Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) is a type of car insurance that protects you financially if you’re involved in an accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) protects you when an at-fault driver has insurance, but doesn’t carry enough coverage to pay for damages resulting from an accident. UM and UIM are required coverages in some states.
Uninsured motorist (UM) vs. underinsured motorist coverage (UIM)
UM and UIM are sometimes bundled into a single portion of your policy called UM/UIM, but each covers a different scenario.
- Uninsured motorist (UM): If you get into an accident with a driver who doesn’t have car insurance coverage, UM pays out to cover your recovery costs since the at-fault driver’s insurance is non-existent.
- Underinsured motorist (UIM): UIM applies if you get into an accident caused by a driver who has some insurance, but not enough to pay for all of your expenses. UIM coverage can help you close the gap between the at-fault driver’s policy limits and your full recovery costs (up to your UIM policy limits).
Note: Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage usually covers expenses from a hit-and-run accident, but some states may require hit-and-run claims to be filed under collision coverage.
Learn more: How to handle an accident if you’re not at fault
What is covered by uninsured motorist coverage?
UM and UIM coverage can be further broken down into two types of coverage: bodily injury and property damage. Most UM/UIM insurance is strictly bodily injury liability (called UMBI or UIMBI), but some states may also offer or require property damage UM/UIM coverage (called UMPD or UIMPD).
Here’s what each of these two types of UM/UIM covers:
- Bodily injury UM/UIM: If you or your passengers get injured, UMBI/UIMBI helps to pay the resulting medical bills. It may also cover other bills, like lost wages or funeral expenses.
- Property damage UM: If your car or belongings are damaged, UMPD/UIMPD steps in to repair or replace them. UMPD/UIMPD isn’t available everywhere, so you may need to check your policy details to find out whether you have this coverage.
Note that your exact coverage will depend on the auto insurance policy you buy and the insurance laws in your state.
A policy with UM/UIM coverage costs about $199 a month
Most drivers will pay about $199 a month for a policy that includes UM/UIM coverage. However, your exact rate will depend on a number of factors, including where you live and your UM/UIM limits.
To better understand what drivers pay for UM/UIM protection, our experts analyzed thousands of car insurance policies purchased by real Jerry users. They found that on average, the amount of UM/UIM coverage you purchase impacts your monthly car insurance premium. Here’s what that looks like for some common UM/UIM coverage limits:
| Coverage amount | Monthly average for UM | Monthly average for UIM |
|---|---|---|
| 12/25 | $137 | $127 |
| 25/50 | $177 | $177 |
| 30/60 | $189 | $195 |
| 50/100 | $216 | $216 |
| 100/300 | $227 | $217 |
They also found that your rates could vary significantly depending on which insurance company you choose.
| Insurance company | Minimum liability + UM/UIM |
|---|---|
| AAA | $128 |
| Allstate | $69 |
| Assurance America | $194 |
| Bristol West | $182 |
| Clearcover | $68 |
| Nationwide | $43 |
| Progessive | $81 |
| State Auto | $49 |
UM/UIM is required in some states
There are 211 states that require drivers to carry UM. Other states require both UM and UIM.
UM/UIM coverage may still be available in other states: Even if UM/UIM is not mandatory in your home state, your insurance provider may offer it as an optional add-on coverage; in fact, some states require companies to offer this coverage to policyholders. In optional states, you can reject this coverage in writing if you do not wish to carry UM/UIM coverage. In mandatory states, you must purchase coverage that meets or exceeds the minimum level.
