Updated June 2026
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured motorist coverage fills the gap when the at-fault driver has no insurance. If you're rear-ended by someone with no liability policy, your UM coverage pays your medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle damage up to your policy limits. Connecticut requires insurers to offer UM coverage at the same limits as your liability policy, but you can decline it by signing a written rejection form. Most suspended drivers facing reinstatement are quoted UM automatically and don't realize they can waive it to lower the premium.
- You're stopped at a red light in Hartford when another driver rear-ends you and flees. You have $4,200 in medical bills and $2,800 in vehicle damage. The other driver is never identified. Your UM coverage pays the full $7,000 because the at-fault driver is uninsured by definition. Without UM, you pay out of pocket or file through health insurance, and vehicle damage is a total loss unless you carry collision.
- An uninsured driver runs a stop sign in New Haven and T-bones your car. You have $8,500 in medical expenses and your vehicle is totaled with $11,000 in damage. Your UM bodily injury coverage pays the $8,500 in medical costs up to your policy limit. Your UM property damage coverage pays the $11,000 vehicle loss, minus your deductible if Connecticut requires one under your policy terms. The at-fault driver has no insurance, so suing them directly recovers nothing in most cases.
- Another driver backs into your parked car in a Bridgeport parking lot. They provide a phone number but no insurance information. You later confirm they have no active policy. You have $3,200 in vehicle damage. Your UM property damage coverage pays the repair bill. Without UM, you file a collision claim and pay your deductible, or you pay the $3,200 yourself and attempt to collect from the uninsured driver through small claims court.
Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
You need UM if you're reinstating after suspension and cannot afford to pay medical bills out of pocket after an accident caused by someone else. Suspended drivers often lose health insurance or rely on high-deductible plans, so UM bodily injury functions as secondary medical coverage. If you're filing SR-22 and buying a non-owner policy, UM bodily injury is cheap and covers you in any vehicle you drive, including rentals and borrowed cars.
If you own a vehicle and don't carry collision coverage, keep UM property damage — it's your only protection against uninsured at-fault drivers who total your car. If you're on a non-owner policy, keep UM bodily injury and reject property damage. If your health insurance has a deductible over $2,500, UM bodily injury pays for itself in a single hit-and-run accident.
How Much Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
Uninsured motorist coverage adds $8–$15/month for minimum state limits, or $12–$22/month for higher limits matching a 100/300/100 liability policy.
- Your liability coverage limits — UM is offered at the same limits, so higher liability means higher UM cost.
- Whether you add UM property damage in addition to UM bodily injury — bodily injury is the base coverage, property damage is an additional line item in Connecticut.
- Your ZIP code and claims frequency in your area — higher uninsured driver rates in your region increase UM premiums.
- Your driving record and suspension history — carriers price UM the same way they price liability, so a DUI or suspended license filing raises UM cost proportionally.
- Whether you're buying a non-owner policy or a standard policy — UM on a non-owner policy costs less because property damage coverage is irrelevant without a vehicle to insure.