenses resulting from an accident. Stacking insurance gives you peace of mind, knowing that you have sufficient coverage to take care of medical bills and other related costs.

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Stacking insurance is only available in certain states

Stacking insurance is not available in all states. It is important to check the laws where you live and review your policy carefully to understand how your coverage works. While some states outlaw stacking, others allow insurance companies to decide whether to offer it. Certain states, like Arkansas and Ohio, allow insurers to deny customers the ability to stack coverage, as long as they are clear and unambiguous in the policy.

In some states, you may be able to waive the option to stack your coverage to get a lower premium. For example, in Pennsylvania and Florida, insurance policies typically default to stacked coverage, but you can waive this option. In Wisconsin, you can only stack coverage limits on up to three vehicles.

New York (across multiple policies only)
North Carolina (across multiple policies only)
Delaware (across multiple policies only)
Oklahoma (across multiple policies only)
Oregon (across multiple policies only)
Georgia (across multiple policies only)
Tennessee (across multiple policies only)
Texas (across multiple policies only)
Utah (across multiple policies only)
New Jersey (across multiple policies only)

A total of 32 states allow some form of stacking insurance, although companies in some states do not have to offer the option.

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Stacking insurance is beneficial after an accident with an uninsured/underinsured driver

Stacking auto insurance is a way to combine or 'stack' the policy limits from multiple vehicles or policies to get a higher limit. This is especially beneficial after an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, as it increases the maximum amount your insurer will pay for a claim.

In the US, around 12.6% of motorists in 2019 were driving without insurance. If you are in an accident with an uninsured driver, you may be left worrying about how to pay for your medical expenses. Stacking insurance can help with this.

There are two ways to stack insurance: vertically, within one policy, or horizontally, across multiple policies. For example, if you have two vehicles on the same policy, each with a coverage limit of $100,000, stacking insurance will allow you to claim up to $200,000 for accident-related medical bills if you are in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver.

Similarly, if you have three vehicles on three different policies, each with a coverage limit of $50,000, stacking insurance will allow you to claim up to $150,000.

Stacked insurance is not available in all states, and it is important to check the laws where you live and review your policy carefully. It also costs more than unstacked insurance, but it provides greater coverage and better financial protection after an accident.

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Stacking insurance is a way to combine coverage limits from multiple policies

Stacked insurance is a way to combine coverage limits from multiple policies or multiple vehicles. The coverage that can be stacked is bodily injury uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.

Uninsured motorist coverage pays for costs that result from an accident with a driver without insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage comes into play if the damage, which can be both injuries and property, costs more than the other driver's insurance coverage limit.

When insurance policies are stacked, their coverage limits are added together. There are two ways to stack coverages:

Stacking across multiple policies: When your name is on multiple insurance policies, you may be able to stack the uninsured motorist coverage limits. For example, if you have your own insurance policy and your name is also on another policy, such as that of a spouse or family member, you can combine the coverage limits from both policies. This is sometimes called vertical stacking.
Stacking within one auto insurance policy: If you have multiple vehicles insured on the same policy, you can pay more and opt to stack the uninsured or underinsured coverage. Since each vehicle has its own coverage limit, those limits can be combined. This is sometimes called horizontal stacking.

Stacked insurance is a great way to safeguard your finances in the case of an accident. Accidents can be costly, and the higher your coverage limits are, the less money you will have to pay out of pocket for an uninsured motorist claim. It is important to note that not all states allow insurance stacking, and there may be restrictions on how policies can be stacked.

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Stacking insurance is a way to increase your uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage

Stacked insurance is a way to increase your uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage by combining the policy limits from multiple vehicles or policies. This means that if you have more than one car, you can stack their coverage limits to get a higher limit, protecting you financially in the event of an accident.

Stacking insurance is especially beneficial if you are in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. In this case, your insurance company will pay up to the combined coverage limit of your stacked policies for accident-related medical bills. This can be done either vertically, within one policy, or horizontally, across multiple policies.

For example, let's say you have two vehicles on the same policy, each with a coverage limit of $100,000. If an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you, your insurance company will pay up to $200,000 for accident-related medical bills. Stacking insurance can also be done across multiple policies. So, if you have three vehicles on three different policies, each with a coverage limit of $50,000, your insurance company will pay up to $150,000 for accident-related medical bills if you are hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver.

It's important to note that not all states allow insurance stacking, and there may be restrictions on how many policies can be stacked. Additionally, stacking insurance typically comes with a higher premium cost compared to unstacked insurance. However, the difference in premiums is usually small, and the added protection can be invaluable in the event of a serious accident.