What Is Uninsured Motorist Insurance?

If you buy or lease a car, you’ll need to arrange for insurance coverage. Not only is it the law in most states, it will also protect your bank account in the event of an accident. However, if you’re involved in an accident and the other driver doesn’t have car insurance, you could run into problems. That’s the thinking behind uninsured motorist insurance. 

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Uninsured Motorist Insurance Basics

If two people who both have car insurance get in a car crash, they exchange insurance information. The other driver’s insurance company generally pays your expenses if you’re in a crash. So what happens if the other driver doesn’t have insurance? There’s no one to pay you, cover your car repair or replacement or foot your medical bills if you’re injured. Your own car insurance may cover those costs, but it depends on the plan.

That’s where uninsured motorist insurance comes in. Uninsured motorist insurance policies offer protection against property damage or personal injury resulting from a run-in with an uninsured driver. There are a lot of bad drivers out there, and plenty of people who drive regularly but can’t afford car insurance. Have a run-in with one of them and you could end up covering your own medical and car repair bills.

In 22 states and the District of Columbia, drivers are required to have uninsured motorist insurance, so if you have vehicle insurance you’re covered in the event of a crash with an uninsured driver. But if you live in a state that doesn’t require uninsured motorist coverage, your regular car insurance policy may not protect you from bills if you’re in a crash with a driver who doesn’t have car insurance.

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Is Uninsured Motorist Insurance Necessary?

If you live in a state that requires uninsured motorist coverage as part of the minimum coverage requirement for all auto insurance policies, you have at least some protection from uninsured drivers. You can always call your insurance company to check on the kind of coverage you have and discuss your coverage options.

If you live in a state that doesn’t require uninsured motorist coverage, the question becomes: Should you buy uninsured motorist insurance as an add-on policy to your regular car insurance? Before you decide, it’s worth pricing it out.

First, you can call your car insurance provider and check what level of coverage you already have against uninsured motorists. Your existing plan may provide some level of protection against medical bills and/or car repair bills resulting from a crash with an uninsured motorist.

If you don’t have any coverage or if you think your coverage levels are insufficient, you can ask your insurance provider how much it would cost you to add uninsured motorist insurance to your coverage package. You can also get quotes from other car insurance companies and opt for the policy that provides the best coverage for the lowest price.

Uninsured motorist insurance can give you some extra protections, too, such as coverage in the event that a hit-and-run driver crashes into your car or in the event that you’re struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian. So even those with built-in protection against uninsured motorists through their regular car insurance may be tempted to add extra coverage.

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Bottom Line

Just because you have car insurance that you’re paying for every month doesn’t mean you’re protected in all eventualities. If reading this article has made you nervous that you might not have enough – or any – protection against uninsured motorists, this could be a good time to get your insurance company on the phone, particularly if you live in a state with a high percentage of uninsured drivers.

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