Uninsured Motorist Coverage for Seniors in Washington
Washington requires insurers to offer this coverage, and for an older driver it often matters more than the price tag suggests.
Washington makes insurers offer it, and most drivers should keep it
In Washington, your insurer has to offer you uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. You can turn it down in writing, but unless you do, you have it. For most drivers, especially older ones, keeping it is the right call.
This coverage pays for your injuries and damage when the other driver has no insurance or not enough of it. Washington has a meaningful number of uninsured drivers on the road, and if you're hit by one, your health insurance and your own policy's medical coverage may not cover everything a serious crash costs. This is the piece that fills that gap.
Your health coverage changes what this protects you from
If you're on Medicare, it covers a lot, but it doesn't cover pain and suffering, lost income, or a long list of other costs that come from being hit by someone with no insurance to pay for them. Uninsured motorist coverage can.
If you carry a Medicare Supplement or Advantage plan, ask what it actually pays after a car accident caused by another driver. Some plans coordinate with auto insurance in ways that leave you owing more than you'd expect.
A driver with no other health coverage at all, or a high-deductible plan, has the most to lose by dropping this coverage. The gap it fills isn't theoretical for them.
If you're still working, lost wages from a long recovery matter too. If you're retired, that part matters less, but medical costs and pain and suffering still apply regardless of whether you're drawing a paycheck.
Underinsured coverage matters as much as uninsured
The coverage comes in two parts. Uninsured motorist coverage pays when the other driver has no insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage pays when they have insurance but not enough to cover what happened.
The second part is the one people forget to check. A driver who carries only the state minimum liability coverage can total your car and cause real injuries while still being technically insured. Without underinsured motorist coverage matching or exceeding your own liability limits, you're left covering the difference yourself.
When you set your limits, ask your insurer or agent what underinsured motorist limit pairs with your current liability coverage. Washington allows you to set these at different levels, and the coverage is only as useful as the limit you choose.
If you're on a fixed income, raising this limit is usually a smaller cost than people expect compared to what it would cost to pay a gap out of pocket.
Questions people ask about this
Can I be dropped from my policy for having a claim under uninsured motorist coverage in Washington?
Washington restricts insurers from raising your rate or non-renewing your policy solely because you filed a claim under this coverage, since the crash wasn't your fault. Ask your insurer to confirm how they classify these claims, because practices can still vary by company.
Does uninsured motorist coverage in Washington apply if I'm hit as a pedestrian?
Yes, this coverage generally follows you, not just your car, so it can apply if you're struck while walking or riding as a passenger in someone else's vehicle. Check your policy's definition of who is covered, since wording differs between insurers.
What happens if the uninsured driver who hits me doesn't have enough assets to sue?
This is exactly the situation uninsured motorist coverage is built for. Instead of pursuing the other driver directly, you file a claim with your own insurer under this coverage, and they handle it as if they were the at-fault driver's insurer.
Should I drop uninsured motorist coverage if I rarely drive anymore?
Driving less doesn't reduce your risk of being hit by someone else, so this coverage protects you whether you're behind the wheel occasionally or every day. The risk it covers comes from other drivers, not from your own mileage.
Does uninsured motorist coverage cover my passengers too?
Typically yes, it extends to passengers in your car at the time of the crash, not just you as the driver. Confirm the exact terms with your insurer, since passenger coverage can be structured differently from one policy to another.
See what it would cost to raise this coverage before deciding to drop it.
Pull out your current policy and find the uninsured and underinsured motorist limits listed on the declarations page. Compare them to your liability limits and note if they're lower. Call your insurer or agent and ask what it would cost to raise the underinsured motorist limit to match your liability coverage. Ask specifically how your Medicare or supplemental health plan would coordinate with this coverage after an accident. If you're shopping for a new policy, ask each insurer for that same comparison so you're looking at equivalent coverage, not just the lowest premium.
