Is It Bad to Use Your Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Filing an uninsured motorist claim isn't the same as being at fault, and in most cases it won't be held against you the way an at-fault accident would.
No, it isn't bad to use it
You paid for uninsured motorist coverage so that you'd have it the day someone without insurance hit you. Using it is not a mark against you the way causing an accident would be. The claim goes to your insurer because the other driver has no insurer to pay instead.
What happens to your rate after that depends on your state and your insurer. Some states don't allow insurers to raise your rate for a claim that wasn't your fault, uninsured motorist claims included. Ask your insurer directly how they treat these claims and whether your state has a rule about it.
Whether your state protects no-fault claims from rate increases
A number of states have rules that stop an insurer from raising your premium because of a claim where you weren't at fault. If your state is one of them, an uninsured motorist claim shouldn't move your rate at all, because the accident itself wasn't your doing.
If your state doesn't have that rule, the insurer has more room to decide how to treat the claim. Some will still leave your rate alone since fault clearly sat with the other driver. Others weigh any claim, regardless of fault, when they set your renewal premium.
The only way to know which applies to you is to ask your insurer or check with your state's insurance department. Don't assume either way until you've confirmed it.
What the claim itself involves
An uninsured motorist claim still means a claim gets opened, a file gets created, and your insurer records what happened. That's true even where your rate can't legally be raised for it.
Some drivers hesitate to file because they worry a claim on record looks bad no matter the cause. In practice, insurers that pull your claims history can usually see whether you were at fault or not, and a no-fault claim reads differently than one where you caused the damage.
If you're close to a policy renewal, it's worth asking your insurer how they'll record this specific claim and whether it affects anything beyond the payout itself, like future eligibility for certain discounts.
Questions people ask about this
Will my insurance company go after the uninsured driver to get their money back?
Often, yes, through a process called subrogation. Your insurer can pursue the at-fault driver directly for what they paid out on your claim. Ask your adjuster whether they plan to do this and whether any deductible you paid could be recovered too.
Do I have to report the accident to the uninsured driver's state or the DMV?
That depends on your state's reporting rules, not on whether the other driver had insurance. Most states require any accident over a certain threshold of damage or injury to be reported regardless of fault. Check your state's specific requirement rather than assuming the lack of insurance changes it.
Can the uninsured driver still be held responsible even though I used my own coverage?
Yes, using your uninsured motorist coverage doesn't release the other driver from responsibility for the accident. They can still face consequences separately, including from their state for driving without insurance, and your insurer's subrogation effort is part of holding them accountable.
Should I still get a police report if the other driver has no insurance?
Yes, a police report matters even more when the other driver is uninsured, since it's often the clearest record of what happened and who was at fault. Your insurer will likely ask for it when you file the uninsured motorist claim.
Does using uninsured motorist coverage count against my claims history the same as an at-fault accident?
It's recorded as a claim, but not as an at-fault accident, and most insurers track the two differently. Ask your insurer how a no-fault uninsured motorist claim appears on your record and whether it affects anything like a safe driver discount.
If you're wondering whether this claim will cost you at renewal, it's worth comparing what other insurers would charge you now.
Call your insurer and ask two things plainly: whether your state restricts rate increases for no-fault claims, and how they personally handle uninsured motorist claims on a renewal. Have your policy number and the police report ready, since they'll likely ask for both. If you're unsure what your state allows, your state insurance department's website usually has a plain answer. Once you know how your current insurer treats this, it's a good time to see what a quote looks like elsewhere, especially if your renewal is coming up soon.
