Arizona Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) Lawyer
What happens when the driver who hit you had no insurance, or not enough? Your own policy's uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, shown as UM/UIM on most policies, can pay. A UM/UIM lawyer makes sure your insurer pays what that coverage promises.
Sam Saks was counsel for the family in Franklin v. CSAA, the Arizona Supreme Court case on how much underinsured coverage a multi-car policy provides.
Arizona law on uninsured and underinsured motorist claims
Each point links to the statute or court decision it comes from.
Coverage for each car can be combined
A policy covering several cars carries separate underinsured motorist coverage for each one, and those coverages can be added together.
Franklin v. CSAA (2023) (opens in a new tab)Notice within three years
Your insurer must receive written notice of an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim within three years of the crash.
A.R.S. § 20-259.03 (opens in a new tab)Insurers must offer it
Every Arizona auto insurer must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in writing, and you choose whether to buy it.
A.R.S. § 20-259.01 (opens in a new tab)
How a UM/UIM claim works with us
- 1
Your policy, read
Send us your declarations page. It lists the UM and UIM limits on each car.
- 2
The other driver's limit first
An underinsured claim starts with the at-fault driver's coverage. Once that policy pays its limit, your own coverage pays what remains, up to its limit.
- 3
Notice to your insurer
We send the written notice your policy and Arizona law require.
- 4
Payment, or suit
When your insurer won't pay what the coverage promises, the dispute can go to court, and bad faith rules apply.
Why clients choose Saks Law for uninsured and underinsured claims
We don't get paid unless you get paid
Our fee is a percentage of the recovery, set in writing before work begins. If the case ends without one, the costs of pursuing it are ours.
Direct access to Sam
Every client receives Sam's personal cell number when the case begins. Questions go straight to the attorney handling the case.
A class settlement for policyholders
Sam was counsel in Doyle v. Pekin, a class action for policyholders whose insurer had paid underinsured coverage on one car only. The court approved a $12.45 million class settlement in September 2025.
UM/UIM questions clients ask
If your question isn't here, call 480-440-3331.
What's the difference between uninsured and underinsured coverage?
Uninsured coverage pays when the at-fault driver had no insurance, or drove off and can't be found. Underinsured coverage pays when that driver's policy is too small for your injuries, and it covers the difference up to your own limit.
Does my coverage apply if I was walking or riding a bike?
In most cases it does. Uninsured and underinsured coverage generally protects you as a person, so it can apply when a driver hits you on foot, on a bike or as a passenger in someone else's car. Your policy's wording decides the details, which is why we read it first.
Can I claim on more than one policy?
You often can, when your household has more than one auto policy or one policy covers several cars. We read every policy in the household before the claim goes in, since each limit can add to the total. Insurers don't always point out coverage you didn't ask about.
My insurer offered its full limit. Should I accept?
If the offer is the full limit and your injuries clearly exceed it, accepting usually makes sense. Before you sign, check whether another policy can add to it, because a release can end claims you didn't know you had. Send us the release first, and we'll read it with you.
Does a hit-and-run count as an uninsured motorist claim?
It usually does. A driver who hits you and can't be identified is treated as uninsured, so your uninsured motorist coverage can pay. Report the crash to police promptly and keep any photos and witness names, since the insurer will want evidence of how the crash happened.
Uninsured and underinsured claims across Arizona
We handle uninsured and underinsured claims for drivers and riders anywhere in Arizona. Sam can review your policy with you in person or by video.
Speak with an injury lawyer before you speak with the insurer.
The case review is free and confidential, and you decide afterward whether to retain us.
Call weekdays from 8:30am to 5pm, or send the form at any hour.