What is uninsured motorist coverage?
Uninsured motorist coverage, or UM, is part of your own car insurance that pays for your injuries when the driver who caused the crash has no liability insurance, and it can also apply to hit-and-run crashes. You buy it to protect yourself from other people’s missing insurance.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (5)
How does uninsured motorist coverage work? An example
Example: a driver with no insurance runs a stop sign in Tucson and hits you. Your medical bills and lost pay come to $18,000. The other driver has no policy and no money to pay you. You carry $25,000 per person in UM. You file the injury claim with your own insurer under UM, and it can pay up to that $25,000.
Without UM, your options would be your health insurance, MedPay if you have it, or suing a driver who probably cannot pay.
Why does uninsured motorist coverage matter?
Many drivers break the law and drive without insurance. UM is how you get paid when that driver hurts you. Arizona’s regulator describes it as protection for you and your passengers when the other driver has no liability coverage.
Two practical points. A UM claim is still a claim against your own insurer, and it may evaluate your injuries as hard as the other driver’s company would. And in a hit-and-run, call police: Texas says UM will not pay for a hit-and-run you did not report to police.
How does UM work in Arizona and Texas?
| Question | Arizona | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Must you have it? | No. It is optional, with a 25/50 minimum if you choose it. | It must be offered, and you must refuse it in writing. |
| Hit-and-run | Check your policy terms. | Not paid if you did not report it to police. |
Rules differ in other states. Your state page lists the rule where you live.
Uninsured vs. underinsured motorist coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage applies when the at-fault driver has no insurance at all. Underinsured motorist coverage applies when that driver has some insurance, but not enough to pay your losses. Many policies sell them together as UM/UIM, but they are separate coverages with separate rules.
Questions
Does uninsured motorist coverage pay for my car?
Sometimes. Texas says UM/UIM pays when the other driver could not cover your medical and car repair bills. Other states and policies can differ, so check your declarations page.
Will my premium go up if I file a UM claim?
It depends on your insurer and state. Ask your insurer before you file if that worries you, but do not skip a valid claim because of it.
Do I need UM if I have health insurance?
Health insurance does not pay lost wages or pain and suffering, and it may want repayment later. UM can cover those losses up to your limit.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (5)
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-09. “Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage pays if you’re hit by someone who didn’t have insurance or didn’t have enough to pay your medical and car repair bills.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-09. “It also pays if you’re in a hit-and-run accident. Insurance companies must offer you this coverage. If you don’t want it, you must tell the company in writing.”
- Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, checked 2026-11-09. “If you elect to have Uninsured (UM) or Underinsured (UIM) Motorist coverage, 25/50 is the minimum amount you can have on your policy.”
- Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, checked 2026-11-09. “Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage protects you or passengers in your vehicle for bodily injuries sustained in an accident involving a driver who has no liability coverage.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-09. “Your uninsured motorist coverage won’t pay for a hit-and-run accident if you didn’t report it to police.”