Uninsured motorist coverage

What is uninsured motorist coverage?

Uninsured motorist coverage, commonly called UM, provides a path to compensation when the driver who caused your injury carries no insurance at all.

Despite mandatory insurance laws in New Jersey, a meaningful number of drivers on the road remain uninsured, which is precisely the risk this coverage exists to address.

It also typically applies in hit and run situations, where the responsible driver cannot be identified at all, functioning similarly to how it would if an identified driver simply had no coverage.

Purchasing this coverage protects you against a risk entirely outside your control, since you cannot verify another driver's insurance status before a crash occurs.

How does a UM claim actually work?

The mechanics differ meaningfully from an ordinary claim against another driver's insurer.

• The claim is made against your own insurance company, not the at fault driver
• Prompt police reporting is important, particularly in hit and run situations
• Specific notice requirements and procedural deadlines apply to these claims
• Disputes over fault and damages can arise just as with any other claim
• Some policies include an arbitration provision for resolving UM disputes

Why does a claim against your own insurer sometimes feel adversarial?

Because despite paying premiums to this same company, you are now asking them to pay out on your claim, which creates a financial interest for the insurer in minimizing that payment.

Insurers handle UM claims with the same scrutiny they would apply to any claim, evaluating fault and damages carefully rather than approving them automatically simply because you are a policyholder.

Understanding this dynamic from the outset helps manage expectations about how the claim will likely be handled and negotiated.

What should you do after a suspected uninsured driver crash?

Report to police immediately and obtain a report number, since documentation of the incident and the other driver's apparent lack of insurance matters considerably to your claim.

Notify your own insurer promptly, since delayed reporting can complicate a UM claim and may violate specific policy requirements around notice timing.

Preserve any available evidence, including photographs and witness information, just as you would for a claim against an insured driver.

Common questions

How do I find out if I have uninsured motorist coverage?

Check your declarations page, which will show whether this coverage was selected and at what limit.

What if I do not know whether the other driver had insurance?

This is typically determined during the claims investigation process, and a UM claim can be initiated while that determination is being made.

Does using my UM coverage affect my future insurance rates?

Using coverage for a crash you did not cause should not by itself result in a rate increase, though reviewing any renewal changes and asking your insurer directly for an explanation is reasonable.