Here’s a look at the required coverages by state for UM/UIM. We’ll also break down the monthly cost of a minimum liability policy—the cost of UM/UIM is included if it’s a required coverage in that state—plus whether UMPD is available in each state.
| State | Uninsured motorist coverage requirements | Average minimum liability cost | UMPD availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Optional | $64 | Not available |
| Alaska | Optional | $112 | Available |
| Arizona | Optional | $66 | Not available |
| Arkansas | Optional | $61 | Not available |
| California | Optional | $66 | Available |
| Colorado | Optional | $60 | Not available |
| Connecticut | Both required at $25,000 per person/ $50,000 per accident | $98 | Not available |
| District of Columbia | UM required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident UIM not available | $77 | Required at $5,000 per occurrence |
| Delaware | Optional | $83 | Available |
| Florida | Optional | $174 | Not available |
| Georgia | Optional | $104 | Available |
| Hawaii | Optional | $82 | Not available |
| Idaho | Optional | $42 | Not available |
| Illinois | Both required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | $63 | Available |
| Indiana | Optional | $56 | Available |
| Iowa | Optional | $44 | Not available |
| Kansas | Both required at $25,000 per person/ $50,000 per accident | $55 | Not available |
| Kentucky | Optional | $109 | Not available |
| Louisiana | Optional | $105 | Available |
| Maine | Both required at $50,000 per person/ $100,000 per accident | $61 | Not available |
| Maryland | Both required at $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident | $91 | Required at $15,000 per accident |
| Massachusetts | UM required at $20,000 per person / $40,000 per accident UIM optional | $60 | Not available |
| Michigan | Optional | $118 | Not available |
| Minnesota | Both required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | $67 | Not available |
| Mississippi | Optional | $59 | Available |
| Missouri | UM required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident UIM optional | $65 | Not available |
| Montana | Optional | $45 | Not available |
| Nebraska | Both required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | $52 | Not available |
| Nevada | Optional | $63 | Not available |
| New Hampshire | Both required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | $43 | Not Available |
| New Jersey | Optional | $93 | Available |
| New Mexico | Optional | $54 | Available |
| New York | UM required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident UIM optional | $122 | Not available |
| North Carolina | UM required at $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident UIM required if liability limits exceed state minimum | $43 | Required at $25,000 per accident |
| North Dakota | Both required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | $73 | Not available |
| Ohio | Optional | $49 | Available |
| Oklahoma | Optional | $60 | Not available |
| Oregon | UM required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident UIM optional | $70 | Not available |
| Pennsylvania | Optional | $53 | Not available |
| Rhode Island | Both required if liability limits exceed state minimum | $67 | Available |
| South Carolina | UM required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident UIM optional | $113 | Required at $25,000 per accident |
| South Dakota | Both required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | $53 | Not available |
| Tennessee | Optional | $59 | Available |
| Texas | Optional | $85 | Available |
| Utah | Optional | $67 | Available |
| Vermont | Both required at $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident | $36 | Required at $10,000 per accident |
| Virginia | Both required at $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident | $61 | Required at $20,000 per accident |
| Washington | Optional | $65 | Available |
| West Virginia | UM required at $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident UIM optional | $59 | Required at $25,000 per accident |
| Wisconsin | $42 | Not available | |
| Wyoming | Optional | $29 | Available |
To learn more about the uninsured motorist laws in your state, click on the links in the table above.
Your UMBI/UIMBI limits should match your liability coverage
If uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is required in your state, the mandatory UM/UIM coverage limits will be the same as your state-required liability limits.
Let’s take West Virginia as an example. UMBI and UMPD are both required in this state.
West Virginia requires drivers to carry 25/50/25 state minimum liability insurance, meaning drivers have to purchase at least $25,000 bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 property damage coverage per accident.
To meet the minimum UM levels in this state, match the 25/50/25 state minimum liability limits:
- Required uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI): $25,000/$50,000
- Required uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD): $25,000
If you want to increase your UM/UIM limits, you’ll typically also need to raise your liability limits. So, for instance, if you want a UM/UIM policy with limits of 50/100/50, you’ll first need to raise your liability to at least 50/100/50.
Learn more: Minimum car insurance required in your state
Some states allow you to stack your UM/UIM coverage
In some cases, you may be able to “stack” your uninsured motorist insurance coverages, depending on your state and insurer. For an extra fee, you can combine uninsured motorist bodily injury limits for multiple vehicles to increase the amount of insurance coverage for a single accident.
