Hit by an Uninsured Driver in Massachusetts
Uninsured motorist coverage pays for your injuries and in some cases your car when the at-fault driver has no insurance at all.
What this coverage pays for
Covers
- Your medical bills Covers treatment for injuries you suffer in a crash caused by a driver with no insurance.
- Lost income Pays for wages you miss while you recover, if your injuries keep you from working.
- Pain and suffering Can pay for the physical and emotional toll of the crash, not just the bills.
- Hit and run injuries Applies when the driver who hit you takes off and is never identified.
- Passengers in your car Protects family or friends riding with you at the time, not just you as the driver.
- Injuries as a pedestrian Still applies if you're walking or cycling and an uninsured driver hits you.
Doesn't cover
- Damage to your car In many cases this coverage is written to pay for injuries only, with vehicle damage handled by collision coverage instead.
- Your own fault crashes This only applies when the other driver is at fault and uninsured, not when you caused the crash.
- Underinsured drivers automatically A driver with too little insurance falls under a related but separate coverage, which may or may not be bundled with this one.
- Damage to property other than your car Fences, mailboxes and other property damage are handled through separate property damage coverage.
- Injuries you cause to others That's what liability coverage on your own policy is for, regardless of what the other driver carries.
Worth keeping for almost everyone, no matter your age
This coverage isn't about your driving record or your car's value. It protects you when someone else does something you can't control, and that risk doesn't go down as you get older.
What matters more is how exposed you'd be without it. If a crash with an uninsured driver left you with a serious injury, your own health insurance would pick up some of it, but not lost income, not pain and suffering, and often not all of the medical bills. Savings can cover a dented bumper. They don't stretch nearly as far for a broken hip or a long recovery.
How much you drive still matters some. A driver who's cut back to short local trips faces less exposure than one who still drives highways regularly, but an uninsured driver can run a red light two miles from home just as easily as on the interstate.
Where the car sits overnight, whether it's paid off, how much it's worth, none of that changes the case for this particular coverage much, since it protects you and your passengers, not primarily the car. That's part of why it tends to be inexpensive relative to what it protects.
How a claim actually works
Most policies that include this coverage don't require a separate deductible for the injury portion, though it's worth checking your own policy since that can vary. You report the crash, identify the other driver as uninsured or unidentified, and your insurer investigates who was at fault just as they would with any claim.
Once fault is established, the payment covers your medical treatment, documented lost income and a value placed on pain and suffering, up to the limits you chose when you bought the policy. It won't pay for damage to your car unless you also carry the separate coverage that handles that.
Have the police report ready, along with medical records and any documentation of missed work. If the other driver fled the scene, a report filed close to the time of the crash matters a lot for how smoothly the claim goes.
The process can take some time if your insurer needs to confirm the other driver truly had no coverage, since that sometimes involves checking records directly with the state.
Easy to confuse with underinsured motorist coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage
Applies when the at-fault driver has no insurance at all, or can't be identified. It steps in completely in their place.
Underinsured motorist coverage
Applies when the at-fault driver has insurance, but not enough to cover your injuries. It fills the gap between what they carry and what you actually need.
Most people are better off carrying both, since you can't control which situation you end up in.
Real situations
You're stopped at a light and a driver without insurance rear-ends you, leaving you with a strained neck and missed work.
This pays, since the other driver is at fault and uninsured.
A hailstorm damages your car while it's parked outside church on a Sunday morning.
This doesn't pay, since no other driver is involved; that's a comprehensive claim.
A driver runs a stop sign, hits your car, and takes off before you get a plate number.
This pays, since hit and run situations are treated the same as an uninsured driver.
Once you know whether you want this coverage and at what limit, you're ready to compare quotes on that basis.
Questions people ask about this
How much uninsured motorist coverage should I carry?
Enough to cover a serious injury, not just a minor one. Think about what a hospital stay or lost months of income would actually cost you, since this coverage often has the same limit as your liability coverage unless you ask to change it. A financial advisor or your insurer can walk through the numbers with you.
Does uninsured motorist coverage raise my rates if I use it?
Generally no, since you weren't at fault for the crash. Insurers typically don't penalize you for a claim caused by someone else's lack of insurance, but it's worth asking your own insurer directly since practices can differ.
What if the uninsured driver is a family member?
It depends on your policy's specific exclusions, since some policies limit claims involving relatives living in your household. Read the exclusions section of your policy or ask your agent directly, as this is one area where wording varies a lot.
Can I be sued by an uninsured driver after a crash?
Yes, an uninsured driver can still sue you if they believe you were at fault, even though they broke the law by driving without insurance. Your liability coverage would respond to that kind of claim, separate from your uninsured motorist coverage.
Is uninsured motorist coverage required by law?
This varies by state, so check your own policy or ask your insurer whether it's required where you live. Some states require it, others simply require that it be offered to you.
