Updated July 2026
What Is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured motorist coverage has two parts: bodily injury and property damage. The bodily injury portion pays your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering when an uninsured driver causes a crash. The property damage portion covers repairs to your vehicle. Underinsured motorist coverage works the same way, but it kicks in when the at-fault driver carries liability insurance that's too low to cover your full losses — you collect their policy limit first, then your underinsured coverage pays the remaining gap up to your policy limit.
- You're rear-ended at a stoplight by a driver with no insurance. You have $8,000 in medical bills and $4,500 in vehicle damage. Without uninsured motorist coverage, you pay all of it yourself or sue the driver, who likely has no assets. With $25,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage and $25,000 in property damage coverage, your policy pays the full $12,500.
- A driver runs a red light and T-bones your car. You have $35,000 in medical expenses. The at-fault driver carries Missouri's minimum liability limit of $25,000 per person. Their insurer pays you $25,000. If you carry $50,000 in underinsured motorist coverage, your policy pays the remaining $10,000. Without underinsured coverage, you're responsible for that $10,000 gap.
- A driver sideswiped your car on the highway and fled. You have $6,000 in vehicle damage and $3,200 in medical bills. If you carry uninsured motorist coverage with property damage, your policy treats the unknown driver as uninsured and pays your claim. Without it, you file under your collision coverage if you have it, or you pay out of pocket.
Who Needs Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
You should carry this coverage if you drive frequently in areas with high uninsured driver rates, if you don't have health insurance that covers car crash injuries, or if you can't afford to pay thousands in medical bills or vehicle repairs out of pocket after a crash caused by someone else. It's also critical if you're financing a vehicle — a totaled car and a remaining loan balance is a financial disaster if the at-fault driver carries no insurance.
Compare the annual cost of this coverage to your health insurance deductible and your vehicle's value. If your health plan has a $5,000 deductible and you're paying $150 per year for $50,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage, you're paying 3 percent of that deductible annually to avoid paying it after a crash caused by an uninsured driver. If one in seven Missouri drivers is uninsured, the math favors carrying it unless you have both excellent health coverage and cash reserves to replace your vehicle.
How Much Does Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
Uninsured motorist coverage typically adds $8 to $18 per month to your premium, or roughly $95 to $215 annually, depending on your coverage limits and location.
- Coverage limits you select — higher limits cost more, but the per-dollar cost drops as limits increase.
- Whether you add property damage coverage in addition to bodily injury coverage.
- Your county's uninsured driver rate — St. Louis and Kansas City metro areas see higher uninsured rates and slightly higher premiums for this coverage.
- Your own driving record — carriers price this coverage based partly on your likelihood of filing any claim, not just uninsured motorist claims.
- Whether you stack coverage across multiple vehicles on your policy, which some carriers allow for an additional cost.