If you can afford full coverage insurance, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is generally worth it. In most cases, UM/UIM coverage costs much less than liability, comprehensive or collision insurance. We recommend having it on your policy.

What triggers uninsured motorist coverage?

The underinsured motorist coverage limits trigger is one of the two triggers that can be specified by an insured party to protect against losses caused by an accident with a driver who has insufficient insurance. The other trigger for underinsured motorist coverage is known as the damages or coverage trigger.

What does it mean to have uninsured motorist coverage?

It is an add-on to a standard auto policy and pays for injuries to the policyholder and passengers, and in some instances for damage to property, if the other driver is legally responsible for the accident but uninsured. In some states, it is required that auto insurance policies include uninsured motorist coverage. 1 

Do you have to have underinsured or uninsured auto insurance?

A few states require drivers to have underinsured motorist coverage, while a greater amount requires uninsured motorist coverage. When a person has an accident which is not their fault, and the other motorist does not have enough insurance to cover the damages, underinsured coverage kicks in.

Can you stack uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage?

In some, but not all, states you can elect to stack your uninsured motorist bodily injury and/or underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage. With stacking, you typically pay a bit more for the ability to raise your limits by the number of vehicles you have insured in your household.

What does Pip do for an uninsured motorist?

PIP reimburses medical expenses for injuries to the insured or their passengers and will cover lost wages and related expenses. Uninsured motorist coverage reimburses the policyholder when an accident is from a driver who does not have auto insurance.