According to statistics from the Insurance Research Council, roughly 13% of drivers nationwide are uninsured. The number is much higher in some states, with Florida’s uninsured driver count at 25%. If you are hit by an uninsured driver you could be paying to repair your vehicle out of your own pocket, unless you are carrying uninsured motorist coverage.

Here we will explain how uninsured motorist coverage protects you, with a focus on uninsured motorist property damage.

author-img
Written by:
Mark Vallet
Contributing Researcher
Mark is a freelance journalist and analyst with over 15 years of experience covering the insurance industry. He has extensive experience creating and editing content on a variety of subjects with deep expertise in insurance and automotive writing. He has written for autos.com, carsdirect.com, DARCARS and Madtown Designs to name just a few. He is also a professional blogger and a skilled web content creator who consistently turns out engaging, error-free writing while juggling multiple projects.

What is uninsured motorist coverage?

Uninsured motorist coverage (often combined with underinsured motorist coverage or UM/UIM) helps pay for your expenses if an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you. Uninsured motorist coverage comprises two types:

  • Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage: This is also called UMBI and will help pay your medical expenses if you are involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver. This is one-half of uninsured motorist coverage and, in many states, can be purchased independently or in conjunction with uninsured motorist property damage.
  • Uninsured motorist property damage: Uninsured motorist property damage insurance coverage is also known as UMPD, and covers damage done to your property, typically your car, and other things such as fences.

How uninsured motorist property damage coverage works

If you are in an accident and the other driver is at fault, the property damage liability section of the other driver’s car insurance covers the cost of repairing your vehicle. However, if the at-fault driver doesn’t have car insurance — or not enough insurance —  you may end up dipping into your own pocket to repair your car. This is where UMPD comes in.

Uninsured motorist property damage insurance, or UMPD, helps cover the cost of repairing or replacing your car if someone without car insurance hits it. It should be noted that hit-and-run accidents are sometimes excluded in these policies (depending on the state) and may be covered by your collision insurance.

Uninsured motorist insurance options vary widely by state. This includes the coverage options available, coverage limits, and mandatory requirements.

UMPD can also be confused with collision coverage. Collision coverage pays to repair your own vehicle if you are involved in a car accident. UMPD, however, doesn’t usually have a deductible, and collision coverage does.

UMPD limits and deductibles

There are coverage limits and deductibles with UMPD insurance. The coverage limits usually vary by state, with some requiring a minimum amount of UMPD. In most states, it’s optional. You can usually increase your coverage above the minimum; you may also be required to carry UMPD limits that match your liability limits.

The uninsured motorist property damage coverage limit is a single number, the maximum amount the policy will pay out for the property damaged in a single accident. In most states, you can choose the amount of UMPD to carry up to specific limits. Some states limit coverage to $3,500; some are lower, and some are higher, even up to the vehicle’s actual cash value. Limits may differ depending on whether or not you carry collision insurance.

This coverage limit is the maximum total payout for all property damaged in a single accident. For example, if you chose a limit of $10,000, then that would be the most your policy would pay to repair your vehicle if an uninsured driver hit you.

There is not usually an uninsured motorist property damage deductible, but that can vary by state and insurance company. When deductibles are required, they are generally low.

Is uninsured motorist property damage coverage mandatory?

It depends on where you live. In some states, UMPD is required. In some, it must be offered to all car insurance customers, but you can decline it. In almost all states, drivers must carry some property damage liability insurance to be legal out on the road, but that doesn’t mean everyone follows the law.

In addition to the uninsured drivers on the road, many drivers carry only the state-required insurance minimums, which are often too low if someone seriously damages your vehicle.

In these states, UMPD is required:

  • Maryland
  • New Hampshire*
  • North Carolina
  • South Carolina
  • Vermont
  • Virginia*
  • Washington, D.C.
  • West Virginia

*New Hampshire and Virginia don’t require car insurance by law, but if it is purchased, UMPD must be included.

In these states’ drivers must carry uninsured property damage coverage unless they specifically reject it in writing:

  • Alaska
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Georgia
  • Indiana
  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi
  • Rhode Island
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Washington

In Delaware and Illinois, drivers must be offered UMPD but are not obligated to buy it. In Utah, drivers can request UMPD if they don’t have collision coverage.

Do I need uninsured motorist property damage?

If you are hit by a motorist who is driving without insurance, and you don’t have uninsured motorist property damage coverage or collision coverage, you must pursue the at-fault driver to pay for your damages. Recovering the money will be a challenge and may require a lawsuit.

Do I need uninsured motorist coverage if I have collision and comprehensive?

If you have collision coverage, then UMPD coverage may be unnecessary. Collision insurance covers repairing or replacing your vehicle after an accident. Comprehensive only covers damage to your car caused by something other than a collision, so it doesn’t apply in the same way.

In many cases, uninsured motorist property damage alone is not enough to cover all potential car repair/replacement costs, and it only applies if you are involved in an accident caused by a driver without insurance coverage. If you end up in an accident that is your fault and only carry UMPD, you must cover the cost of repairing your vehicle. Collision insurance is superior, but it will cost more than UMPD.

If your primary concern is keeping your premium as low as possible, carrying UMPD instead of collision may make sense.

If you want protection while keeping premiums low, you could buy UMPD instead of collision, but it won’t pay for repairs if you’re at fault in a crash. Without either UMPD or collision coverage, if an uninsured driver crashes into your car, your only option would be to sue the driver.

Laura Longero

Ask the Insurance Expert

Laura Longero

Executive Editor

Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

John McCormick

Ask the Insurance Expert

John McCormick

Editorial Director

John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.

Leslie Kasperowicz

Ask the Insurance Expert

Leslie Kasperowicz

Managing Editor

Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.

Nupur Gambhir

Ask the Insurance Expert

Nupur Gambhir

Managing Editor

Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.

Please Enter Valid Question. Min 50 to max 250 characters are allowed. Only (& ? , .) charcters are allowed.
Please Enter Valid Email.
Error: Security check failed
Thank You, Your message has been received. Our team of auto insurance experts typically answers questions within five working days. Note that due to the volume of questions we receive, not all may be answered. Due to technical error, please try again later.
Compare top carriers in your area Get quotes near you!
Please enter valid zip
author image
Contributing Researcher

Mark is a freelance journalist and analyst with over 15 years of experience covering the insurance industry. He has extensive experience creating and editing content on a variety of subjects with deep expertise in insurance and automotive writing. He has written for autos.com, carsdirect.com, DARCARS and Madtown Designs to name just a few. He is also a professional blogger and a skilled web content creator who consistently turns out engaging, error-free writing while juggling multiple projects.