What Do You Need to Know About SEF 44 Family Insurance?
The SEF 44 Family Protection Endorsement is an optional rider (an add-on) to motor vehicle insurance policies. It provides you with extra protection in case you are injured by another motorist who does not have enough insurance coverage to pay your injury claim.
Insurance policies are legally required to provide compensation to other people who are injured by the insured driver – for example, if someone else injures you in an accident, you may be able to make a claim against that person’s insurance. In New Brunswick and PEI, the minimum amount that a policy offers is $200,000, and in Nova Scotia it’s $500,000.
That may seem like a lot of money, but some severe injuries can represent millions of dollars in medical expenses and lost wages over the injured person’s lifetime. Two hundred thousand may not be enough. That’s why SEF 44 exists – it allows you to claim money from your own insurance company to make up the difference, to the maximum stated in your policy. In other words, the SEF 44 coverage will “top up” any shortfall in your claim up to the maximum of your own policy limits.
For example, if your claim is worth $600,000 you could claim the $200,000 from the other driver’s insurance, then claim to your own company for the other $400,000.
Note that not all insurance policies have SEF 44 – it’s optional. This insurance coverage is not part of the standard form auto policy. However, the vast majority of insurance companies include it in their standard car insurance coverage. You have to pay a small extra premium for this coverage. You can check your policy documents to see if your policy includes them. If you do need to make a claim under SEF 44, an experienced injury lawyer can help you with it.
Cantini Law|Droit has been helping clients who have suffered injuries from car accidents for over 35 years. Contact Us today at 1-800-606-2529 and we will discuss your case with you during your free initial consultation. We have offices in Moncton, Saint John, Charlottetown, and Halifax.
