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There is no single uninsured motorist (UM) or underinsured motorist (UIM) limit that fits every U.S. driver. Start with your state’s rules and the limits on your policy, then choose coverage that would offer meaningful protection after a serious injury—and compare insurer quotes at identical limits. State law, policy wording, and your household’s finances all matter.
What uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can pay for
UM coverage generally applies when an at-fault driver has no bodily-injury liability insurance. Depending on state law and your policy, it may also apply to certain hit-and-run crashes, or when the other driver’s insurer denies coverage or becomes insolvent. UIM coverage addresses a different situation: the at-fault driver has insurance, but the available limits are inadequate for the injury loss. Definitions and conditions vary by state and policy, so check the actual contract. The NAIC’s auto insurance consumer information explains these coverage types.
UM/UIM bodily-injury coverage is not the same as coverage for damage to your car. Some states or policies offer UM property-damage coverage separately, with its own availability, limits, and deductible. Do not assume a bodily-injury limit includes vehicle damage.
Check your state’s rules before choosing limits
States differ on whether UM coverage is required, whether it can be rejected, which limits are available, and what procedures apply. The NAIC’s 2025 auto insurance database places states in categories including 23 states that require UM coverage and 19 additional states that require it unless rejected in writing. Those are database categories, not a substitute for checking current rules in your state; exceptions and details differ. Review the NAIC auto insurance database and confirm requirements with your state insurance department or insurer.
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Find out whether UM bodily injury, UIM, and UM property damage are required or optional where you live, whether rejection is permitted and how it must be documented, and what limits and deductibles are offered. If you move or change policies, check the rules and terms again.
How to decide how much coverage to buy
- Read your declarations page. Identify the current UM bodily-injury and UIM limits, and whether UM property-damage coverage is listed separately. Confirm how the policy states its limits—for example, whether it specifies amounts per person and per accident—rather than assuming the format.
- Consider a serious injury scenario. Ask whether the available limit would provide meaningful protection if an uninsured or inadequately insured driver seriously injured you or a covered household member. The NAIC warns that “The state-required minimum coverages are usually not enough to fully protect you and your assets.” That is a reason to examine the minimum carefully, not a universal dollar recommendation. See the NAIC’s 2022 consumer guide to auto insurance.
- Review other protection without treating it as a substitute. Health insurance, disability coverage, personal injury protection (PIP), and medical payments coverage (MedPay) have different purposes and may coexist with UM/UIM. Check your policy for exclusions, deductibles, and any coordination with collision or health-related coverage, and ask the insurer how those provisions work together.
- Ask what higher limits cost. Request quotes at the limits you are considering. Compare the added premium with the additional protection in the context of your household’s finances; the available sources do not establish one limit or price that is right for every household.
- Verify uncertain terms with the insurer or state regulator. Ask how the policy defines an underinsured driver, who counts as an insured person, how hit-and-run claims are handled, and what applies to property damage. State rules and policy language control.
Keep UM/UIM distinct from liability and vehicle-damage coverage
Bodily-injury and property-damage liability coverage generally address harm you cause to other people. UM/UIM is intended to protect you or other covered people in qualifying cases caused by another driver. Collision and comprehensive are separate coverages for damage to your own vehicle. A lender’s requirement for physical-damage coverage does not establish an appropriate UM/UIM limit.
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For a vehicle loss, check whether your policy offers UM property damage in your state, what deductible applies, and how it interacts with collision. Do not assume every hit-and-run or every vehicle loss is covered; policy terms and state definitions determine what qualifies.
Compare quotes on an equal basis
Price comparisons are useful only if the coverage being priced is comparable. The NAIC shopping tool tells consumers to “Note the limits of coverage below for each company’s quote to be sure you are comparing the same coverage.” Use the NAIC Consumer Auto Insurance Shopping Tool to organize quotes.
| What to compare | What to verify |
|---|---|
| State rules | Whether UM coverage is required, optional, or rejectable, and what limits or procedures apply. |
| UM bodily injury | The limit, how it is expressed, covered people, and relevant policy conditions. |
| UIM | The limit and the state and policy definition of an underinsured driver. |
| UM property damage | Whether it is available, its limit and deductible, and its relationship to collision coverage. |
| Price | The premium for the same coverage types and limits—not just the total price for policies with different protection. |
| Other terms | Hit-and-run rules, exclusions, and coordination with other coverage. |
What uninsured-driver statistics can—and cannot—tell you
The NAIC reports an Insurance Research Council estimate that 15.4% of motorists, about one in seven, were uninsured in 2023. The reported state estimates ranged from 5.7% in Maine to 28.2% in Mississippi. These figures describe population-level estimates, not your personal odds of being hit by an uninsured driver and not a formula for selecting your limit. Read the NAIC’s report on the 2025 Auto Insurance Database.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to get state-specific help
If the policy language or your state’s requirements are unclear, contact your insurer or agent and your state insurance department. The NAIC provides a directory of state insurance departments. This is general U.S. information, not a personalized limit recommendation; your state’s current law and your policy wording determine the coverage available to you.
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