What Uninsured Motorist Coverage Should I Have
Match your uninsured motorist coverage to your liability limits, and raise both for fewer, pricier cars.
How to size this coverage for your household now
- Match your liability limits Uninsured motorist coverage should equal your bodily injury liability limits, not sit lower by default. If you raised liability limits over the years, check this figure separately because insurers don't always update it automatically.
- Add underinsured coverage This pays when the other driver has insurance but not enough to cover your costs. It matters more now that you likely have fewer drivers but still face the same roads full of minimally insured cars.
- Add property damage if allowed Some states let you add uninsured motorist property damage for your vehicle itself, separate from injury coverage. Check whether your state offers this and whether your collision coverage already handles it better.
- Review it when you drop a driver When an adult child comes off your policy, your rates shift and it's a natural moment to re-check every coverage line, not just liability. Don't let uninsured motorist limits stay frozen from when you had more drivers and more risk on the policy.
- Keep it high regardless A smaller household doesn't mean smaller risk from the other driver. You still want enough coverage to protect your own savings if someone with no insurance hits you or your spouse.
A parent drops a driver and finds the coverage never changed
A mother removed her son from the policy after he moved out and got his own car and insurance. Her premium dropped right away, which was what she expected, and she assumed the rest of the policy was fine as is. She hadn't looked closely at the uninsured motorist section in years.
When she called to ask about the drop in premium, the agent pointed out that her uninsured motorist limits were still set at an old, lower amount from years earlier, well below her current liability limits. She raised them to match, which added a small amount back to the premium but still left her paying less overall than before. She also added underinsured motorist coverage, which she hadn't carried before, since it turned out her state treated it as separate. She felt better knowing that if someone without enough insurance hit her or her husband, the policy would actually cover the gap instead of leaving them to pay out of pocket.
Now that you know what level of uninsured motorist coverage fits your household, compare quotes to see the cost.
Does this coverage apply when my adult child visits and drives my car?
Generally yes, if your adult child is listed as a driver on your policy or is driving your car with permission, your uninsured motorist coverage applies to them the same way it applies to you. This coverage usually follows the car and the policy, not just the people listed as primary drivers.
If your child has moved out and has their own policy and their own car, their everyday coverage is now separate from yours. But when they visit and drive your car occasionally with your permission, your policy typically still protects them while they're driving it. Check your policy's language on permissive use and ask your agent directly, since the details can vary by insurer and by state.
Why this coverage works differently than most people assume
Uninsured motorist coverage exists because your liability insurance only protects other people from you, not you from them. If someone without insurance or without enough insurance hits you, there's nothing on their end to pay for your injuries or your passengers' injuries. This coverage fills that gap, and it only works if it's set high enough to actually matter.
Many policies default to a lower uninsured motorist limit than the liability limit, because insurers set it as a separate line item rather than tying it automatically to your other coverage. This means two people with the same liability limits can have very different protection if something goes wrong, simply because one of them never adjusted this number. It's one of the most overlooked parts of a policy precisely because it doesn't get much attention when you first buy the policy.
The case for raising it is strongest when your household has meaningful savings or assets to protect, since a serious injury claim can exceed low limits quickly regardless of whose fault the crash was. It matters less if you're already carrying high limits across the board, but it's worth confirming rather than assuming. Some states handle underinsured motorist coverage as part of the same limit, while others require you to select it separately, so what applies to a neighbor in another state may not apply to you.
Where this plays out differently is for drivers in areas with a high rate of uninsured drivers. In those areas, raising this coverage matters more because the odds of actually needing it are higher, even though the base logic doesn't change from state to state.
Should I drop uninsured motorist coverage if my kids are gone and I drive less?
No, driving less doesn't reduce your exposure to other uninsured drivers on the road. This coverage protects you from other people's lack of insurance, not from your own driving habits, so it stays relevant regardless of how often you drive.
Does uninsured motorist coverage cover a hit and run accident?
Yes, in most states a hit and run is treated the same as being hit by an uninsured driver, since the other party can't be identified or held responsible. Check your state's specific rule, since a few require a police report filed within a short window for this to apply.
Is uninsured motorist coverage worth it if my car is older and worth less?
Yes, because this coverage is mainly about injuries to you and your passengers, not about your car's value. Even an older car's driver can suffer serious injuries, so the value of your vehicle doesn't change how much protection you need here.
