Updated: April 28, 2026
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Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays for accident expenses when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough coverage to pay your bills.
UM covers medical bills, lost wages while you recover, pain and suffering compensation, funeral expenses and car damage in some states.
Not all states require UM coverage, but many insurers include it in their policies.
Consider UM coverage if you live where many drivers are uninsured or can't afford to pay accident expenses, such as medical bills and repairs, out of pocket.
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays for your expenses if you're in an accident caused by an uninsured driver, a driver whose coverage limits fall short or a driver whose insurance company denies their claim. UM pays for medical bills, lost wages and car damage when the accident isn't your fault.
You'll encounter two types of UM coverage. They're not always bundled together, though some states require both, so check with your insurer.
Uninsured motorist coverage pays for injuries or property damage caused by an uninsured driver. An "uninsured driver" means someone who has no insurance, has coverage below state requirements or whose insurer denies the claim. UM coverage splits into two categories: uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) and uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD).
Underinsured motorist coverage pays your accident expenses when the at-fault driver's insurance doesn't cover all costs. Many drivers carry only minimum liability coverage, which often isn't enough to pay for serious accidents.
UM covers accident expenses for you and your passengers, including:
Every UM policy differs, so ask your insurer what's covered. Compare several providers to see how their UM coverage stacks up against your current policy.
UM doesn't cover every accident expense, even when you're not at fault. Consider full coverage car insurance to cover damage to your own vehicle and property. Review your policy details with your provider to understand what's excluded.
UM doesn't cover:
After an accident, contact your insurer immediately to report your UM claim. Some insurers have filing deadlines, so don't wait. You'll file the claim like any other car insurance claim, except you're claiming against your own insurance company.
Kevin rear-ends Jeff at a stoplight. Jeff sustains injuries and goes to the hospital, where he receives treatment for a few broken bones. Jeff's medical bills total $45,000. Kevin's insurance company offers a policy maximum of $30,000, which falls short of Jeff's total expenses.
Jeff still needs $15,000 to cover his bills. He files an uninsured motorist coverage claim for the rest of his medical expenses. Without uninsured motorist insurance, Jeff would have to pay that $15,000 out of pocket.
GEICO ranks first nationally for affordability with a MoneyGeek score of 4.64 out of 5, making it a strong starting point for drivers who want UM coverage without significantly increasing their premium. Average minimum coverage runs $43 per month. GEICO offers both uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) and uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage with separate limits for each.
Pros:
Cons:
Progressive ranks second nationally for coverage options with a MoneyGeek score of 4.4 out of 5. Its UM coverage extends to hit-and-run accidents where the at-fault driver can't be identified — a feature not all insurers include. Strong digital tools make filing and tracking UM claims straightforward.
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Cons:
Nationwide ranks fourth nationally for coverage variety with a MoneyGeek score of 4.04 out of 5. Its UM and UIM coverage includes both UMBI and UMPD, and accident forgiveness and a vanishing deductible program can reduce your long-term coverage costs.
Pros:
Cons:
Most auto insurers offer UM coverage, but compare quotes from several providers to find the right plan.
Unless your state requires UM coverage, you don't have to buy it. The decision comes down to two things: your financial exposure and your existing coverage.
Drivers with strong health insurance and a fully funded emergency fund have lower out-of-pocket risk from an uninsured driver. Health insurance won't cover lost wages or pain and suffering, but the exposure is manageable. Drivers without solid health coverage or limited savings can't absorb the bills an uninsured driver leaves behind. For them, UM coverage isn't optional in any practical sense.
Your state matters too. In Mississippi, New Mexico and Washington, D.C., more than one in seven drivers is uninsured. In Maine and Utah, fewer than one in 15 are. The lower your state's uninsured rate, the more the decision becomes a cost-benefit calculation rather than a straightforward yes.
For most drivers, the math is simple. UM coverage costs less than $100 annually and protects against one of the more costly scenarios on the road.
Do you need this coverage? Our guide helps you decide if it's worth it based on your state requirements and risk level.
According to the Insurance Research Council's most recent data, 15.4% of drivers nationally were uninsured in 2023. Mississippi had the highest share at 28.2%, while Maine had the lowest at 5.7%.
Drivers in high-uninsured states like Mississippi, New Mexico and Michigan have more to lose without UM coverage. States with low minimum liability limits compound the risk. An at-fault driver may be technically insured but carry too little coverage to pay your bills.
The table below ranks each state by the share of drivers without coverage.
