Updated July 2026
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) pays for your injuries and, in some policies, your vehicle damage when the at-fault driver has no insurance or flees the scene. Idaho is a fault state, which means the at-fault driver's liability coverage is supposed to pay your claim—but if that driver has no coverage or only carries Idaho's minimum $25,000 per person limit and your medical bills exceed that, you're stuck unless you have UM coverage on your own policy. UM coverage also extends to hit-and-run crashes where the at-fault driver is never identified.
- 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 assets. Your UM coverage pays your medical bills up to your policy limit, and if you purchased UM property damage (UMPD), it pays the vehicle repair cost minus your deductible. Without UM, you'd be filing a lawsuit against someone who can't pay.
- Your parked car is hit overnight and the driver flees. Damage is $4,200. If your policy includes UMPD, it covers the repair minus your deductible. If you only have liability coverage because you're maintaining an SR-22 on a vehicle you're not driving, UMPD won't apply—you'd need collision coverage instead, which costs more.
- You're injured by an at-fault driver who carries Idaho's minimum $25,000 per person limit. Your medical bills total $62,000. The at-fault driver's liability pays the first $25,000. If you have underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage with a $50,000 limit, it pays an additional $37,000 to cover the gap. Without UIM, you're personally responsible for the remaining $37,000.
Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
You should carry UM coverage if you're reinstating after suspension and will be driving regularly in Boise, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, or any area with heavy commuter traffic where uninsured driver risk is higher. If you're on a payment plan for reinstatement fees or fines and can't afford a $40,000 medical bill out of pocket, UM coverage is cheaper than the financial exposure. If you're required to carry an SR-22 and are adding coverage to a vehicle you'll actually drive, UM at the same limit as your liability coverage is the standard recommendation.
If your health insurance deductible plus out-of-pocket max exceeds $5,000, or if you have no health insurance, buy UM coverage at least equal to your liability limit. If you're driving a vehicle worth more than $3,000 and you're in an area where hit-and-run or uninsured driver crashes are common, add UMPD. If you're only maintaining SR-22 to satisfy state filing requirements and won't be driving, UM on a non-owner policy is optional unless you regularly ride as a passenger.
How Much Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
UM coverage typically adds $8–$18 per month ($96–$216 annually) to an Idaho policy, depending on your coverage limits and whether you include UM property damage.
- Your UM coverage limit—matching your liability limit costs more but provides proportional protection if you're hit by an uninsured driver with a serious injury claim.
- Whether you add UMPD—property damage coverage adds $3–$7/month but only applies if the at-fault driver is uninsured or unidentified, not underinsured.
- Your ZIP code—Boise, Idaho Falls, and Nampa have higher uninsured driver rates and correspondingly higher UM premiums than rural counties.
- Stacking election—if you have multiple vehicles on the policy, stacked UM lets you combine limits across vehicles for a single claim, which increases premium by 15–30% but multiplies your coverage.
- Your driving record—a suspended license or SR-22 filing increases your base premium, and UM cost scales with that higher base even though UM itself isn't risk-rated separately.