Updated April 2026
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage pays for your injuries and property damage when an at-fault driver has no insurance or insufficient coverage to pay your claim. It functions as a backup policy attached to your own auto insurance, stepping in when the other driver's liability coverage doesn't exist or falls short. For DUI-SR-22 filers in the non-standard market, this coverage addresses a real risk: uninsured driver rates are higher among non-standard policyholders, meaning the drivers you share the road with after a DUI conviction are statistically less likely to carry adequate coverage.
- You're stopped at a red light when an uninsured driver rear-ends you at 35 mph. You suffer $18,000 in medical bills and $9,000 in vehicle damage. The at-fault driver has no insurance. Your Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage pays the $18,000 in medical costs up to your policy limit. Your Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage pays the $9,000 vehicle repair minus your deductible, typically $250. Without this coverage, you'd file through your own collision coverage (if you carry it) or pay out of pocket and attempt to sue a driver who likely has no assets.
- Another driver runs a stop sign and T-bones your vehicle. You have $45,000 in medical bills and $12,000 in lost wages. The at-fault driver carries only the state minimum $25,000 bodily injury liability. Their policy pays the $25,000 limit, leaving you $32,000 short. Your Underinsured Motorist Coverage (bundled with UM in most states) pays the remaining $32,000 up to your UM policy limit. This scenario is common for DUI-SR-22 filers because state minimum liability is cheap and many non-standard market drivers carry only what the law requires.
How Much Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage typically adds $8–$22 per month to your SR-22 policy, or $96–$264 annually, depending on your state's minimum requirements and your selected limits.
- Your state's uninsured driver rate — states with higher uninsured motorist populations price UM coverage higher because claim frequency is statistically greater.
- Whether your state mandates Uninsured Motorist Coverage or allows rejection — mandatory states build the cost into base premiums, while opt-out states charge it as a separate endorsement.
- Your selected UM limits relative to your liability limits — matching your UM coverage to your liability limits costs more but closes the protection gap if you're hit by an uninsured driver.
- Your conviction class and filing period — repeat-offense DUI convictions with longer SR-22 filing periods face higher UM premiums because the extended filing window correlates with higher overall risk classification.
- Whether you bundle Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury with Uninsured Motorist Property Damage — adding UMPD coverage typically increases the monthly cost by $3–$8 depending on your vehicle value.
- Your carrier's non-standard market tier — high-risk carriers like The General and Safe Auto price UM coverage aggressively because their policyholder pool has higher uninsured driver exposure than mainstream carriers.
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Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
You should carry Uninsured Motorist Coverage after a DUI conviction if you drive in a state with uninsured motorist rates above 10%, if you cannot afford to pay $20,000–$50,000 in medical bills out of pocket after an accident, or if you carry higher liability limits and want matching UM protection. DUI-SR-22 filers in the non-standard market face higher uninsured driver exposure because the drivers around you are statistically more likely to carry minimum liability or no insurance at all.
Match your UM limits to your liability limits if you can afford it — if you carry $100,000/$300,000 liability, select the same UM limits so your protection is symmetrical regardless of who causes the accident. If budget forces a choice, prioritize Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury over Property Damage because medical bills from a serious accident will exceed vehicle repair costs, and you can't discharge injury debt as easily as you can replace a totaled car.