Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) will protect you from the cost of bodily or property damage in the event that you are in a collision with an underinsured, or uninsured, driver. If a driver does not have adequate insurance, you will still be compensated. If you are a regular driver, or even a part-time driver, it makes sense to have uninsured and underinsured motorist protection as well as regular coverage.

According to the Insurance Research Council, approximately 25% of drivers on the road are uninsured or underinsured. That’s a staggering statistic, and proof that you should take measures to protect yourself. An uninsured driver is a driver with no insurance policy in place to compensate you if you if they cause damage to your vehicle or injury to yourself or your passengers.

An underinsured driver is one who has insurance, but only the bare minimum of insurance required by the state. In these cases, a underinsured motorist may not have enough insurance to cover damages to your vehicle or injuries to yourself or a passenger if they cause an accident. Oftentimes an underinsured motorist will not be able to pay for damages to your car because the damage cost exceeds their payment limits. This puts you in a tough situation.

There are some states that require you to carry uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist protection, although many do not.  When you purchase UM/UIM insurance, you are required to purchase the state minimum if you live in a state that requires it; however, you may not purchase more than your liability limits. If you are unsure of how much UM/UIM you need to purchase, talk to your insurance provider. You should also ask about uninsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD) and uninsured motorist bodily injury insurance (UMBI).

Adding UM/UIM insurance to your policy doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, especially if you are qualified for certain driver discounts. When shopping for car insurance, always make sure to ask about discounts, and be sure to compare auto insurance quotes from different companies. At Save Today, we make it easy to compare auto insurance quotes from top car insurance companies like Gieco, Farmer’s, All State, Nationwide and more.

Don’t let an uninsured driver or underinsured driver keep you from getting the compensation you need. Purchasing UM/UIM insurance may seem like a non-necessity, but if you are in an accident with an uninsured driver you will see how much it comes in handy. Why not plan ahead?