Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage reimburses policyholders in an accident involving an uninsured, underinsured or hit-and-run driver. Twenty states and the District of Columbia have mandatory requirements for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. More than half of the states have passed laws and begun to develop and implement online auto insurance verification systems to identify uninsured motorists.

In 2015, 13.0 percent of motorists, or about one in eight drivers, was uninsured, according to a 2017 study (latest data available) by the Insurance Research Council (IRC). The percentage has been rising since it hit a record low of 12.3 in 2010. Florida had the highest percentage of uninsured motorists, 26.7 percent, and Maine had the lowest, 4.5 percent. IRC measures the number of uninsured motorists based on insurance claims, using a ratio of insurance claims made by people who were injured by uninsured drivers relative to the claims made by people who were injured by insured drivers.

 
Estimated Percentage Of Uninsured Motorists, 1992-2015 (1)

Year Percent Year Percent Year Percent
1992 15.6% 2000 13.4% 2008 14.3%
1993 16.0 2001 14.2 2009 13.8
1994 15.1 2002 14.5 2010 12.3
1995 14.2 2003 14.9 2011 12.3
1996 13.8 2004 14.6 2012 12.6
1997 13.2 2005 14.6 2013 12.7
1998 13.0 2006 14.3 2014 13.0
1999 12.8 2007 13.8 2015 13.0

(1) Percentage of uninsured drivers, as measured by the ratio of uninsured motorists (UM) claims to bodily injury (BI) claim frequencies.

Source: Insurance Research Council.

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Top 10 Highest And Lowest States By Estimated Percentage Of Uninsured Motorists, 2015 (1)

 

Highest Lowest
Rank State Percent uninsured Rank State Percent uninsured
1 Florida 26.7% 1 Maine 4.5%
2 Mississippi 23.7 2 New York 6.1
3 New Mexico 20.8 3 Massachusetts 6.2
4 Michigan 20.3 4 North Carolina 6.5
5 Tennessee 20.0 5 Vermont 6.8
6 Alabama 18.4 6 Nebraska 6.8
7 Washington 17.4 7 North Dakota 6.8
8 Indiana 16.7 8 Kansas 7.2
9 Arkansas 16.6 9 Pennsylvania 7.6
10 D.C. 15.6 10 South Dakota 7.7

(1) Percentage of uninsured drivers, as measured by the ratio of uninsured motorists (UM) claims to bodily injury (BI) claim frequencies.

Source: Insurance Research Council.

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Estimated Percentage Of Uninsured Motorists By State, 2015 (1)

State Uninsured Rank (2) State Uninsured Rank (2)
Alabama 18.4% 6 Montana 9.9% 33
Alaska 15.4 11 Nebraska 6.8 46
Arizona 12.0 24 Nevada 10.6 29
Arkansas 16.6 9 New Hampshire 9.9 35
California 15.2 12 New Jersey 14.9 14
Colorado 13.3 19 New Mexico 20.8 3
Connecticut 9.4 36 New York 6.1 50
Delaware 11.4 28 North Carolina 6.5 48
D.C. 15.6 10 North Dakota 6.8 45
Florida (3) 26.7 1 Ohio 12.4 22
Georgia 12.0 25 Oklahoma 10.5 31
Hawaii 10.6 30 Oregon 12.7 21
Idaho 8.2 40 Pennsylvania 7.6 43
Illinois 13.7 18 Rhode Island 15.2 13
Indiana 16.7 8 South Carolina 9.4 37
Iowa 8.7 38 South Dakota 7.7 42
Kansas 7.2 44 Tennessee 20.0 5
Kentucky 11.5 26 Texas 14.1 16
Louisiana 13.0 20 Utah 8.2 39
Maine 4.5 51 Vermont 6.8 47
Maryland 12.4 23 Virginia 9.9 34
Massachusetts 6.2 49 Washington 17.4 7
Michigan 20.3 4 West Virginia 10.1 32
Minnesota 11.5 27 Wisconsin 14.3 15
Mississippi 23.7 2 Wyoming 7.8 41
Missouri 14.0 17      

(1) Percentage of uninsured drivers, as measured by the ratio of uninsured motorists (UM) claims to bodily injury (BI) claim frequencies.
(2) Rank calculated from unrounded data.
(3) In Florida, compulsory auto laws apply to personal injury protection (PIP) and physical damage, but not to third-party bodily injury coverage.

