Uninsured motorists are drivers who do not carry applicable auto liability insurance. In insurance practice, the term also points to the risk created when an injured person is hit by a driver who has no coverage to pay the bodily-injury or property-damage claim.
That risk is why uninsured-motorist coverage exists. Instead of depending entirely on the at-fault driver to pay, the injured insured may be able to claim under the uninsured-motorist provisions of the insured’s own policy, subject to policy wording and local law.
Why uninsured motorists matter
Auto liability insurance is supposed to fund losses the driver causes to others. When that driver has no insurance, the legal right to recover damages may still exist, but the practical ability to collect can be weak.
That creates a real claims problem, not just a legal one. A seriously injured claimant may have medical bills, lost income, and vehicle damage, yet the at-fault driver may have no meaningful source of payment.
Uninsured vs underinsured
An uninsured motorist has no applicable liability coverage. An underinsured motorist has some coverage, but not enough to satisfy the loss. The distinction matters because the trigger, limits, and claim procedure may differ between uninsured-motorist and underinsured-motorist protection.
Claims and regulatory context
These claims often require proof that the other driver was at fault and that the driver was uninsured within the meaning of the policy. Hit-and-run situations, physical-contact requirements, notice obligations, arbitration rules, and stacking issues vary by jurisdiction and policy form.
That is why uninsured-motorist claims are partly a coverage issue and partly a claims-handling issue.
Related Terms
- Underinsured Motorists Coverage
- Automobile Liability Insurance
- Financial Responsibility Law
- No-Fault Insurance
- Property Damage Liability Insurance
- Medical Payments Insurance