Updated July 2026
What Is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
Uninsured motorist coverage pays your medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle repair costs when you're hit by a driver with no insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage kicks in when the at-fault driver has insurance but their liability limits are too low to cover your full damages. Both coverages protect you from paying out of pocket for someone else's mistake when that driver can't or won't pay.
- You're rear-ended at a stoplight by a driver with no insurance. You have $8,000 in medical bills and $4,500 in vehicle damage. The at-fault driver has no coverage and no assets. Your uninsured motorist coverage pays your medical bills up to your policy limit, and your uninsured motorist property damage coverage pays the $4,500 repair bill minus your deductible.
- A driver runs a red light and hits you, causing $45,000 in injuries. The at-fault driver carries Mississippi's minimum liability limit of $25,000 per person. Their insurer pays the $25,000 maximum. If you carry $50,000 in underinsured motorist coverage, your policy pays the remaining $20,000, covering your full loss.
- A vehicle sideswipes you on I-55 and flees the scene. You never identify the driver. Your uninsured motorist coverage treats this as an uninsured driver claim and pays for your injuries and vehicle damage up to your policy limits, subject to your deductible.
Who Needs Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance?
You should carry uninsured motorist coverage if you don't have health insurance that covers car accident injuries, if you can't afford to replace your vehicle out of pocket, or if you drive frequently in areas with high uninsured driver rates. Given that nearly one in four Mississippi drivers carries no insurance, this coverage protects you from a common and expensive risk.
Compare the annual premium to your out-of-pocket risk. If you're hit by an uninsured driver and face $30,000 in medical bills with no health insurance, you pay the full amount. If uninsured motorist coverage costs $150 per year and you keep the car for five years, you've paid $750 to protect against a $30,000 exposure. The math favors coverage unless you have other insurance or assets covering the same risk.
How Much Does Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Insurance Cost?
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage typically adds $8–$15 per month to your Mississippi auto insurance premium, or roughly $96–$180 annually.
- Your selected coverage limits — choosing limits equal to your liability limits costs more than minimum uninsured motorist coverage
- Whether you add uninsured motorist property damage coverage in addition to bodily injury coverage
- Your county's uninsured driver rate — Jackson and Delta counties see higher premiums due to concentration of uninsured drivers
- Whether you stack coverage across multiple vehicles on your policy, which increases the available payout but raises the premium
- Your claims history with uninsured motorist claims, which some carriers factor into renewal pricing