Mississippi Does Not Require Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Mississippi law does not mandate underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage on your auto policy. The state requires only liability insurance: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage. Uninsured motorist coverage is also not required. Both UM and UIM are optional add-ons you choose when structuring coverage for your household's vehicles.
This matters when you insure two or more cars on one policy. The state's legal floor protects other drivers from your liability, but it does nothing to protect you when an at-fault driver carries inadequate limits or no insurance at all. With 28.2% of Mississippi motorists uninsured as of 2023, the gap between legal compliance and actual protection is structural, not theoretical.
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Get Your Free QuoteMississippi Uninsured Motorist Rate
28.2%
More than one in four drivers on Mississippi roads carries no insurance. When an uninsured or underinsured driver causes an accident, your household's medical bills and vehicle damage fall to your own policy if you lack UM/UIM coverage.
Insurance Information Institute, 2023
What Underinsured Motorist Coverage Actually Covers
Underinsured motorist coverage pays the difference between what the at-fault driver's liability policy covers and your actual damages, up to your UIM policy limit.
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage works the same way, but applies when the at-fault driver has no insurance at all. Most carriers bundle UM and UIM together as a single coverage line. When you add it to a multi-vehicle policy, you choose limits for each vehicle or stack limits across all vehicles on the policy.
Property damage uninsured motorist (UMPD) is a separate optional coverage that pays for vehicle damage caused by an uninsured driver. Mississippi allows UMPD as an add-on, but it is distinct from UM/UIM bodily injury coverage. If you carry collision coverage, UMPD is often redundant since collision covers the same damage with a deductible.
Mississippi law requires carriers to offer UM/UIM coverage, but you must actively accept or reject it in writing when you purchase a policy.
How UM and UIM Coverage Work Across Multiple Vehicles
Non-stacked UM/UIM applies per vehicle. If you carry $50,000 per person UM/UIM on each of three cars, each vehicle has $50,000 of coverage. If you are injured as a passenger in one of your own vehicles, you can claim up to $50,000 from that vehicle's UM/UIM limit. You cannot combine limits from the other two vehicles. Non-stacked coverage costs less because the total available coverage per accident is lower.
Stacked UM/UIM combines limits across all vehicles on the policy. Stacked coverage costs more because the carrier's exposure is higher, but it provides substantially more protection when your household operates multiple vehicles and any household member could be injured in any vehicle.
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Stacking Rules and Multi-Vehicle Policy Structure
Mississippi allows stacking, but not all carriers offer it. Some carriers write only non-stacked UM/UIM in Mississippi. Others offer both options and let you choose at the time you add coverage. When comparing carriers for a multi-vehicle policy, confirm whether stacking is available and what the premium difference is.
Stacking applies only to vehicles on the same policy. If you and a spouse each maintain separate policies, you cannot stack UM/UIM limits across both policies. Combining the policies into one household policy unlocks stacking if the carrier permits it. This is one reason households with multiple vehicles often consolidate onto a single policy rather than maintaining separate coverage for each car.
When you add a vehicle to an existing multi-vehicle policy mid-term, the new vehicle's UM/UIM limit joins the stacked total immediately if you elected stacked coverage. The policy re-rates to reflect the additional vehicle and the increased stacked limit. Removing a vehicle reduces the stacked total and lowers the premium accordingly.
Mississippi Minimum Liability Limits
$25,000 / $50,000
The state's minimum bodily injury liability is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. An at-fault driver carrying only the minimum leaves you exposed to any damages above those thresholds if you lack UM/UIM coverage.
Mississippi Code Title 63, Chapter 15
Rejection and Acceptance Requirements
Mississippi law requires every carrier to offer UM/UIM coverage when you purchase or renew a policy. If you decline it, you must sign a written rejection form. The carrier cannot omit UM/UIM from your policy without that signed rejection. This applies to each vehicle on a multi-vehicle policy.
If you accepted UM/UIM coverage when you first purchased the policy, you can remove it at renewal by signing a rejection form. If you rejected it initially, you can add it at any time by contacting your carrier. Adding UM/UIM mid-term triggers a policy re-rate and adjusts your premium for the remainder of the term.
Compare Carriers That Write Multi-Vehicle Policies in Mississippi
Not every carrier writing in Mississippi offers stacked UM/UIM, and not every carrier offers the same limits. When structuring coverage for multiple vehicles, compare carriers that write multi-vehicle policies and confirm stacking availability, limit options, and the premium difference between stacked and non-stacked coverage. Carriers writing in Mississippi include State Farm, Geico, Progressive, Allstate, Farmers, USAA, Nationwide, Travelers, Liberty Mutual, and others. Use the site's comparison tool to see which carriers write your household's vehicles and what UM/UIM options they offer.