A policy limit is the most an insurance carrier is required to pay for claims made on that policy. Although an insurance company may pay less, it is under no obligation to pay more than the policy limit. It is also important to understand that, under Montana law, an insurance carrier may not require a release before paying policy limits. Most underinsured motorist policies require you to obtain permission to settle a case and sign a release.
In other words, your carrier may require you to obtain permission before filing a claim for underinsured motorist coverage. Without permission, you may have waived your right to underinsured motorist coverage. In addition to the many reasons explained in this book, you should not sign a release before consulting an attorney to understand the consequences.