Glossary term
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage is auto insurance coverage that may help pay for your injuries or damage when an at-fault driver has no insurance or cannot be identified.
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Written by: Editorial Team
Updated
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured motorist coverage is auto insurance coverage that may help pay for your injuries or damage when an at-fault driver has no insurance or cannot be identified, such as in some hit-and-run situations. The exact protection depends on state rules and the policy terms.
This matters because liability coverage protects other people when you cause a covered accident. Uninsured motorist coverage is the mirror-image problem: it can protect you when the other driver was responsible but has no usable liability insurance.
Key Takeaways
- Uninsured motorist coverage can help when an at-fault driver has no auto insurance.
- Some policies separate bodily injury protection from property-damage protection.
- State rules vary, so the coverage may be required, optional, or offered in different forms.
- It is different from underinsured motorist coverage, which applies when the other driver's limits are too low.
- The policy limit controls how much protection the coverage can provide.
How It Works
If another driver causes an accident and has no insurance, uninsured motorist coverage may step in under your own policy. Depending on the state and policy, it may help with medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, or damage to your vehicle. Some policies and states treat injury and property damage as separate coverages.
The important point is that the claim is made under your own auto policy, even though the other driver caused the accident.
Why It Matters
A driver can follow the law, carry a responsible policy, and still be hurt by someone who does not. Without uninsured motorist coverage, the household may be left trying to recover from a person who has little or no insurance available.
This is why uninsured motorist coverage belongs in a real auto insurance review, not only in a legal-minimum checklist.
Uninsured Versus Underinsured
Coverage | Basic problem it addresses |
|---|---|
Uninsured motorist coverage | The at-fault driver has no insurance or cannot be identified |
The at-fault driver has insurance, but the limits may not be enough |
People often see UM and UIM together because both deal with the other driver's weak coverage. They are related, but they are not the same problem.
The Bottom Line
Uninsured motorist coverage can protect you when the at-fault driver has no usable insurance. If you are reviewing auto insurance, compare the uninsured motorist limits with the household's exposure, not only with the minimum coverage required to drive legally.