ABA Family Legal Guide

Automobiles

Accidents and Insurance

Insurance

Do I have to buy uninsured motorist coverage?

It depends where you live. Some states now require drivers to purchase such coverage, which enables you to collect from your insurer if you are injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver. The insurance carrier, in turn, receives subrogation rights against the uninsured wrongdoer; that is, the carrier takes your place (and your rights) as the legal claimant against the uninsured driver. Skyrocketing hospital costs, combined with a tight economy that causes many people to underinsure (or fail to insure) their vehicles, make this coverage a good idea.