What Does Uninsured Motorist Insurance Cover
It covers your medical bills and sometimes your car when the driver who hit you has no insurance at all.
It steps in when the other driver can't pay
Uninsured motorist coverage pays for your injuries, and in many states your vehicle damage, when the driver who caused the accident doesn't carry liability insurance. It also applies to hit and run accidents, since there's no insurer to pursue once the driver is gone.
What it pays and how much depends on the coverage you bought and the state you live in. Some states require insurers to offer it. Others require you to carry it unless you turn it down in writing. Your policy declarations page will show whether you have it and what the limits are.
Your state decides how it works
States handle uninsured motorist coverage differently, and the differences matter. Some combine it with underinsured motorist coverage into one limit. Others keep them separate, with their own limits and rules for when each applies.
A few states also use what's called stacking, which lets you combine the coverage from multiple vehicles on your policy into a higher total limit. Whether that's allowed, and whether you have to ask for it, depends on where you live.
If you're not sure how your state treats this coverage, your insurer or agent can tell you exactly what applies to your policy. It's worth asking before you need it, not after.
What counts as uninsured isn't always obvious
Most people think of an uninsured driver as someone with no policy at all, and that's the clearest case. But the coverage often applies more broadly than that.
A hit and run driver counts as uninsured in most states, since you have no way to file a claim against them directly. Some policies also treat an underinsured driver, one whose liability limits are too low to cover your costs, under this same coverage if you don't have separate underinsured motorist coverage.
What doesn't count: damage from your own mistakes, or a driver who has insurance but whose insurer disputes the claim. Those situations fall under different parts of your policy or theirs. Read your declarations page or ask your insurer which situations your coverage actually responds to.
Questions people ask about this
Do I need uninsured motorist coverage if I already have collision coverage?
They cover different things, so having one doesn't replace the other. Collision coverage pays for your vehicle regardless of fault, usually with a deductible you pay first. Uninsured motorist coverage can pay for injuries, and in some states vehicle damage, without that deductible when the other driver has no insurance. Check your policy to see which one would apply, and at what cost to you, in that situation.
Does uninsured motorist coverage cover a hit and run?
In most states, yes. Since there's no insurer on the other side to file a claim against, your uninsured motorist coverage is often the only way to recover costs from a hit and run. You'll usually need to report the accident to the police first, since your insurer will likely ask for that report before paying a claim.
Can my insurer raise my rate if I use uninsured motorist coverage?
That depends on your insurer and your state, since rules about surcharging for no-fault claims vary. Because uninsured motorist claims involve an accident that wasn't your fault, some insurers treat them differently than at-fault claims. Ask your insurer directly how a claim like this would affect your renewal before you decide whether to file one.
Is uninsured motorist coverage required by law?
It depends entirely on your state. Some states require insurers to include it unless you reject it in writing. Others don't require it at all, leaving it as an optional add-on. Check with your state's insurance department or your own policy to see where you stand.
What's the difference between uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage?
Uninsured motorist coverage applies when the other driver has no insurance at all. Underinsured motorist coverage applies when they have insurance, but their liability limits are too low to cover your costs. Some states combine both into a single coverage with one limit, while others keep them separate. Your declarations page will show how your policy splits them, if at all.
See what uninsured motorist coverage looks like across a few policies before you decide what to carry.
Pull out your current policy's declarations page and find the uninsured motorist section, or call your insurer and ask them to read you the limits. Ask whether your state requires this coverage or whether you'd have to add it. If you've ever turned it down in writing, ask what it would cost to add it back. Also ask how your state treats hit and run accidents under this coverage, since that's the situation where it matters most. Have your current limits in hand before you compare other policies, so you're comparing the same coverage, not just the same price.
