Updated July 2026
What Is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) pays for your injuries and property damage when an at-fault driver has no insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) kicks in when the at-fault driver's liability limits are too low to cover your full claim. Both coverages are filed through your own carrier, not the other driver's, which means you avoid the collection problem that comes with suing an uninsured defendant. Your carrier pays your claim up to your UM/UIM policy limits, then pursues recovery from the at-fault driver if possible.
- You're stopped at a red light and a driver with no insurance rear-ends you, causing $8,000 in vehicle damage and $15,000 in medical bills. The at-fault driver has no coverage to pay your claim. Your UM/UIM coverage pays the full $23,000 (assuming your limits are high enough), minus any deductible if your policy includes one for property damage. Without this coverage, you'd file through collision for the vehicle damage (if you carry it) and pursue the uninsured driver directly for medical costs—a process that rarely results in full recovery.
- A driver with Utah's minimum liability limits ($25,000 per person) runs a stop sign and causes a crash that results in $60,000 in your medical expenses. Their liability carrier pays the $25,000 policy maximum. Your underinsured motorist coverage pays the remaining $35,000, up to your UIM limit. If you carry $50,000 in UIM coverage, you're made whole. If you declined UIM or carry lower limits, you absorb the gap out-of-pocket or negotiate payment plans with medical providers.
Who Needs Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Carry UM/UIM if you don't have health insurance robust enough to cover a serious crash, if you drive in areas with high uninsured driver rates, or if you carry liability-only coverage and want protection for your own vehicle damage without paying for full collision coverage. It's also essential if your assets or income would be at risk in a serious crash—medical liens and out-of-pocket costs from an uninsured driver's negligence don't disappear just because the other party can't pay.
Compare the annual cost of UM/UIM to your health insurance deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. If your health plan leaves you exposed to $5,000+ in costs after a serious crash, and UM/UIM costs under $200/year, the coverage pays for itself in a single incident. If you carry liability-only and can't afford collision coverage, adding uninsured motorist property damage gives you vehicle protection for a fraction of collision premiums.
How Much Does Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
Adding UM/UIM coverage typically costs $8–$18 per month, or roughly $95–$215 annually, depending on your selected limits and whether you include property damage coverage.
- Your UM/UIM policy limits—higher limits cost more, but the incremental cost from $25,000 to $100,000 per person is often under $5/month.
- Whether you add uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD), which covers vehicle damage without requiring collision coverage.
- Your county's uninsured driver rate—areas with higher percentages of uninsured motorists see slightly higher premiums.
- Stacking provisions if you insure multiple vehicles—stacked UM/UIM allows you to combine limits across policies, increasing both protection and cost.
- Your claims history with UM/UIM—prior claims under this coverage can raise future premiums, though less dramatically than at-fault liability claims.