When it comes to auto insurance, most drivers know they need liability coverage to drive legally in Texas. But many motorists pay less attention to another important layer of protection: Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage, commonly called UM/UIM coverage.
UM/UIM coverage may become especially important when the driver who causes an accident has no insurance or does not have enough liability coverage to address the losses caused by a serious crash.
For drivers throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, understanding uninsured motorist coverage in DFW before an accident happens can make it easier to know what protection may already exist under your own policy.
Texas insurers are generally required to offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage with an auto liability policy. A named insured can reject that coverage in writing.
Here is what DFW drivers should know about UM/UIM coverage, how it works, and why reviewing your policy now can matter later.
How Common Are Uninsured Drivers in Texas and DFW?
Despite Texas insurance requirements, thousands of drivers continue to operate vehicles without liability insurance.
According to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles’ TexasSure insurance verification program, an estimated 11.87% of Texas drivers were uninsured as of September 2025.
That means more than one out of every ten Texas drivers may be on the road without the insurance coverage required to pay for injuries or property damage they cause.
For drivers in Dallas-Fort Worth, that risk matters simply because so much daily life involves driving. Commuting to work, traveling on major highways, taking children to school, running errands, and moving between cities throughout the Metroplex all create opportunities for serious collisions.
There is also a second problem that is easy to overlook.
A driver may technically have insurance but still carry limits that are not enough to address the losses caused by a serious accident. That is where underinsured motorist coverage may become important.
What Happens When You Are Hit by an Uninsured or Underinsured Driver?
Being involved in an accident is stressful enough. Learning that the person who caused the crash has no insurance or only limited coverage can create another layer of uncertainty.
An uninsured driver has no applicable liability insurance available to cover the losses they caused.
An underinsured driver has insurance, but the available liability coverage may not be enough to fully address the damages involved in the accident.
Depending on the circumstances and the insurance coverage available, an injured person may be dealing with:
- Medical expenses
- Vehicle repairs
- Lost income
- Rental car expenses
- Ongoing medical treatment
- Pain and suffering
- Other accident-related losses
You may have other insurance coverage available, including collision coverage, Personal Injury Protection, medical payments coverage, or UM/UIM coverage, depending on your policy.
Without sufficient insurance coverage, another option may be pursuing the at-fault driver personally. However, obtaining a judgment and actually collecting money from an individual are not necessarily the same thing.
That is one reason reviewing all available insurance coverage can be an important part of investigating a serious uninsured driver accident in Texas.
What Is UM/UIM Coverage and How Does It Work?
UM/UIM coverage is designed to provide protection when the person responsible for a crash does not have enough insurance available.
Texas law generally requires insurers to offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage when issuing an automobile liability policy. A named insured may reject the coverage in writing.
The exact protection available depends on the policy, coverage limits, circumstances of the accident, and applicable Texas law.
Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage
Uninsured Motorist coverage may apply when the at-fault driver does not have applicable liability insurance.
Depending on the policy and claim, UM coverage may help address losses involving:
- Medical expenses for covered individuals
- Lost income associated with accident-related injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Vehicle damage when applicable property damage coverage exists
- Rental vehicle expenses
- Other covered losses
The Texas Department of Insurance also explains that uninsured motorist coverage may apply to certain hit-and-run accidents when the responsible driver cannot be identified, subject to policy terms and applicable requirements.
If you have been involved in a hit-and-run crash, document what happened and report the accident promptly rather than assuming coverage will or will not apply.
Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage
Underinsured Motorist coverage addresses a different problem.
The at-fault driver has insurance, but the available liability coverage is not enough to address the losses caused by the accident.
For example, a serious collision may result in emergency treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, missed work, and long-term medical needs that exceed the other driver’s available policy limits.
Under Texas law, UIM coverage can provide payment for covered damages an insured is legally entitled to recover from an underinsured driver, subject to the limits and terms of the policy and credit for amounts recovered from the underinsured driver’s insurer.
That is why UM and UIM coverage should not be treated as exactly the same thing.
UM addresses an uninsured driver. UIM addresses a driver whose available insurance is insufficient.
Key Benefits of UM/UIM Coverage
Protection When the Other Driver Has No Insurance
Even though Texas requires financial responsibility, the TexasSure program continues to identify a meaningful percentage of uninsured drivers.
UM coverage can provide another potential source of recovery when the person who caused an accident does not have applicable liability insurance.
Coverage When Insurance Limits Fall Short
A driver can follow Texas law and still carry liability limits that are not enough to address the consequences of a severe crash.
Serious injuries can lead to substantial medical expenses, future treatment, time away from work, and long-term limitations.
UIM coverage may provide additional protection when the at-fault driver’s available insurance does not fully cover the losses involved, subject to the policy and applicable law.
