Uninsured Motorist Coverage — Colorado
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays your medical bills and vehicle damage when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little to cover your losses.
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What Is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) pays when an at-fault driver has no insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) pays when their liability limits fall short of your damages. Both cover medical expenses, lost wages, and vehicle repair costs up to your policy limits. You file the claim with your own carrier, not the at-fault driver's.
- A driver sideswibes your car and flees. Witnesses provide a partial plate number, but police never locate the driver. If you carry UM coverage and can document the incident, your policy may cover medical bills. Your collision coverage handles the vehicle damage regardless of whether the other driver is found.
Who Needs Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Carry UM/UIM if you drive in metro areas with high uninsured rates, if your health insurance has high deductibles or excludes auto accident injuries, or if you finance a vehicle and collision coverage alone won't cover a total loss caused by an uninsured driver. It's the only coverage that pays your medical bills when the at-fault driver has no insurance and you don't carry medical payments coverage.
If your health insurance has a high deductible or excludes auto injuries, UM medical coverage fills that gap. Compare the annual premium to your health insurance deductible and your vehicle's value to decide if the cost justifies the protection.
How Much Does Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
- Your UM/UIM limit selection — matching your liability limits costs more but closes the coverage gap if an uninsured driver causes serious injury.
- Stacking election — stacked UM/UIM multiplies your per-vehicle limit by the number of insured vehicles, increasing both coverage and premium.
- Deductible structure — some Colorado carriers offer UM property damage with a deductible, reducing premium but requiring out-of-pocket payment before coverage applies.
- Collision coverage interaction — carriers price UM property damage lower if you already carry collision, since collision covers most hit-and-run vehicle damage.
- County uninsured driver rate — Denver and Pueblo counties have higher uninsured motorist rates than statewide averages, which can increase UM/UIM pricing.
- Claims history — prior UM claims signal higher risk to carriers and raise renewal premiums more than liability-only claims.