You can stack UM/UIM coverage in two ways:
- Stack coverage for two vehicles insured under one policy.
- Stack coverage for two vehicles insured under two policies in the same name.
Let’s say you own two vehicles insured under the same policy. The uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage on each vehicle is $60,000. If you stack the coverages, you have a total stacked policy limit of $120,000 to cover any injury expenses from a car crash with an at-fault uninsured driver.
Not every state or insurance company allows stacking. Some providers have an “anti-stacking provision” that prevents multiple uninsured motorist insurance claims for a single accident.
If your state allows stacking, there are a few things to consider:
- Stacking typically costs more.
- You must choose to stack when you buy or renew a policy.
- UM coverage is only for accidents caused by others.
UM/UIM and collision coverage may overlap
UM/UIM covers damages to your vehicle caused by a driver with no insurance or with insufficient insurance to cover the total cost of damages. Collision coverage covers damages to your vehicle resulting from a crash with another motor vehicle.
Here are the key differences between UM/UIM vs. collision coverage:
- Hit-and-run coverage: In some states, UMPD will not cover a hit-and-run. You’d need collision coverage to pay for damages to your car in these states.
- Medical expenses: UMBI/UIMBI covers medical expenses if you’re hit by someone who doesn’t have insurance. Collision and comprehensive do not cover medical expenses.
- Other costs: UM helps cover the cost of things that don’t fall under collision and comprehensive insurance, like lost wages, funeral expenses, or pain and suffering.
You must still purchase uninsured motorist coverage if your state requires it, even if you also carry collision or comprehensive insurance.
The bottom line: If you don’t have a full-coverage insurance policy that includes collision and comprehensive, you may want to consider UM/UIM for greater financial protection—especially if you live in a state with a high rate of uninsured drivers.
UM/UIM may offer protections your health insurance doesn’t
Although UMBI/UIMBI may overlap with health care insurance, it still offers benefits that make it a worthwhile consideration to your car insurance policy. Here are some benefits of relying on your UM/UIM instead of your health insurance:
- No deductible: UM/UIM isn’t subject to a deductible, whereas health insurance policies often have a high deductible.
- Passenger protection: UM/UIM provides medical coverage for passengers without health insurance.
- Financial protection: UM/UIM may offer financial protection beyond the limits of personal injury protection (PIP) and Medical Payments (MedPay).
- Smarter limits: An individual health insurance policy may not kick in until after the limits of your car insurance policy have been met.
- Other perks: Healthcare insurance typically doesn’t offer compensation for lost wages or funeral expenses.
FAQ
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What does uninsured motorist coverage pay for?
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Does UM cover hit and runs?
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How much UM/UIM do I need?
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What happens if I don’t have uninsured motorist coverage?
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What happens if you are hit by an uninsured driver in Virginia?
Source
Liz Jenson is an insurance writer who specializes in general automotive and insurance topics. Liz’s mission is to produce informative and useful content to help car owners make smart choices when buying cars and car insurance. Since joining Jerry in 2021, Liz has written nearly 4,000 long- and short-form articles on topics including state-specific insurance recommendations, common car insurance questions, and deep dives into vehicle model details. Before they came to Jerry, Liz was a full-time student at Indiana University, Bloomington working on a double major in English and French.
Expert insurance writer and editor Amy Bobinger specializes in car repair, car maintenance, and car insurance. Amy is passionate about creating content that helps consumers navigate challenges related to car ownership and achieve financial success in areas relating to cars. Amy has over 10 years of writing and editing experience. After several years as a freelance writer, Amy spent four years as an editing fellow at WikiHow, where she co-authored over 600 articles on topics including car maintenance and home ownership. Since joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2022, Amy has edited over 2,500 articles on car insurance, state driving laws, and car repair and maintenance.