Source: Insurance Research Council.

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Automobile Financial Responsibility Limits By State

(As of September 2019)

State Insurance required Minimum liability limits (1)
Alabama BI & PD liability 25/50/25
Alaska BI & PD liability 50/100/25
Arizona BI & PD liability 25/50/15 (2)
Arkansas BI & PD liability, PIP 25/50/25
California  BI & PD liability 15/30/5 (3)
Colorado BI & PD liability 25/50/15
Connecticut BI & PD liability, UM, UIM 25/50/25
Delaware BI & PD liability, PIP 25/50/10
D.C. BI & PD liability, UM 25/50/10
Florida PD liability, PIP 10/20/10 (4)
Georgia BI & PD liability 25/50/25
Hawaii BI & PD liability, PIP 20/40/10
Idaho BI & PD liability 25/50/15
Illinois BI & PD liability, UM, UIM 25/50/20
Indiana BI & PD liability 25/50/25
Iowa BI & PD liability 20/40/15
Kansas BI & PD liability, PIP 25/50/25
Kentucky BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM 25/50/25 (4)
Louisiana BI & PD liability 15/30/25
Maine BI & PD liability, UM, UIM, Medpay 50/100/25 (5)
Maryland BI & PD Liability, PIP, UM, UIM 30/60/15
Massachusetts BI & PD liability, PIP 20/40/5
Michigan BI & PD liability, PIP 20/40/10
Minnesota BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM 30/60/10
Mississippi BI & PD liability 25/50/25
Missouri BI & PD liability, UM 25/50/25
Montana BI & PD liability 25/50/20
Nebraska BI & PD liability, UM, UIM 25/50/25
Nevada BI & PD liability 25/50/20
New Hampshire FR only 25/50/25
New Jersey BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM 15/30/5 (6)
New Mexico BI & PD liability 25/50/10
New York BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM 25/50/10 (7)
North Carolina BI & PD liability, UM, UIM 30/60/25
North Dakota BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM 25/50/25
Ohio BI & PD liability 25/50/25
Oklahoma BI & PD liability 25/50/25
Oregon BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM  25/50/20
Pennsylvania BI & PD liability, PIP 15/30/5
Rhode Island BI & PD liability 25/50/25
South Carolina BI & PD liability, UM 25/50/25
South Dakota BI & PD liability, UM, UIM 25/50/25
Tennessee BI & PD liability 25/50/15 (4)
Texas BI & PD liability, PIP 30/60/25
Utah BI & PD liability, PIP 25/65/15 (4)
Vermont BI & PD liability, UM, UIM 25/50/10
Virginia BI & PD liability (8), UM, UIM 25/50/20
Washington BI & PD liability 25/50/10
West Virginia BI & PD liability, UM, UIM 25/50/25
Wisconsin BI & PD liability, UM, Medpay 25/50/10
Wyoming BI & PD liability 25/50/20

(1) The first two numbers refer to bodily injury (BI) liability limits and the third number to property damage (PD) liability. For example, 20/40/10 means coverage up to $40,000 for all persons injured in an accident, subject to a limit of $20,000 for one individual, and $10,000 coverage for property damage.
(2) Effective July 1, 2020.
(3) Low-cost policy limits for low-income drivers in the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan are 10/20/3.
(4) Instead of policy limits, policyholders can satisfy the requirement with a combined single limit policy. Amounts vary by state.
(5) In addition, policyholders must carry coverage for medical payments.
(6) Basic policy (optional) limits are 10/10/5. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage not available under the basic policy but uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is required under the standard policy. Special Automobile Insurance Policy available for certain drivers which only covers emergency treatment and a $10,000 death benefit.
(7) In addition, policyholders must have 50/100 for wrongful death coverage.
(8) Compulsory to buy insurance or pay an uninsured motorists vehicle (UMV) fee to the state department of motor vehicles.

Note: State laws regarding mandatory requirements for uninsured and underinsured motorists vary. State departments of insurance should be consulted to determine whether these coverages are compulsory.

Source: American Property Casualty Insurers Association; state departments of insurance.

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