Skip to content
Glossary

What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Uninsured Motorist Coverage is insurance protection that may help pay for covered losses after a crash caused by a driver without liability insurance. Policy terms determine whether the protection applies to bodily injury, property damage, or both. The coverage may also address certain hit-and-run crashes when the policy requirements are met.

Quick Facts About Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Category

Auto insurance coverage

Used for

Covered losses caused by uninsured drivers

Common confusion

It differs from underinsured motorist coverage

Also called

UM Coverage, Uninsured Motorist Insurance

Often discussed with

Car Accident Lawyer, Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyer

Key Takeaways About Uninsured Motorist Coverage

  • The injured person’s policy may provide protection.
  • Policy language controls covered losses and conditions.
  • Uninsured does not mean the same as underinsured.

How Uninsured Motorist Coverage Works

Hands hold a small wooden car beside an uninsured motorist coverage note on a desk with coins, keys, glasses, and a gavel

Uninsured Motorist Coverage may respond when another driver causes a crash and has no liability insurance. You generally make a claim under your own auto policy, subject to that policy’s terms, conditions, and proof requirements. The insurer reviews fault, the covered loss, and the available coverage.

Related glossary terms: Bodily Injury Liability, Medical Payments Coverage, Subrogation.

The protection can involve bodily injury, property damage, or both, depending on the policy. A hit-and-run crash may also qualify when the policy treats the event as an uninsured motorist loss. Liability insurance covers harm a policyholder causes to others, while uninsured motorist coverage protects the insured person under defined circumstances. Underinsured Motorist Coverage addresses a different situation, where the at-fault driver has insurance but the available coverage does not fully address the covered loss.

Two people discuss insurance paperwork at a desk beside a sign reading “UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE”

From the Atlanta Auto Law team

When we review a car accident claim, we examine the available auto policies and compare their terms with the crash facts. We also check fault evidence, medical records, and communications with insurers before assessing how uninsured motorist coverage may affect the claim.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Practice: A Real-World Example

A driver without liability insurance causes a collision that injures you. Your own uninsured motorist coverage may provide a claim path for covered losses, subject to the policy terms and the evidence supporting the crash.

Related Terms

Bodily Injury Liability

Bodily Injury Liability is legal responsibility for physical harm caused to another person, often addressed through…

Medical Payments Coverage

Medical Payments Coverage is optional auto insurance that helps pay reasonable medical expenses after a covered…

Subrogation

Subrogation is a legal process that allows an insurer or another party that paid a loss…

Atlanta Auto Law

Have Questions About Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Contact Atlanta Auto Law for practical guidance on Uninsured Motorist Coverage and related personal injury attorney work in East Point.

The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and may not reflect current law in East Point, Georgia, United States. Every situation is different; consult a licensed attorney about your specific matter. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

(678) 235-3870