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Uninsured Motorist Coverage: What It Is & Who Needs It

Uninsured Motorist Coverage pays for your injuries and vehicle damage when you're hit by a driver with no insurance or who flees the scene.

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What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?

Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) pays for your medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle damage when you're injured by a driver who has no liability insurance, insufficient coverage (underinsured motorist), or who flees the scene in a hit-and-run. UM Bodily Injury (UMBI) covers medical expenses and lost income for you and your passengers; UM Property Damage (UMPD) covers vehicle repair or replacement costs. If you're reinstating your license and your state requires UM as part of minimum liability coverage, you must maintain it continuously—lapses can reset your SR-22 filing period or trigger new reinstatement fees. In states like Virginia and Illinois, UM is mandatory at the same limits as your liability coverage unless you reject it in writing.

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Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?

Uninsured Motorist Coverage is critical if you're reinstating your license after suspension and required to file SR-22, because any lapse in coverage—including UM if it's state-mandated—can reset your filing period and delay full reinstatement. Even if you're driving on a hardship or restricted license, UM protects you during the limited trips allowed—medical appointments, work commutes, or court-ordered obligations—where you're still exposed to uninsured drivers.

If your state mandates UM as part of minimum coverage or you're filing SR-22, maintain it to avoid reinstatement delays—there's no optionality. For drivers reinstating after suspension, the peace of mind and reinstatement protection almost always justify the modest cost increase.

How Much Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?

  • Your state's uninsured driver rate—states with higher percentages of uninsured motorists (like Mississippi, New Mexico, Michigan) tend to have higher UM premiums due to increased claim frequency.
  • Whether you bundle UMBI and UMPD—some insurers offer discounts when you purchase both bodily injury and property damage UM coverage together, while others only offer UMBI in states where UMPD is rare.
  • Your ZIP code and population density—urban areas with higher hit-and-run rates and uninsured driver concentrations typically carry higher UM premiums than rural or suburban zones.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage required for SR-22 filing?

It depends on your state. If your state mandates UM as part of minimum liability coverage (like Illinois, Virginia, or South Carolina), then yes—your SR-22 policy must include it, and any lapse will reset your filing period. In states where UM is optional (like Florida, Texas, or Arizona), you can file SR-22 with liability-only, but many non-standard insurers include UM by default because it protects both you and them from uninsured driver claims.

Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage pay if I'm hit by a driver with no license?

Yes, Uninsured Motorist Coverage pays for your injuries and vehicle damage when you're hit by any driver who lacks liability insurance—whether they're unlicensed, driving with a suspended license, or simply uninsured. The at-fault driver's license status is irrelevant; what matters is that they have no valid liability policy to cover your damages. This makes UM especially valuable if you're reinstating your license and driving in areas with high rates of unlicensed or suspended drivers.

Will my Uninsured Motorist Coverage pay if the other driver is never found?

For bodily injury (UMBI), yes—your policy will pay your medical bills and lost wages even if the hit-and-run driver is never identified, as long as you report the incident to police and your insurer promptly. For property damage (UMPD), it depends on your state: some require you to identify the at-fault vehicle or driver, while others like California allow UMPD to cover hit-and-run vehicle damage with no deductible. If UMPD won't apply, collision coverage is your only option for unidentified hit-and-run vehicle damage.

Related Coverage Types

A woman sitting in the driver's seat of a car, seen through the windshield, holding a phone to her left ear with one hand on the steering wheel.SR-22 Insurance→A hand holds a key with a black fob above a stack of printed documents and a pen on a wooden table, with a blurred kitchen and lit lamp in the background.Reinstatement Coverage→Driver's point of view from inside a car at night, with both hands on the steering wheel, illuminated instrument gauges ahead, and blurred street lights on the road through the windshield.Suspended License SR-22→A woman in a gray shirt sits in the driver's seat of a vehicle, holding a phone to her ear and looking off to the side, seen through the windshield.Non-Standard Auto→
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