Underinsured Motorist Coverage — Virginia
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Virginia Requires Uninsured Motorist Coverage, Not Underinsured
Virginia law mandates uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on every auto policy. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage is optional. Many drivers discover both coverages listed on their policy and assume both are required, but only UM is mandatory. UIM protects you when the at-fault driver carries liability limits lower than your damages; UM protects you when the at-fault driver carries no insurance at all. The state requires the first scenario covered, not the second.
This distinction matters when you're insuring multiple vehicles on one policy. Carriers often bundle UM and UIM together as a single line item, making it unclear which portion you can decline. The mandatory piece is UM coverage matching your bodily injury liability limits: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in Virginia. UIM coverage above those minimums, or UIM coverage at any level, is optional and can be rejected in writing.
“Virginia mandates uninsured motorist coverage but treats underinsured as optional, creating confusion when carriers bundle both without explaining the distinction.”
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Virginia Uninsured Motorist Rate
Nearly one in eight Virginia drivers carries no insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage exists to protect you when one of those drivers causes a crash and cannot pay your medical bills or vehicle damage out of pocket.
Insurance Research Council, 2023
How Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Differ
Uninsured motorist coverage pays your medical expenses and lost wages when a driver with no insurance hits you. It also covers hit-and-run crashes where the at-fault driver cannot be identified. Virginia requires UM bodily injury coverage at the same limits as your liability policy: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident minimum. You can buy higher UM limits, but you cannot drop below the state minimum or reject UM coverage entirely.
Underinsured motorist coverage pays the gap when the at-fault driver carries liability insurance, but their limits are too low to cover your damages. Virginia does not require UIM coverage. Carriers must offer it, but you can reject it in writing.
Both coverages apply per person and per accident, not per vehicle. When you insure three cars on one policy, the UM and UIM limits you select apply to any covered driver in any covered vehicle. You do not buy separate UM or UIM coverage for each car. The policy-level limits cover every vehicle and every household member listed on the policy.
Carriers bundle UM and UIM as one line item on most policies. The mandatory portion is UM bodily injury at your liability limits; everything else is optional and rejectable in writing.
Why Carriers Bundle Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Most Virginia carriers sell UM and UIM as a combined coverage because the two protect against related risks: drivers who cannot pay your damages, either because they carry no insurance or because their limits are too low. Bundling simplifies the policy structure and reduces the number of line items on your declarations page. It also reduces the carrier's administrative cost, because one rejection form covers both optional portions (UIM and any UM limits above the state minimum).
The bundled structure creates confusion when you're comparing quotes across carriers. The total coverage is the same, but the presentation differs. When comparing multi-vehicle quotes, ask each carrier to itemize UM and UIM separately so you can see what portion is mandatory and what portion you can reject.
Rejecting UIM lowers your premium, but it leaves you exposed when the at-fault driver's limits are too low. In a state where 12.9% of drivers carry no insurance, many of the insured drivers carry only the $50,000/$100,000 state minimum. A serious crash can produce medical bills and lost wages far above $50,000 per person. UIM coverage fills that gap. Whether you keep it or reject it depends on your household's risk tolerance and whether you carry health insurance that covers auto-crash injuries.
$50,000 / $100,000
Virginia Minimum Liability Limits
Virginia requires $50,000 bodily injury coverage per person, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 property damage. Your uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage must match your liability limits, so the minimum UM coverage is also $50,000/$100,000.
Virginia DMV
How Uninsured Motorist Coverage Works Across Multiple Vehicles
When you insure two or more vehicles on one Virginia policy, the UM and UIM limits apply to the policy, not to each vehicle individually. You do not multiply the limit by the number of cars.
This structure differs from liability coverage, where the per-accident limit can stack across multiple at-fault drivers in a single crash. UM and UIM limits do not stack across vehicles. If two household members driving two different cars are both hit by the same uninsured driver in separate crashes on the same day, each person's UM claim is subject to the per-person limit, and the combined claims cannot exceed the per-accident limit. The policy-level cap applies to all covered losses from a single uninsured or underinsured at-fault party.
Compare Carriers That Write Multi-Vehicle Policies in Virginia
Not every carrier prices UM and UIM the same way across multi-vehicle policies. Some carriers offer a multi-car discount that applies to liability premiums but not to UM/UIM premiums; others discount the entire policy including UM/UIM. When you're comparing quotes for a household with two or more vehicles, request itemized breakdowns showing liability, UM, UIM, collision, and comprehensive as separate line items for each vehicle. This lets you see where the discount applies and whether rejecting UIM produces meaningful savings.
Virginia has 30 carriers writing standard and non-standard auto policies. Carriers that specialize in multi-vehicle households include State Farm, Geico, Progressive, Allstate, Nationwide, and USAA. Each prices UM and UIM differently. Use the site's comparison tool to request quotes from multiple carriers, specify the number of vehicles you're insuring, and ask each carrier to separate UM and UIM line items. Compare the total premium with and without UIM coverage to decide whether the optional protection is worth the cost for your household.
How to Reject Underinsured Motorist Coverage in Virginia
When you request a quote for a multi-vehicle policy, the carrier will present UM and UIM coverage together. Ask the agent or online tool to separate the two line items so you can see the cost of each. UM bodily injury at the state minimum ($50,000/$100,000) is mandatory and cannot be removed. UIM coverage at any limit is optional. If you want to reject UIM, request the rejection form before binding the policy. Sign and return it. The carrier will remove UIM from all vehicles on the policy.
Rejecting UIM does not affect your UM coverage or your liability coverage. Your policy will still carry the mandatory UM bodily injury protection and your selected liability limits. If you later decide you want UIM coverage, contact your carrier. You can add it at any renewal or mid-term by requesting the coverage in writing. The carrier will re-rate the policy and apply the UIM premium to all vehicles on the policy from the effective date forward.
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Get My Virginia Car Insurance QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Can I reject uninsured motorist coverage in Virginia?
No. Virginia requires uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage at the same limits as your liability policy, minimum $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident. You cannot reject UM coverage or drop it below the state minimum. You can reject underinsured motorist coverage in writing.
Does underinsured motorist coverage cost extra on a multi-vehicle policy?
Yes. UIM coverage adds a premium to your policy, calculated based on the limits you select and the number of drivers on the policy. The cost does not multiply by the number of vehicles, because UM and UIM limits apply to the policy, not per vehicle. Rejecting UIM lowers your total premium.
What happens if I reject UIM coverage and the at-fault driver's limits are too low?
You pay the difference out of pocket or through your health insurance if it covers auto-crash injuries.
Do I need separate uninsured motorist coverage for each car on my policy?
No. UM and UIM limits apply to the policy, not to each vehicle individually. You do not buy separate UM coverage per car.
Can I add underinsured motorist coverage after I reject it?
Yes. Contact your carrier at any renewal or mid-term. Request UIM coverage in writing. The carrier will re-rate the policy and apply the UIM premium to all vehicles on the policy from the effective date forward.
How do I know if my policy includes underinsured motorist coverage?
Check your declarations page. UM and UIM coverage appear as separate line items or as a combined UM/UIM entry. If you see only UM coverage listed, you either rejected UIM or your carrier does not bundle the two. Call your agent to confirm.