Uninsured motorist coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage is an auto-policy protection that pays covered bodily-injury losses, and sometimes vehicle damage, when an at-fault driver has no applicable liability insurance or is a hit-and-run driver. What you can collect depends on your limit, state law, eligible insureds, deductibles, and exclusions.
Also called: um, uninsured motorist, uninsured motorist bodily injury, umbi
Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) protects you and eligible passengers when the driver who caused a crash has no liability insurance, drives off after hitting you, or has an insurer that denies coverage or becomes insolvent, according to the NAIC (opens in a new tab). It commonly pays for bodily injury. Vehicle damage is paid only when your policy and state law include uninsured motorist property damage. The limit on your declarations page sets the most it will pay.
How the limit works in a claim
UM bodily injury is written as a limit per person and a limit per accident. The Connecticut Insurance Department (opens in a new tab) gives $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident as the consumer minimum. The figures below are illustrative, and the $40,000 in damages is an example, not an average.
Hover or tap a row to highlight it.
| Situation | Covered damages | UM pays | Left unpaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| One injured insured, uninsured driver pays $0 | $40,000 | $25,000 (per-person limit) | $15,000 |
| Two injured insureds, $40,000 each | $80,000 | $50,000 (per-accident limit) | $30,000 |
The leftover amounts are before any other available insurance or benefits. Actual payment depends on covered damages, liability, exclusions, offsets, settlements, and the policy's claim conditions.
Options and what each changes
A higher limit raises the maximum payout and may raise the premium. A lower limit, a rejection, or a higher deductible reduces protection and may reduce the premium, but the price change differs by insurer and has no standard amount, according to the NAIC (opens in a new tab).
- UM limits. They can equal your bodily-injury liability limits, sit lower where state law allows a written waiver, or run higher where the insurer offers them.
- UM property damage (UMPD). It pays for covered vehicle damage caused by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver where it is available, and some states and policies attach a deductible.
- Underinsured motorist (UIM). It applies when the at-fault driver has insurance but the limits fall short of your covered damages.
- Collision. It pays for covered damage to your car after a collision, usually subject to a deductible, whether or not the other driver is insured. See Comprehensive vs Collision Insurance.
- Hit-and-run conditions. Policies can require prompt notice to police and the insurer, cooperation, and physical contact or independent corroboration.
Where you meet UM
UM belongs mainly to an auto policy, including personal auto, commercial auto, some non-owner policies, and motorcycle policies where state law and the policy provide it, according to the NAIC (opens in a new tab). You will see it on:
- the quote and the declarations page,
- a coverage-selection or rejection form,
- the renewal notice,
- the insuring agreement, definitions, exclusions, and conditions, and any UM or UIM endorsement,
- a claim letter, when you report a crash with an uninsured or hit-and-run driver.
Homeowners, condo, renters, life, health, and pet policies do not normally include it, and a home or renters policy does not replace auto UM. A general business liability policy is not an automatic substitute for commercial auto UM.
What Connecticut and New York require
Connecticut requires auto policies to include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 38a-336 (opens in a new tab), the coverage generally must match your bodily-injury liability limits unless the named insured requests lower limits in writing, subject to the statutory minimum. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 38a-336c (opens in a new tab), you must make reasonable efforts to establish the other vehicle's liability coverage, and for accidents on or after October 1, 2006, an insurer cannot require an affidavit or written statement from the alleged uninsured driver as a condition of eligibility. Connecticut Regulation § 38a-334-6 (opens in a new tab) defines the required protection, and Bulletin PC-65 (opens in a new tab) covers equal limits and written lower-limit elections.
New York requires motor vehicle liability policies to include uninsured motorist protection for bodily injury, including injury from an unidentified vehicle that leaves the scene, with a basic limit of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, under Insurance Law § 3420(f) (opens in a new tab). Supplementary uninsured/underinsured coverage (SUM) is generally available at limits equal to your bodily-injury liability limits unless the first named insured rejects it or picks a lower amount by written or electronic waiver. Read the Connecticut Car Insurance Requirements guide for the rest of the state's minimums.
Questions to ask your agent or insurer
- What are my UM bodily-injury limits per person and per accident, and do they match my liability limits? The limits set the most you can collect.
- Does my policy include underinsured motorist coverage as well as uninsured? UIM covers a driver whose insurance is too low, and UM covers a driver with none or a hit-and-run.
- Does my policy include UM property damage, and what deductible applies? UM bodily injury does not pay for vehicle damage on its own.
- What must I do after a hit-and-run to keep my coverage? Notice, police reports, contact or corroboration, and settlement consent can all affect eligibility.
- If I reject or reduce UM or UIM, what written waiver applies, and does it carry over at renewal? Connecticut and New York attach specific consequences to written elections.
Frequently asked questions
Does UM cover my passengers?
Eligible insureds include you and eligible passengers, and Connecticut's regulation covers occupants of covered vehicles. Whether a relative, pedestrian, or other occupant qualifies depends on the policy's definition of an insured, so ask for it in writing.
Do I need UM if the other driver is legally required to carry insurance?
The other driver's legal duty does not guarantee payment. UM exists for crashes with drivers who lack applicable insurance or flee the scene, and rejection rules vary by state.
Does UM pay to repair my car?
Only if your policy and state law include UM property damage. Otherwise collision coverage may pay for covered vehicle damage, usually after its deductible.
What should I do after a hit-and-run?
Tell the police and your insurer promptly, keep evidence, and get witness names. Ask the insurer about consent requirements before settling with anyone.