Road Justice Tip: Call your insurance agent today and ask two questions: “Do I have UM/UIM coverage?” and “What are my limits?” If the answer is no or the limits are low, fix it now — before you need it. INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE TO OFFER THIS TO YOU, BUT DO NOT WANT TO BECAUSE OF HOW CHEAP IT IS COMPARED TO LIABILITY COVERAGE. DO—NOT—DECLINE!
Hip Fire: Quick Bullets Nailing The Answers Covered in this FAQ
(detail with sources below)
- UM/UIM stands for Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage. It protects YOU when the driver who hits you has no insurance or not enough insurance.
- Texas has a dangerously high uninsured driver rate — somewhere between 14% and 20% of drivers on the road have no insurance at all.
- Because motorcycle injuries are typically far more severe than car injuries, the medical bills add up fast — often way past what the other driver’s policy covers.
- UM/UIM pays for your medical bills, lost wages, and even pain and suffering, up to your own policy limits.
- Texas motorcycle insurance experts strongly recommend carrying UM/UIM at the same limits as your liability coverage.
- This is the single most important coverage a rider can add to their policy. It protects you from other people’s bad decisions.
A trusted Texas motorcycle accident lawyer can review your policy, identify gaps in coverage, and help you pursue UM/UIM benefits when an insurance company tries to delay or undervalue your claim.
What UM/UIM Actually Does
Let us break this down into the simplest possible terms. UM/UIM coverage is insurance you buy on YOUR policy that pays YOU when someone else causes a crash and either has no insurance at all (that is the “UM” — uninsured motorist part) or does not have enough insurance to cover your injuries (that is the “UIM” — underinsured motorist part).
Think of it like this: you cannot control whether the driver who runs a red light and plows into you has good insurance, bad insurance, or no insurance. But you can control whether you are protected when that happens. UM/UIM is that protection.
The Uninsured Driver Problem in Texas
Texas has one of the highest uninsured driver rates in the country. According to data from the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) and the Insurance Information Institute (III), somewhere between 14% and 20% of Texas drivers are rolling around with no insurance at all. That means roughly one out of every five to seven drivers you share the road with has zero coverage. If one of them hits you on your motorcycle, where does the money for your medical bills come from? Without UM coverage, it comes from your own pocket.
This is why a dedicated motorcycle accident lawyer in Texas will often immediately review your insurance policies after a crash to identify UM/UIM coverage, trigger all available benefits, and ensure the insurance company doesn’t deny or undervalue your claim.
Source: Texas Department of Insurance (TDI); Insurance Information Institute (III) — Uninsured Motorist Statistics
Why This Is Even More Critical for Riders
When a car hits another car, the people inside usually have airbags, seatbelts, and a steel cage around them. When a car hits a motorcycle, the rider has… a helmet and maybe some protective gear. The injuries are almost always worse. More broken bones. More surgeries. Longer hospital stays. More physical therapy. The bills pile up faster and higher than they do in a car-on-car crash. Now imagine all of that, and the driver who hit you has either no insurance or a $30,000 minimum policy. UM/UIM fills that gap.
What UM/UIM Covers
- Medical expenses — from the ER to long-term rehabilitation.
- Lost wages — income you miss while recovering.
- Pain and suffering — yes, unlike some coverages, UM/UIM can pay for non-economic damages too.
- It pays up to whatever limits you selected on your own policy.
Most Texas motorcycle insurance providers strongly recommend carrying UM/UIM coverage at the same limits as your liability coverage. If you carry 100/300/100 liability, carry 100/300 UM/UIM. The cost difference is usually modest compared to the protection it provides. If you’re unsure whether your current policy includes adequate UM/UIM coverage, speak with your insurance provider or contact a proven motorcycle accident lawyer in Texas to review your coverage and protect yourself before an accident happens.