Insurance can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s important to understand your insurance coverages so you’re able to best protect you and your family on the road. Here’s everything you need to know about uninsured motorist coverage in Pennsylvania.
What is an uninsured motorist?
An uninsured motorist is one that does not carry auto insurance. Insurance is a requirement for drivers in most states, but this does not mean every driver on the road is following the law. A driver without insurance may not be able to pay for the damages they cause in an accident.
That’s where uninsured motorist coverage comes in. This protects you, your family members who live in the same household as you, and passengers if hit by a driver who is operating their vehicle without insurance. It may also pay for injuries sustained in hit-and-run accidents.
Similarly, underinsured motorist coverage helps protect you from damages caused by a driver with liability limits that don’t fully cover the injuries you sustained.
These coverages do not help pay for damages to your car. Your optional collision coverage would help pay for physical damage to your car in this case.
Accidents with an uninsured driver
If you’ve been involved in any accident, you should exchange information with the other driver. Record their insurance policy number if available, and take down their phone number and license plate number. Call the police and file a police report. Then, contact your auto insurance carrier and open a claim.
If you were the victim of a hit-and-run, you probably won’t have much information. Call the police and tell the officer everything you can remember about the accident. Contact your insurance carrier and open a claim.
This process can sound intimidating, but we’re here to help. Plymouth Rock makes it easy to file a claim, and we’ll guide you through every step. Our skilled adjusters will review the accident and make sure your claim is settled quickly.
How can you protect yourself and your family?
The best way to protect yourself and your family from uninsured or underinsured motorists and hit-and-run accidents is to carry both coverages.
In Pennsylvania, there’s a minimum limit of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage if you choose to carry them. You can always purchase more, up to your bodily injury liability limit for each.
| Coverage | Minimum Limits | Maximum Limits |
| Uninsured motorists | $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident | Up to your bodily injury liability limit |
| Underinsured motorists | $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident | Up to your bodily injury liability limit |
In Pennsylvania, you can choose to stack your UM coverage and/or UIM coverage. This multiplies your coverage for UM or UIM by the number of vehicles on your policy. The stacked coverages only apply to you and your family.
Remember that uninsured motorist coverage does not cover physical damage to your car. If you want to protect your vehicle, collision coverage helps pay for damage sustained from hitting another vehicle or object. It also covers cases like if you return to find that your car had been hit while it was parked.
Still have questions about car insurance in Pennsylvania? We’ll be happy to help. Contact us and one of our friendly insurance specialists will guide you through coverage options.
