UM/UIM stands for uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist insurance coverage.
UM/UIM insurance is a default insurance coverage on all Virginia auto insurance policies, and it automatically matches your bodily injury and property damage liability coverages.
Bodily injury and property damage coverage provide you with insurance if you cause damages to someone else.
However, UM/UIM coverage provides you with insurance if a driver without insurance (or with too little insurance) hurts you in an accident.
According to a March 22, 2021, report from the Insurance Research Counsel, an estimated 10.5% of drivers on Virginia roads don’t have auto insurance, so UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Virginia Auto Insurance
Effective January 1, 2022, the minimum auto insurance coverage in Virginia is $30,000 for bodily injury to one person.
UM/UIM coverage automatically matches this coverage. So, if you have $30,000 for bodily injury, you also have $30,000 in UM/UIM coverage.
Likewise, if you have higher bodily injury coverage – say $100,000 – you have a corresponding $100,000 in UM/UIM coverage.
Effective January 1, 2025, the minimum auto insurance coverage in Virginia will increase to $50,000 for bodily injury to one person.
It is very important to have sufficient insurance coverage. We recommend $1,000,000 in coverage.
If you are involved in a serious motor vehicle accident, your damages could easily be $1,000,000 or more.
Be sure you have enough insurance to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Stacking Insurance Policies in Virginia
Stacking insurance policies means being able to access coverage from multiple liability insurance policies. Under current law, an injured person can stack UM/UIM policies in the following order of priority:
- The policy covers a motor vehicle occupied by the injured person at the time of the accident;
- The policy covering a motor vehicle not involved in the accident under which the injured person is a named insured;
- The policy covers a motor vehicle not involved in the accident under which the injured person is an insured other than a named insured.
In addition, beginning in July 2023, Virginia drivers will be able to stack their UM/UIM coverage on top of an at-fault driver’s policy, which will work like this: say a driver with $100,000 in bodily injury coverage injures you in a motor vehicle accident, but you have $500,000 in UM/UIM coverage.
After July 2023, you will have $600,000 in available insurance to pay for your personal injury damages.
Umbrella Insurance in Virginia
Umbrella insurance is an additional liability insurance policy. Your auto insurance or homeowners’ insurance carrier may offer umbrella insurance.
Typically, it only covers damages you cause others and is not a source of insurance coverage for your own damages.
This is another reason why you should have a large UM/UIM insurance policy.
Where To Find Your UM/UIM Coverage
You can find your UM/UIM coverage by looking at your declarations page on your insurance policy. The declarations page is a summary of the coverage limits on your insurance policy.
If you don’t have your declarations page, just call your insurance representative and they will provide it.
If you are in a serious motor vehicle accident, call Frogale Law today and we can look at your declarations page together.
James Frogale is the owner of Frogale Law. He opened the Firm to help ordinary people have a trusted advocate against the Multi-Billion Dollar insurance industry.
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