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Uninsured Motorist Coverage — Virginia

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays your medical bills and vehicle damage when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little to cover your losses.

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What Is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?

Uninsured motorist coverage steps in when the driver who caused your accident has no liability insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage activates when their liability limits are too low to cover your medical bills, lost wages, or vehicle damage. Both coverages pay through your own carrier, even though the other driver caused the crash. You file the claim with your insurer, and they pursue reimbursement from the at-fault driver separately.

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Who Needs Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?

You should carry this coverage if you live in a state where more than 10 percent of drivers are uninsured, if you cannot afford to replace your vehicle out of pocket, or if your health insurance has high deductibles that would leave you exposed after a crash. Drivers financing a vehicle often find lenders require uninsured motorist coverage as a condition of the loan.

Compare the annual premium for uninsured motorist coverage to your out-of-pocket maximum under your health insurance plus your vehicle's replacement cost.

How Much Does Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?

Coverage limits you select — higher limits for bodily injury and property damage increase the monthly cost proportionally.
Local uninsured driver rate — counties with higher percentages of uninsured motorists see higher premiums for this coverage.
Your liability limits — carriers often cap uninsured motorist limits at your liability coverage amounts, so raising liability raises uninsured motorist cost.
Claim history — prior uninsured motorist claims can raise renewal rates even though you were not at fault.
Stacking option — some states allow you to stack uninsured motorist limits across multiple vehicles on one policy, doubling or tripling the premium for that coverage.

Related Coverage Types

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