Another Potential Source of Recovery
UM/UIM coverage does not mean every claim will automatically be paid or that a dispute cannot arise with your own insurer.
However, it can provide another potential source of coverage when the at-fault driver’s insurance is unavailable or insufficient.
Coverage for Hit-and-Run Accidents
Uninsured motorist coverage may apply in qualifying hit-and-run situations when the at-fault driver cannot be identified.
Whether coverage applies depends on the facts of the accident, the policy, and Texas requirements.
After a hit-and-run accident, try to document the scene, obtain witness information, contact law enforcement when appropriate, and notify your insurance company promptly.
Protection Beyond Vehicle Repairs
Many drivers think primarily about the cost of repairing a vehicle.
A serious accident can create much larger financial consequences.
UM/UIM coverage may address covered bodily injury losses in addition to property-related damages, which can matter when a crash results in significant medical treatment or time away from work.
Common Misconceptions About UM/UIM Coverage
“I am a safe driver, so I do not need it.”
Your own driving habits cannot control whether another motorist has insurance.
A careful driver can still be injured by someone who is distracted, intoxicated, speeding, or otherwise negligent.
UM/UIM coverage is intended to address the insurance status of the person who caused the accident, not whether you consider yourself a safe driver.
“My health insurance will cover everything.”
Health insurance and auto insurance serve different purposes.
Health insurance may help with covered medical treatment, but it does not necessarily address every loss associated with a car accident.
For example, health insurance generally does not compensate you for vehicle damage, pain and suffering, or many other losses that may arise from a personal injury claim.
Your health plan may also involve deductibles, copays, coverage restrictions, or reimbursement issues.
“UM/UIM Coverage Is Automatically Included in Every Texas Policy.”
Texas insurers generally must offer UM/UIM coverage, but a named insured can reject the coverage in writing.
That means you should not assume you have it simply because you carry Texas auto insurance.
Review your declarations page or speak with your insurance agent or carrier to determine what coverage and limits are actually listed on your policy.
“If I Use My Own Insurance, the Claim Will Be Simple.”
A UM/UIM claim involves your own insurance policy, but that does not mean questions or disputes cannot arise.
Issues may involve:
- Whether UM/UIM coverage applies
- The amount of available coverage
- Responsibility for the accident
- The extent of the injuries
- The amount of covered damages
- Policy terms or exclusions
If you were seriously injured and are unsure how your coverage applies, consider getting legal guidance before making assumptions about the value or availability of the claim.
Why UM/UIM Coverage Is Especially Important in DFW
Dallas-Fort Worth drivers spend significant time on busy highways, city streets, construction corridors, and heavily traveled commuter routes.
A collision with an uninsured or underinsured driver can happen during an ordinary commute, school pickup, weekend trip, or drive across the Metroplex.
You cannot control whether the other driver maintains sufficient insurance.
What you can do is understand your own policy before an accident occurs.
Review your auto insurance declarations page and look for:
- Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury
- Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Property Damage
- Coverage limits
- Deductibles
- Personal Injury Protection
- Medical Payments coverage
- Collision coverage
If you do not understand what is listed, ask your insurance agent or company to explain it.
And if you are already dealing with an accident involving an uninsured or underinsured driver, preserve your policy documents, insurance correspondence, medical records, photographs, crash information, and other evidence related to the collision.
Ybarra Law Firm’s guide on what to do after a car accident in Texas also explains important steps involving medical treatment, evidence, insurance communication, and legal deadlines after a serious crash.
Talk to Ybarra Law Firm About Your UM/UIM Claim
Uninsured motorist coverage in DFW can become especially important when the driver who causes an accident has no applicable liability insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage may help when the responsible driver has insurance, but the available limits are not enough for the losses involved.
Texas drivers should not assume they automatically have UM/UIM coverage. Review your policy and understand what protection you purchased before you need to use it.
If you have already been injured by an uninsured, underinsured, or hit-and-run driver, Ybarra Law Firm can help you review the accident, available insurance coverage, injuries, and potential next steps.
Our bilingual team helps English-speaking and Spanish-speaking injury victims throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and the Rio Grande Valley understand their options after serious auto accidents.
Contact Ybarra Law Firm today to schedule your FREE consultation.
Sources
- Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV)
TexasSure Insurance Verification Program
https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/register-your-vehicle/texassure-insurance-verification - Insurance Research Council (IRC)
Uninsured Motorists Report
https://www.insurance-research.org - Forbes Advisor
Uninsured Motorist Coverage: What It Is and How It Works
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/uninsured-motorist-coverage/ - WalletHub
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Explained
https://wallethub.com/edu/ci/uninsured-motorist-coverage/9647 - GEICO Insurance
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Overview
https://www.geico.com/information/aboutinsurance/auto/uninsured-underinsured-motorist/
