Updated July 2026
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage steps in when the at-fault driver has no liability insurance or can't be identified after a hit-and-run. It pays your medical expenses, lost wages, and vehicle repair costs up to your policy limits. In Nevada, UM coverage mirrors your liability limits unless you reject it in writing. If you carry $25,000/$50,000 liability, your UM coverage defaults to the same unless you opt out or purchase higher limits.
- You return to your parked car and find $4,200 in damage from a side-swipe. No note, no witnesses, no police report leads to a driver. Your UM property damage coverage pays the $4,200 repair bill minus your deductible. Without UM coverage, you pay the full cost out of pocket or file under collision coverage if you carry it.
- An uninsured driver runs a red light and T-bones your vehicle. You sustain $18,000 in medical bills and your car suffers $9,500 in damage. The at-fault driver has no insurance and no assets to sue for. Your UM bodily injury coverage pays the $18,000 in medical costs, and UM property damage covers the $9,500 vehicle repair. Without UM coverage, you absorb both costs or pursue a lawsuit against a judgment-proof defendant.
- You're rear-ended while driving on a hardship license during your suspension period. The other driver is uninsured. You file a UM claim but discover your policy lapsed three months earlier when you stopped paying premiums, assuming you didn't need coverage while suspended. Your UM coverage doesn't exist because your policy doesn't exist. The $22,000 in medical bills and $11,000 in vehicle damage become your personal debt.
Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Suspended drivers pursuing reinstatement should carry UM coverage if they drive on a hardship or restricted license, because you face the same uninsured-driver risk as any other motorist but with fewer financial resources to absorb a major collision. If you're required to maintain SR-22 insurance during suspension even without driving, UM coverage adds minimal cost to a non-owner policy and protects you if you're a passenger in someone else's vehicle when an uninsured driver causes a crash. Drivers in Las Vegas, Reno, or rural Nevada counties where uninsured motorist rates exceed 10% gain significant value from UM coverage because one in ten drivers you encounter has no insurance to pay your costs after a collision.
Carry UM coverage if you're driving during suspension on a hardship license, if you lack collision coverage, or if one uninsured-driver collision would financially derail your reinstatement process. Reject UM coverage only if you're not driving at all, carry full collision and comprehensive with low deductibles, and have health insurance plus liquid savings to cover a total vehicle loss and medical bills without filing a claim.
How Much Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage typically adds $8 to $18 per month to a Nevada liability policy, or $96 to $216 annually, depending on your coverage limits and driving record.
- Your liability coverage limits — UM coverage defaults to match your liability limits in Nevada, so higher liability limits increase UM premiums proportionally.
- Your zip code's uninsured motorist rate — areas with higher percentages of uninsured drivers (Las Vegas metro, rural Nevada counties) see higher UM premiums due to increased claim frequency.
- Your claims history — prior UM claims or at-fault accidents raise your base rate because carriers view you as higher risk for future payouts.
- Whether you carry collision coverage — some carriers offer lower UM property damage rates if you already carry collision, since collision covers the same vehicle damage in different fault scenarios.
- Your suspension type and SR-22 requirement — suspended drivers with SR-22 filings face higher UM premiums because the SR-22 signals higher overall risk to the carrier, even though UM coverage protects you rather than others.