Uninsured Motorist Coverage in New York: Do You Need It?
New York requires that all car insurance policies include uninsured motorist coverage, but underinsured motorist coverage is optional!
Written by Kornelia Drianovski
Edited by Kianna Walpole
New York State requires that all car insurance policies include $25,000 or more of
uninsured motorist coverage
(UM), but underinsured motorist coverage is optional. - The state of New York mandates a minimum of $25,000 uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, while underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage is optional.
- New York's uninsured motorist insurance requirement aims to safeguard accident victims against uninsured, hit-and-run, and inadequately insured drivers.
- While UM insurance covers your medical costs if you get in an auto accident with an uninsured driver, supplemental underinsured motorist coverage (SUM) is an optional coverage which helps protect you against underinsured drivers.
- The state of New York mandates a minimum of $25,000 uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, while underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage is optional.
- New York's uninsured motorist insurance requirement aims to safeguard accident victims against uninsured, hit-and-run, and inadequately insured drivers.
- While UM insurance covers your medical costs if you get in an auto accident with an uninsured driver, supplemental underinsured motorist coverage (SUM) is an optional coverage which helps protect you against underinsured drivers.
You must purchase uninsured motorist coverage in New York
Uninsured motorist coverage
(UM) is legally required in New York State as part of state insurance laws. All drivers must have a car insurance policy that includes $25,000 or more of UM coverage. In addition, all drivers must hold a certain level of liability insurance coverage (including
property damage liability
and bodily injury liability coverage
), as well as personal injury protection (PIP)
, as New York is a no-fault state
. Liability insurance pays for other drivers’ repairs if you’re at fault in an accident, while PIP covers your medical bills and related expenses.
Although UM provides coverage for your medical payments when an uninsured driver is at fault, New York has an additional type of coverage called supplemental underinsured motorist coverage, or SUM. Supplementary uninsured is for when at-fault drivers have insurance but not enough to pay for your medical expenses.
Keep in mind: The initial payments toward medical expenses will come from your PIP coverage first from any accident, regardless of who is at fault. Once those limits are exhausted, UM/SUM (whichever is appropriate for the situation) will kick in automatically—this is especially important considering the high cost of medical treatment in New York.
How uninsured motorist insurance works in New York
According to the
Insurance Information Institute (III)
, approximately 4.1% of all drivers in New York are uninsured. Though, fortunately, New York is among the nation's leaders when it comes to insured drivers, there are still several drivers without insurance coverage. Combined with those who lack robust coverage, this forms a significant chunk of drivers whose insurance might not cover motor vehicle accident-related damages to your vehicle.
UM coverage supplements the rest of your car insurance policy and covers your medical expenses (and those of your passengers) after an accident with an uninsured driver. While these requirements may make your policy slightly more expensive, they are intended to protect you and your wallet.
What’s available
Even though your basic policy will include at least $25,000 of uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage and up to $50,000 per accident, more robust coverage is available.
You may choose to purchase higher levels of both uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage and supplemental underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage.
Insurance experts recommend carrying UM/SUM coverage equal to what you selected for bodily injury liability so that you protect yourself and the people in your car as much as you’re willing to protect others.
Basically, if you have bodily injury coverage of $100,000 per person and up to $300,000 per accident, make sure to at least match those limits with your UM coverage.
What it covers
As we mentioned earlier, the required UM bodily injury coverage offered in New York will cover medical expenses for you and your passengers—including ER bills, surgical costs, and beyond:
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Long-term rehabilitative or nursing care
- Medical devices such as wheelchairs
- Retrofitting your house to accommodate a disability caused by the accident
- Services such as yard work or cleaning that you’re no longer able to do
- Pain and suffering (under certain circumstances)
Meanwhile, if you get optional SUM coverage, it will pay for non-economic losses as well. Non-economic losses include:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional trauma
- Other losses that are harder to quantify than medical bills or lost wages
How to make a claim
After a car accident
, it’s essential to gather personal and insurance information from all parties involved. In most cases, you won't know if the other driver is an active policyholder or not, but don't worry—that is for your claims adjuster to worry about. The main point is to always contact your claims department if you are involved in an accident.
They may ask you to provide certain documentation (medical records, traffic crash reports, hospital bills, etc.), which can often be done via your car insurance provider’s app.
If you or a passenger is injured, simply give the medical provider your car insurance information instead of your health insurance information, and they will contact your insurance carrier for you.
Why you need uninsured motorist insurance in New York
Obviously, UM coverage is required by New York law—but it may be a good idea to purchase an amount beyond
New York State policy limits
and/or to add on SUM coverage. Although it will ultimately raise your car insurance rate, it’s still likely a good investment. Here’s why:Healthcare in New York is expensive
New Yorkers spend more on medical expenses than the average American. Healthcare in the Empire State is getting less and less affordable, and there’s a good chance that your health insurance policy (if you have one) lacks sufficient coverage to pay for some of the more astronomical bills.
New York is #4 in the nation for hit-and-run accidents
SUM coverage can also help you if you’re unlucky enough to end up in a hit-and-run accident.
From 2010 to 2019, NY had the four highest number of hit-and-run accidents—or crashes where the at-fault driver fled the scene. Even if you
report the hit-and-run
, you won’t be able to file a claim with their insurance since they’re not present at the scene of the accident. And if you only have liability limit coverage, your insurance will not cover a hit-and-run either.Over 4% of New York drivers are uninsured
Once again, 4% may not sound like a large amount—but consider the fact that there are well over 12 million licensed drivers in the state. That means that about 500,000 New York drivers lack car insurance.
How to save on uninsured motorist coverage in New York
Since UM coverage is mandatory in New York—and investing in UIM coverage is probably a good idea—it’s important to think about how you’ll save money on such a comprehensive car insurance policy.
Cue
Jerry
—the super app that makes comparison shopping for car insurance fast and easy, resulting in some major savings. It’s this simple: Download the Jerry app or go to getjerry.com. In less than a minute, Jerry collects all of your information from your existing insurer. Choose from competitive quotes from top insurance companies, and
trustworthy licensed broker app
Jerry takes care of the rest. No long forms. No calling around. No hard work. Just savings. The average Jerry user saves over $800 a year on car insurance!
FAQs
What is the minimum uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage that I need in New York state?
In the state of New York, every driver must possess an auto insurance policy that meets the legal requirement of at least 25/50/10 in liability coverage, which includes $25,000 for bodily injury per individual and $50,000 for bodily injury per incident.
Does uninsured motorist insurance cover hit-and-runs in New York?
Yes, UM insurance covers hit-and-run accidents in New York. If you’re involved in a hit-and run accident where the other driver cannot be identified or located, your UM insurance can provide you with compensation for your injuries or damages.
Important note: In the event of a hit-and-run, you need to file an uninsured motorist claim with your carrier within 90 days of the accident.
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