Dissecting the LMU Emu

In the last decade or so my favorite genre of commercials on television has undoubtedly become commercials for home and auto insurance. I will literally back up the DVR to see how I have become my parents by bundling my home and auto insurance. Whether it’s Flo, the LMU Emu, the Geico gecko, or the Patrick price/Rogers’ rate, boring insurance companies have gone over the top to seem clever, and it’s worked. But not a single one of these companies actually advertise one detail about what they are selling. Deciding what coverages and how much you need of each is never mentioned. And, like bad red wine, the policy you’ve had since you were twenty years old has not aged well.

I know that this sounds like an insurance agent working for your business. I’m not, nor am I qualified to sell you anything. But what I can tell you is that as a lawyer working with people who have been seriously injured, I have looked across the table at too many people learning too late that the auto carrier of the person who injured them doesn’t come close to covering their damages. Those same people often learn that the coverages they opted for multiple years ago to save a few premium dollars don’t help them either. Your car insurance, like your car, needs maintenance from time to time. You should check what coverages you have and what they actually cover. Call your agent and ask what coverages are available and in what amounts. Ask yourself, what do I have to lose if I am seriously injured, or what if I injure someone seriously? If the answer makes you shudder, you don’t have enough coverage.