Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays for your medical bills and car repairs when a driver without car insurance hits you. It also protects you if you’re involved in a hit-and-run incident. Drivers typically combine UM with underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, which applies when the at-fault driver doesn’t have enough insurance.
Some states mandate UM/UIM coverage, but even when it’s not required, experts recommend adding it to your policy since 14% of drivers don’t have insurance.1
Uninsured motorist insurance helps cover the cost of medical bills for you and your passengers when an uninsured driver causes an accident. It also pays for your vehicle repairs. The primary benefit of UM coverage is that you won’t have to pay out of pocket when another driver is at fault — even if they don’t have insurance.
After an accident, your insurance company will try to recover the payment from the at-fault driver’s insurer. But it’s impossible to get payment if the other driver doesn’t have coverage. The same is true if you’re the victim of a hit-and-run accident. UM coverage simplifies the process and allows you to file a claim through your insurer.2
Uninsured motorist policies have two types of coverage: bodily injury and property damage. Here’s what they include.
Underinsured motorist coverage helps pay for your medical bills and vehicle repairs when the at-fault driver doesn’t have adequate coverage. For example, let’s say your car is totaled, and the adjuster reports that the car’s value is $30,000.
The other driver only has property damage liability insurance for up to $20,000, which doesn’t cover the total amount. Your underinsured motorist coverage would pay the difference.
Both underinsured and uninsured motorist insurance help protect you when the at-fault driver doesn’t have enough coverage. Whether the other driver has any insurance determines which coverage to use.
UM and UIM coverage is only mandatory in some states. But most drivers can benefit from the extra protection. Adding it to an existing policy is usually inexpensive, and it can help you save thousands of dollars if an uninsured driver causes an accident.
Full-coverage insurance, which includes comprehensive, liability, and collision coverage, usually also includes UM/UIM. But it’s important to confirm your coverage details with your insurer since this can vary from one company and policy to the next.
Many states mandate uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage as part of their minimum insurance requirements. Other states don’t require the coverage, but you can add it to your policy for an extra cost.3
States that require UM/UIM coverage require different amounts, and laws may change, so be sure to check with your state about local insurance requirements.
Here are some states that mandate coverage and their requirements.
While the cost of uninsured motorist coverage varies by state and your unique driving profile, it’s usually inexpensive to add this coverage to your car insurance policy. Your policy already includes the coverage if you live in a state that requires UM/UIM coverage. And most full-coverage car insurance policies also include the coverage.
Here’s the average cost of full-coverage car insurance, including UM/UIM coverage, from different insurers.
Uninsured motorist coverage can be an important and inexpensive part of your insurance policy. Check out the additional information about this coverage below.
The biggest disadvantage of uninsured motorist coverage is that it can increase the cost of your insurance policy. But the coverage is usually worth the cost since it provides financial protection when an uninsured driver causes an accident. It pays for your medical bills and vehicle repairs.
Yes. This coverage protects you when a motorist leaves the scene of an accident without exchanging information. It doesn’t matter whether the other driver provides insurance information or has coverage. Hit-and-runs fall under this category too.
You must have at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in New York. Drivers in New York must have the minimum coverage amounts.4
The state of Arizona doesn’t mandate coverage for uninsured motorist property damage. But if you add the coverage, it must cover at least $15,000 worth of property damage. The limits for bodily injury are higher — $25,000 for one person and $50,000 for two or more people.5
Uninsured motorist coverage protects you when the other driver doesn’t have any insurance or if you’re the victim of a hit-and-run. Underinsured motorist coverage, on the other hand, helps when the other driver doesn’t have enough coverage to pay for the total costs of your damage and injuries.
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8+ years writing for major outlets, including MarketWatch and Business Insider
Master’s in Education
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Experienced personal finance writer
Background working with banks and insurance companies
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Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
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7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
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State  | UM/UIM Requirement |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage |
| Illinois | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured motorist coverage |
| Kansas | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage |
| Maine | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage |
| Massachusetts | $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident in uninsured motorist coverage |
| Nebraska | $25,000 for injury or death of one person, per accident and $50,000 for injury or death of two or more people per accident in uninsured/underinsured coveragee |
| North Dakota | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage |
| Oregon | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured motorist coverage |
| South Carolina | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured motorist bodily injury and $25,000 per accident for uninsured motorist property damage; a $200 deductible usually applies |
| South Dakota | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage |
| Vermont | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage and $10,000 per accident in uninsured/underinsured property damage coverage (a $150 deductible usually applies) |
| Washington, D.C. | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage and $5,000 per accident in underinsured property damage coverage |
| Wisconsin | $25,000 for one person and $50,000 for two or more people in uninsured motorist coverage |
Experienced personal finance writer
Background working with banks and insurance companies
Featured in
Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
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