While uninsured motorist coverage isn’t legally required in Wyoming, it may be worth the investment because of Wyoming's status as an at-fault state and the rate of uninsured drivers.

The only coverage required by

Wyoming car insurance law

liability coverage

. You can purchase additional options as well, including collision insurance, personal injury protection, and uninsured motorist insurance. Expanding beyond the minimum coverage required by your state is a good idea if you want to avoid having to pay out of pocket after an accident.

If you want to know more about why and how you should get uninsured motorist coverage in Wyoming, you can turn to

Jerry

for answers. The

car insurance

super app is backed by a huge network of the nation's top providers, as well as a team of experts and brokers to answer all of your auto insurance questions whenever you have them. To get you started, here’s Jerry’s guide to uninsured motorist coverage in the Cowboy State and whether or not you might need to add it to your insurance policy. Plus, we'll throw in a tip on how to save on your

Wyoming car insurance costs

Do you need uninsured motorist coverage in Wyoming?

uninsured motorist coverage

isn’t required by law in Wyoming, but does that mean you don’t need it?

It depends on how careful you want to be on the road. The

Insurance Information Institute

reports that 8.7% of Wyoming drivers are uninsured. That’s lower than the national average of 12.6%, but that still means that nearly a tenth of Wyoming drivers are on the road without insurance.

When you take into account that Wyoming is also an at-fault state, that becomes an even bigger concern for drivers who are insured.

Let’s break that down: In an at-fault state, the financial responsibility after an accident falls on the driver who is found liable. For instance, if you cause an accident and the other driver sustains $10,000 worth of damage to their car, your liability coverage would pay for that.

Now, let's say the situation was reversed, and you were involved in an accident where the other driver was at fault, but your car was damaged. Typically, the other driver's liability insurance would pay for your costs. If they were one of the nearly 9% of drivers without the legally required insurance, however, they would not have the protection needed to cover you.

Even if the other driver did have coverage, Wyoming's minimum liability requirements of $25,000 per person for

bodily injury

, $50,000 total per accident for bodily injury, and $20,000

property damage

coverage are a bit low. That means there is still a chance that the costs incurred by an accident may exceed them and leave you in the lurch.

Because of this, it may be a good idea to add uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to your policy in Wyoming. This add-on can cover the costs that are left by the other drivers' lack of policy, or lack of sufficient coverage. It can also be helpful if your own personal injury protection won’t cover your full costs.

Plus, it’s an affordable addition, costing an average of between $50 and $75 a year on top of the average insurance cost.

MORE:

Here’s what happens if you’re in a car accident without insurance and at fault

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How uninsured motorist insurance works in Wyoming

So you know what uninsured motorist coverage is, now let's break down how it works. In Wyoming, the minimum liability requirements are:

$25,000 per person for bodily injury

$50,000 total per accident for bodily injury

$20,000 property damage liability coverage

That’s all that is needed to be on the road and will cover the other driver's repair costs if you are at fault in an accident.

You are not required to have any insurance in Wyoming that will cover your own costs, though, such as

personal injury protection

collision coverage

. Those add-ons may bump your rate up a bit, but they can also lead to major savings in the event of an accident that results in you having to pay the cost for your own repairs or injuries.

What’s available

In Wyoming, there are four types of these policies available:

Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UM/UMBI) will cover your medical expenses, as well as those of your passengers, after an accident with a driver without any insurance coverage if they are found at fault.

Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) may pay for damage to your vehicle if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver.

Underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UIM/UIMBI) will cover your medical expenses and those of your passengers if you are in an accident with another driver whose insurance isn’t enough to cover your costs.

Underinsured motorist property damage (UIMPD) may pay for damage to your vehicle if you are involved in an accident with a driver with insufficient coverage.

While Wyoming does not require either of these policies, it does mandate that every insurance company offer at least $25,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person, which you can decline in writing if you choose to.

MORE:

What is a no-fault state?

What it covers

It's true that UM/UIM bodily injury coverage in Wyoming will cover medical expenses for you and your passengers, but it will also cover:

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

How to make a claim

Just as is the case with any other accident, you need to be sure to collect as much information as possible after it occurs and document what you can. Once making sure everyone is safe and out of harm's way, and that those who need it have received medical attention, you’ll want to start collecting what you will need for a claim.

Exchange information with the other driver, including insurance information. If they are uninsured, and you have UM or UIM coverage, you’ll need to call your insurance company to file a claim.

When you are making your claim, it’s helpful to have as much evidence to support you as possible. That includes police reports, medical bills, photos of the scene, witness statements, and anything else that will back you up.

Keep in mind that this coverage isn’t infinite, though. If your costs exceed the limits on your UM or UIM coverage, the remainder of them may have to be paid by health insurance or out of pocket.

MORE:

Does health insurance cover car accident injuries?

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Why it’s a good idea to buy uninsured motorist insurance in Wyoming

Buying uninsured motorist insurance in Wyoming will up the cost by a bit, but it is often worth it in the long run for the added protection. Plus, the car insurance broker app Jerry can help you keep the costs down on even more robust policies thanks to their comparison shopping tool.

Considering uninsured motorist insurance in Wyoming? Here’s why you may want to take the plunge.

Wyoming is an at-fault state

Wyoming is one of the 38 states in the nation to be considered an “at-fault” state. This means that the driver who is found responsible for the accident must rely on their liability insurance to cover the other driver's costs.

If you are in an accident with a driver without insurance, though, especially if you yourself don’t have any additional coverage beyond the minimum, there will be no financial cushion for you to rely on to ease or cover the expenses.

And while you can always turn to a personal injury lawyer to take legal action to recoup the cost, the price of an attorney can quickly rack up as well.

MORE:

The amount of uninsured drivers on the road

8.7% of Wyoming drivers are uninsured

With 8.7% of drivers being uninsured, Wyoming falls behind the national average of 12%. Still, there is a good chance that you may be involved in an accident with a driver without coverage.

Even the drivers who do have coverage might only have a policy that meets the minimum, leaving you wanting if your costs exceed those rates.

MORE:

How police catch uninsured drivers

Wyoming is one of the most dangerous places to drive

In 2019, Wyoming was named the most dangerous state for drivers by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

While they are no longer number one, they have remained in one of the top spots for most dangerous states to drive for the last few years. That means higher accident rates and more dangerous roads, and more need for a policy that has you covered in every event.

How to save on uninsured motorist coverage in Wyoming

For many people, the only thing holding them back from adding uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage to their policy is the cost. While it is typically a relatively affordable addition to make, it can still feel like a lot when it comes to the bottom line.

Luckily, you have a partner on your side to keep the cost down and your coverage high:

Jerry

. The

trustworthy licensed broker app

is a comparison shopping super tool, backed by an extensive network of providers and a team of experts.

All you have to do is sign up, answer a few questions, and let Jerry do the work of comparing quotes and collecting the most competitive ones in your area. Then, select the policy that suits you, and let Jerry help you set up your new coverage. They can even help you cancel your old one upon request!

“When we added a new car to our family, we were shocked at how high our current insurer was going to hike our rates. We used
Jerry
for some comparison shopping and are now saving around $1000 a year. Thank you, Jerry!” —Darius P.

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