Updated June 2026
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured motorist coverage protects you when another driver causes an accident but has no liability insurance to pay your claim. It covers your medical expenses, lost wages, and in some states vehicle damage when the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured. Iowa requires carriers to offer UM/UIM but you can decline it in writing — most suspended drivers keeping a policy active for reinstatement should keep it because you remain liable for accidents even if you're not legally driving.
- You're stopped at a red light and rear-ended by a driver with no insurance. You have $25,000 in medical bills and $8,000 in vehicle damage. The at-fault driver has no coverage to pay your claim. If you carry $50,000 UM bodily injury and $25,000 UM property damage, your policy pays both the medical bills and the vehicle repair in full. Without UM, you pay out of pocket or sue the uninsured driver directly — a process that rarely recovers meaningful amounts.
- A driver runs a stop sign, hits your car, and flees the scene. You have $12,000 in injuries and $6,500 in vehicle damage but no plate number or witness. Iowa UM coverage treats verified hit-and-run accidents the same as uninsured motorist claims. Your UM bodily injury pays the medical costs and UM property damage pays the repair if you carry it. Most policies require you to report the hit-and-run to police within 24–72 hours to qualify.
- Another driver causes an accident and has Iowa's minimum $20,000 bodily injury liability. Your medical bills total $45,000. The other driver's liability pays the first $20,000. If you carry $50,000 underinsured motorist coverage, your policy pays the remaining $25,000. Without UIM, you're responsible for the $25,000 gap unless you sue the driver personally — an option that rarely produces payment.
Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Suspended drivers maintaining a policy for Iowa reinstatement should keep UM coverage because you remain financially liable for accidents even if your license is suspended — if an uninsured driver hits you while you're a passenger or your parked car is struck, UM pays the claim. Drivers with a non-owner SR-22 policy should add UM because non-owner policies cover you in any vehicle you drive, and hit-and-run or uninsured claims are common in borrowed or rental car situations. If you can't afford to cover $15,000–$30,000 in medical bills out of pocket after an accident caused by someone else, UM is the only coverage that protects you when the other driver has nothing.
Start with this: if an uninsured driver totaled your car tomorrow and sent you to the ER, could you cover the costs without financial hardship? If no, carry UM with limits equal to your liability coverage — it costs $10–$18/month and is the only protection when the other driver has nothing. If you're keeping insurance active only to satisfy SR-22 reinstatement and rarely drive, keep at least $25,000/$50,000 UM bodily injury but skip UM property damage if you don't own a car.
How Much Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
Adding uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to an Iowa liability-only policy costs $8–$18/month or $95–$215/year depending on your limits and county.
- Your UM bodily injury limit — higher limits cost more but $50,000/$100,000 is common and adds only $6–$12/month over minimum coverage.
- Whether you add UM property damage — this covers vehicle repair after a hit-and-run or uninsured driver claim and adds $3–$6/month.
- Your county's uninsured driver rate — Iowa counties with higher uninsured motorist rates price UM coverage higher because claims are more frequent.
- Stacking vs non-stacking — stacked UM coverage combines limits across multiple vehicles on the policy and costs 15–25% more but pays significantly higher in multi-car households.
- Your driving record and license status — suspended drivers pay higher base premiums but UM is calculated as a percentage of that base, so the UM add itself scales with your total rate.