Updated April 2026
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage functions as a backstop when another driver causes an accident but carries no liability insurance or carries state minimum limits insufficient to cover your actual damages. It pays your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and in some states vehicle repair costs when the at-fault driver cannot. The coverage mirrors liability insurance limits — if you select $100,000/$300,000 in liability coverage, your UM coverage typically matches those amounts. Your own insurance company pays the claim as if they were the at-fault driver's insurer, then pursues reimbursement from the uninsured driver directly.
- You're stopped at a red light when a pickup truck rear-ends you at 35 mph. The other driver has no insurance. You sustain $42,000 in medical bills and $8,500 in vehicle damage. Your $50,000/$100,000 Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage pays your medical bills in full. If you purchased Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage, it pays the vehicle repair after your $500 deductible. Without UM coverage, you would sue the uninsured driver personally — a process that often yields nothing if they lack assets.
- A driver with only $25,000 in liability coverage — Florida's state minimum — runs a stop sign and T-bones your vehicle. Your injuries total $68,000 in medical expenses and lost income. Their liability policy pays its $25,000 limit and closes. Your Underinsured Motorist Coverage, included with most UM policies, pays the remaining $43,000 up to your policy limit. Drivers over 75 carrying higher medical costs from chronic conditions benefit most from UM coverage in accidents involving drivers carrying only state minimums.
- A vehicle sideswipes you on the highway and flees. Two witnesses provide statements and a partial license plate to police. You sustain $18,000 in injuries and $6,200 in vehicle damage. Your Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage pays your medical expenses. Your Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage pays vehicle repairs after your deductible. Without independent witness statements or dashcam footage proving another vehicle was involved, most carriers deny hit-and-run UM claims — the burden of proof falls on you.
How Much Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage typically adds $8–$18 per month to your auto insurance premium, or approximately $96–$216 annually, depending on your state and the coverage limits you select.
- Your selected liability limits — UM coverage typically mirrors liability limits, so higher liability limits produce higher UM premiums.
- State uninsured driver rates — states with higher percentages of uninsured drivers charge more for UM coverage due to increased claim frequency.
- Whether you add Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage — this endorsement typically adds another $4–$8 per month beyond bodily injury coverage.
- Your zip code's accident density — urban areas with higher hit-and-run rates and more uninsured drivers price UM coverage higher than rural counties.
- Your age bracket — some carriers reduce UM premiums slightly for drivers over 75 due to lower annual mileage, though this varies widely by insurer.
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Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Drivers over 75 should carry Uninsured Motorist Coverage at limits matching their liability coverage, particularly if they live in states where more than 10% of drivers are uninsured or if they carry significant savings or home equity an uninsured driver could not satisfy through a lawsuit. Medical costs from injuries sustained in accidents at this age are typically 40–60% higher than younger drivers due to longer recovery times and complications from existing conditions. One uninsured driver causing a severe accident can force you to deplete retirement assets to cover medical bills if you lack UM coverage.
Compare your annual UM premium to your health insurance out-of-pocket maximum and your liquid savings. If an uninsured driver causing $75,000 in injuries would force you to liquidate investments or tap home equity, carry UM coverage at limits matching your liability policy. If your health insurance and Medicare cover accident-related injuries with minimal cost-sharing and you have no vehicle loan requiring coverage, declining UM becomes defensible — but only if you sign the waiver understanding you're self-insuring against uninsured drivers.