Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays for your injuries and vehicle damage when the at-fault driver has no insurance or insufficient coverage to pay your claim.
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What Is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured motorist coverage pays your medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle repair costs when a driver with no insurance injures you or damages your car. Underinsured motorist coverage activates when the at-fault driver carries liability insurance, but their limits are too low to cover your full claim. Both coverages step in where the other driver's policy stops, up to the limits you purchase. South Carolina law does not require either coverage, but carriers must offer it when you buy a policy.
- A vehicle sideswipes your car in a parking lot and flees. You have dashcam footage showing the impact but cannot identify the driver. Your uninsured motorist property damage coverage pays for the repair because you documented contact. If you had no footage and no witness, most carriers deny the claim under the hit-and-run exclusion.
Who Needs Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
If you can absorb that loss and prefer to save the premium, South Carolina law allows you to reject the coverage in writing.
How Much Does Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
- Coverage limits you select—higher uninsured motorist limits cost more, and most carriers require your uninsured motorist limit to match or stay below your liability limit.
- Whether you add uninsured motorist property damage—bodily injury coverage alone costs less than adding property damage protection.
- Your liability limit—carriers price uninsured motorist coverage as a percentage of your liability premium, so higher liability limits increase the uninsured motorist cost.
- County uninsured driver rate—counties with higher percentages of uninsured drivers see slightly higher uninsured motorist premiums due to increased claim frequency.
