The Coverage You’ll Wish You Had: Uninsured Motorist 101
This morning, I got the kind of phone call every spouse dreads: my husband was in a car accident. Thankfully, no one was injured. But the driver who hit him? No license. No insurance. And now, we’re staring at thousands of dollars in damage to our car—damage that someone else caused, but that we’ll be responsible for cleaning up.
Unfortunately, this kind of situation isn’t rare. Ohio has some alarming stats:
• Around 13 % of Ohio drivers lack insurance—about one in eight—mirroring the national average.
• In some parts of Ohio, as many as 15 % of drivers are in violation of financial responsibility laws.
• Nationally, uninsured rates have climbed from ~11–12 % pre-pandemic to over 15 % by 2023.
So, when one of those drivers crashes into you, you need to ask yourself a hard question: Who’s going to pay for the damage? And that’s when uninsured motorist coverage comes to the rescue.
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage is a protection built into your auto policy that steps in when the at-fault driver can’t because they don’t have insurance.
What does it cover?
• Medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering if you’re injured.
• Repairs to your vehicle or property.
Some states require UM coverage; others make it optional—Ohio law makes it an optional but that doesn’t mean unnecessary. If you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver, do you have thousands of dollars to pay for property damage? What if you or your loved one is seriously injured? Who will pay for the medical bills and loss wages?
It Matters More Than You Think
You can drive responsibly. You can carry the right limits. You can even avoid high-risk areas. But you can’t control what someone else does behind the wheel.
And if you’re hit by someone who’s uninsured, you’ll be left holding the financial bag—unless you have proper UM coverage.
In our case, we’re lucky we added robust uninsured motorist protection years ago. Now that it’s real—not just a line item on a policy—we’re grateful we did. It means we won’t be out-of-pocket for someone else’s mistake.
How Much Coverage Do You Need?
If you’ve never reviewed your uninsured motorist coverage, now is the time. A few questions to ask:
• Do you have enough UM/UIM coverage to match your liability limits?
• Does your policy include property damage protection as well as bodily injury?
• Have you reviewed your deductible recently?
In a collision with an uninsured driver, those answers could make the difference between peace of mind and a financial nightmare.
Final Thought
Auto insurance isn’t just about covering the “what ifs” you cause—it’s also about the ones you can’t prevent. Uninsured motorist coverage is the safety net you hope you never need…until you do.
If you’re not sure whether your policy has the right protection, now’s the time to talk to your agent. Waiting until after the accident is too late.
Stay Safe. Stay Informed. Stay Protected.
Author: Judy Sivy