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Ever wonder what happens if someone hits you and doesn’t have insurance—or at least doesn’t have enough of it to cover the damages to your vehicle? Whether you’re renewing your current policy or shopping around for quotes, you might want to look into uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. With so many drivers on the road, this optional protection may come in handy when you least expect it.
What Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Include?
Uninsured motorist coverage is an add-on protection that can protect you, your passengers, and your vehicle when the other driver can’t cover the bill. “Uninsured motorist coverage is essentially a safety net,” explains Justin Yoshizawa, Director, Product Management. “It protects you from other people’s lack of responsibility, which is something you can’t control but absolutely need to plan for.”
The insurance coverage includes:
Bodily Injury Coverage
It covers you and your passengers if you’re injured by a driver with no insurance—or in some cases, not enough insurance. It covers medical bills, lost wages, rehab costs, and, in many states, pain and suffering.
Property Damage Coverage
This helps pay for repairs to your vehicle if it’s damaged by an uninsured driver. Not all states include this coverage automatically, so it’s important to check your policy details.
How Uninsured Motorist Coverage Works After an Accident
If you’re hit by an uninsured driver, your uninsured motorist coverage steps in as if it were the at-fault driver’s insurance. Rather than chasing down the other driver or pursuing legal action, you simply file a claim with your insurer. Your insurer will evaluate the damages, cover any eligible costs, and handle the claims process.
Do You Need Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
In most cases, yes, it’s a good idea to get uninsured motorist coverage—just in case. A 2025 study by the Insurance Research Council (IRC) found that one in seven drivers is uninsured, a number that’s increasing every year. You’re especially at risk if:
- You live in a state with a high number of uninsured or underinsured drivers, like Mississippi, New Mexico, or Washington, D.C.
- You want protection beyond the minimum liability.
- You don’t have good health insurance or disability coverage.
How Much Uninsured Motorist Coverage Should You Carry?
A good rule of thumb is to match your uninsured motorist limits to your liability coverage. Let’s say you carry $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident in liability coverage. Consider those same limits when choosing uninsured motorist insurance.
Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Required by Law?
Currently, 20 states require uninsured motorist coverage, but how much and what type will vary from state to state. Washington, D.C., does require both uninsured bodily injury coverage and property damage coverage; it does not, however, require underinsured bodily damage coverage. Missouri only requires uninsured bodily injury coverage.
When This Coverage Can Be Especially Valuable
While it’s always a good idea to add more coverage to your policies, there are scenarios in which uninsured motorist insurance can prove especially important:
- Hit-and-run accidents where the driver can’t be identified
- Crashes involving uninsured or underinsured drivers
- Serious injuries that exceed the other driver’s coverage limits
- Situations where medical bills and lost income add up quickly
Having coverage in each of these cases can help prevent significant out-of-pocket costs.
Before you finalize or renew your policy, take a close look at your uninsured motorist coverage. It’s one of the most affordable ways to protect yourself from high-impact financial risk. Mercury offers fast, free quotes on all types of auto insurance to ensure continuous coverage when you need it.
FAQs
Does uninsured motorist coverage apply if you’re a pedestrian?
Yes. In many cases, uninsured motorist coverage does cover you if you’re hit by an uninsured driver while walking or biking.
Can uninsured motorist coverage stack across multiple vehicles?
In some states, yes. Stacking allows you to combine coverage limits across multiple vehicles on your policy, increasing your total protection.
Does uninsured motorist coverage include pain and suffering?
Often yes, but it depends on your state and policy. Bodily injury coverage typically includes non-economic damages like pain and suffering.
Justin Yoshizawa is Director of Product Management for Mercury Insurance, overseeing California’s personal lines, including auto, homeowners, landlord, and umbrella. He has led major initiatives such as the rollout of the aligned umbrella product across all Mercury territories and serves as a company spokesperson on auto-related topics. Yoshizawa holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Applied Mathematics and Applied Statistics from UC Santa Barbara.
The Mercury Marketing Team is made up of professionals in the fields of Content Creation, Public Relations, Social Media and Journalism. The team works together to deliver professionally written and researched content to provide information for consumers.