Updated July 2026
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) is a policy add-on that covers your medical expenses, lost wages, and vehicle damage when you're hit by a driver who has no insurance or whose liability limits are too low to cover your losses. It functions as a backup layer — your own policy steps in to pay what the at-fault driver's policy should have covered. West Virginia does not require UM coverage, but carriers must offer it and you must decline it in writing if you choose not to carry it.
- You're rear-ended at a stoplight by a driver with no insurance. You have $18,000 in medical bills and $6,000 in vehicle damage. The at-fault driver has no policy to file against. Your UM coverage pays the $18,000 in medical costs up to your UM bodily injury limit, and if you carry UM property damage, it pays the $6,000 vehicle repair minus your deductible. Without UM, you pay out of pocket or sue the driver directly — a process that rarely recovers meaningful money from someone who couldn't afford insurance in the first place.
- A driver sideswiped your car on I-64 and fled the scene. You have $9,500 in vehicle damage and $4,200 in medical bills from whiplash treatment. The driver is never identified. Your UM coverage treats this as an uninsured motorist claim and pays both the medical bills and the vehicle damage up to your policy limits. Without UM, your only option is collision coverage for the vehicle damage — which doesn't exist if you carry liability-only — and health insurance for medical costs, leaving you responsible for deductibles and copays the at-fault driver should have covered.
- You're hit by a driver carrying West Virginia's minimum liability limits of $25,000 per person. You sustain $42,000 in medical expenses from a back injury requiring surgery. The at-fault driver's liability policy pays its $25,000 limit and stops. If you carry Underinsured Motorist Coverage — a companion to UM that covers gaps between the at-fault driver's limits and your actual losses — your policy pays the remaining $17,000. Without underinsured coverage, you absorb the $17,000 shortfall or pursue the at-fault driver personally, which is often unrecoverable.
Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
You need UM coverage if you're reinstating your license after a suspension and carrying liability-only or a non-owner policy — a crash with an uninsured driver leaves you fully exposed without it. It's critical if you cannot afford to pay medical bills or vehicle repairs out of pocket after someone else causes a crash. If you're required to maintain continuous insurance as a reinstatement condition, UM ensures you're protected during the coverage period, not just compliant on paper.
If your savings cannot cover $10,000–$30,000 in medical bills and vehicle repairs after a crash, carry UM coverage at limits matching your liability policy. If you're reinstating after suspension and need a non-owner policy, add UM bodily injury — it's inexpensive on non-owner policies and protects you in any vehicle you drive. If you already carry collision and comprehensive, UM property damage is optional; focus your budget on UM bodily injury limits high enough to cover serious injury costs.
How Much Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
Uninsured Motorist Coverage typically adds $8–$18 per month ($96–$216 annually) to a West Virginia liability policy, depending on your UM limits and whether you add UM property damage.
- Your UM bodily injury limits — higher limits ($100,000/$300,000) cost more than state minimum matching ($25,000/$50,000).
- Whether you add UM property damage coverage, which is sold separately in West Virginia and covers vehicle damage from uninsured drivers.
- Your ZIP code — areas with higher uninsured driver rates or claim frequency see higher UM premiums.
- Whether you stack UM coverage across multiple vehicles on the same policy, which multiplies your available UM limits but increases cost proportionally.
- Your driving record and claims history — carriers price UM based on your overall risk profile, not just the uninsured driver rate in your area.