phrase · also: UM
uninsured motorist
In plain English
Coverage that pays you when you're hit by someone with no liability insurance.
Roughly 12-15% of drivers are uninsured nationally. Without UM, when one of them hits you, the only recourse is suing them personally — which usually means collecting nothing. UM is your insurance paying you what theirs would have.
What it covers
Bodily injury (and sometimes property damage, depending on state) caused by an uninsured driver. Limit applies the same as the at-fault driver's would have if they had insurance.
What it does not cover
It does NOT cover damage to your own car from an uninsured driver — that's collision coverage. UM is bodily-injury-focused (medical, lost wages, pain and suffering).
Where it trips people up
Stacking — combining UM limits across multiple vehicles on one policy — is a state-by-state rule. Some allow it, some prohibit it. Pays to know which state applies before assuming.
The technical version
Coverage for bodily injury (and in some states, property damage) caused by a motorist with no liability insurance, with limits typically matching the insured's own liability limits.