1 | Mississippi | 28.20% |
2 | New Mexico | 24.10% |
3 | Washington, D.C. | 23.10% |
4 | Michigan | 22.30% |
5 | Tennessee | 21.30% |
6 | Missouri | 20.70% |
7 | Florida | 20.60% |
8 | California | 20.40% |
9 | Colorado | 19.70% |
10 | Washington | 19.10% |
11 | Georgia | 19.00% |
12 | Ohio | 18.50% |
13 | Delaware | 17.60% |
14 | Maryland | 16.90% |
15 | Alabama | 16.80% |
16 | Wisconsin | 15.60% |
17 | Illinois | 15.20% |
18 | Oregon | 14.70% |
19 | Texas | 14.50% |
20 | Kentucky | 14.10% |
20 | New Jersey | 14.10% |
22 | Indiana | 14.00% |
23 | Virginia | 12.90% |
24 | Alaska | 12.50% |
25 | Rhode Island | 12.40% |
26 | Arkansas | 12.10% |
27 | Kansas | 12.00% |
27 | Oklahoma | 12.00% |
29 | Connecticut | 11.80% |
29 | North Carolina | 11.80% |
29 | Vermont | 11.80% |
32 | Louisiana | 11.70% |
33 | Iowa | 11.40% |
34 | Minnesota | 11.30% |
35 | Nevada | 11.10% |
36 | Pennsylvania | 11.00% |
37 | Arizona | 10.60% |
37 | North Dakota | 10.60% |
39 | South Carolina | 10.30% |
40 | New Hampshire | 10.00% |
41 | Hawaii | 9.60% |
42 | Nebraska | 9.50% |
43 | South Dakota | 9.40% |
44 | New York | 8.60% |
45 | Massachusetts | 7.90% |
46 | West Virginia | 7.80% |
47 | Montana | 7.20% |
48 | Wyoming | 6.70% |
49 | Idaho | 6.40% |
50 | Utah | 6.20% |
51 | Maine | 5.70% |
Source: Insurance Research Council
The gap between the highest and lowest states is wide. Mississippi drivers have a 28.2% uninsured rate while Maine drivers have just 5.7%, meaning the financial risk of skipping UM coverage varies nearly fivefold depending on where you live. Several states that mandate auto insurance still appear near the top of the list, including Missouri (20.7%), New Jersey (14.1%) and Washington, D.C. (23.1%). That reflects the gap between having an insurance law and enforcing it. Drivers in the top 15 states share the road with more than one in six uninsured drivers, none of whom can pay your bills if they cause an accident. Drivers in the bottom 10 states have lower exposure, but UM coverage usually costs little enough that skipping it is hard to justify.
For most drivers, uninsured motorist coverage costs less than $100 per year. The national average for minimum coverage is $61 per month ($727 annually), so adding UM usually increases your premium by less than 15%. That's a small addition for coverage that protects you from one of the more costly scenarios on the road.
What moves that number is your state, your chosen limits and whether you're adding UMBI only or pairing it with UMPD. Drivers in states like Mississippi, New Mexico and Washington, D.C., where uninsured rates are highest, generally pay more because the underlying risk is higher. Drivers in low-exposure states like Maine, Utah and Idaho usually pay less. Matching your UM limits to your liability limits costs more than carrying minimum UM limits but closes the coverage gap in a serious accident.
Because UM is priced as an add-on rather than a standalone product, request quotes with and without UM included and compare the difference directly. For most drivers, that difference is small.
Uninsured motorist coverage pays for your costs if you're in a car accident caused by an uninsured driver.
Some states require all drivers to have UM coverage. Whether it's required or optional, understanding different coverage types helps you safeguard your family's finances.
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays your expenses if you're hit by a driver with no insurance, too little insurance or in a hit-and-run. It covers medical bills, lost wages and property damage.
In most states, UM coverage pays for injuries or property damage caused by an unidentified hit-and-run driver, though proof requirements vary by state.
Uninsured motorist coverage often applies to hit-and-run situations. Learn when hit and run protection kicks in and what you can claim.
UIM applies when the at-fault driver has insurance but their coverage limits aren’t high enough to pay all accident-related expenses.
UM coverage pays for costs your health insurance doesn't cover, such as deductibles, lost wages and pain and suffering compensation.
UM coverage usually doesn't pay for rental cars or towing. You'll need separate rental reimbursement or roadside assistance coverage for those services.
Ideally, match your UM limits to your liability limits to ensure equal coverage for yourself and others in your vehicle.
UM coverage applies if the at-fault driver's insurer refuses to pay their claim, treating them as effectively uninsured for your claim purposes.
Filing a UM claim may affect your rates based on your insurer and state laws, though many providers don't raise rates for accidents that aren't your fault.
One in seven drivers lacks insurance, which means you could get stuck with thousands in medical bills and repair costs after an accident that wasn't your fault. We analyzed UM coverage options across all 50 states to show you what this coverage costs and which insurers handle claims most effectively.
How We Evaluated UM Coverage
Our research focused on four factors: state requirements, coverage costs, claims experience and coverage options.
State requirements vary. Some states mandate UM coverage while others make it optional. We documented which states require coverage and their minimum limits so you know your legal obligations.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for almost a decade, first with LendingTree and now with MoneyGeek, conducting original research on hundreds of insurance companies and millions of insurance rates for insurance shoppers.
He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek, breaking down complex topics so people can have confidence in their purchase. Like all MoneyGeek analysts, Mark collects and analyzes independent cost and consumer experience data on insurance companies to provide objective recommendations in our content that are independent of any of MoneyGeek's insurance company partnerships.
His insights — on products ranging from car, home and renters insurance to health and life insurance — have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR among others.
Mark holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He started his career working in financial risk management at State Street before transitioning to analysis of the personal insurance market. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
