Uninsured Motorist Coverage Explained
Uninsured Motorist Coverage pays for your injuries and vehicle damage when you're hit by a driver with no insurance or a hit-and-run driver who flees the scene.
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What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage has two components: Bodily Injury (UMBI) pays your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering when an uninsured driver injures you, while Property Damage (UMPD) covers repairs to your vehicle. UMBI typically mirrors your liability limits—if you carry 100/300/100 liability, you'd select up to 100/300 in UMBI coverage. Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM) is usually bundled with UM and activates when the at-fault driver's liability limits are too low to cover your full damages.
Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Every driver in states where it's optional should strongly consider UMBI coverage, especially if you lack robust health insurance or disability coverage that would pay regardless of fault. UMPD is worthwhile if you don't carry collision coverage or if your state allows a lower deductible for UMPD than collision.
Calculate your financial exposure: estimate medical costs, lost income, and vehicle value, then compare that to your existing health/disability coverage and savings. If you have collision coverage, skip UMPD unless it offers a meaningfully lower deductible.
How Much Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
- Your liability limits directly determine available UM limits—most states cap UMBI at your bodily injury liability limit, so 100/300 liability allows up to 100/300 UMBI.
- Urban vs. rural ZIP codes impact cost, with metro areas showing higher hit-and-run claim frequencies and thus higher premiums.
- Stacking options in states that allow it—stacked coverage multiplies limits by number of vehicles, doubling or tripling premiums but also protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage required in my state?
Twenty-two states plus Washington D.C. require Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage, while the rest either make it optional or require insurers to offer it with a signed rejection form. For example, Illinois mandates 25/50 UMBI, California requires an offer but allows rejection, and Florida makes it entirely optional. Check your state's Department of Insurance website for specific requirements.
Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage cover hit-and-run accidents?
Yes, UMBI covers injuries from hit-and-run drivers who flee the scene, and UMPD covers vehicle damage in most states. You'll typically need to file a police report within 24-72 hours and provide evidence of the crash—dash cam footage, witness statements, or physical damage. Some states require you to prove contact occurred, while others cover single-vehicle crashes if you can document an unidentified hit-and-run driver caused it.
How much Uninsured Motorist Coverage should I buy?
Match your UMBI limits to your liability limits—if you carry 100/300 liability, select 100/300 UMBI for symmetrical protection. Most states cap UMBI at your liability limit, so you can't buy more. Consider stacked coverage if your state allows it and you own multiple vehicles, which multiplies your limits by the number of cars but also increases premiums proportionally.
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