Question 1

Does Medicare cover car accident injuries or do I need Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Accepted Answer

Medicare covers car accident injuries as it would any medical event, but it does not cover copays, deductibles, pain and suffering, or lost income. For a serious accident, a senior driver with original Medicare could face $3,000-$7,000 in out-of-pocket costs that Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury would pay. UMBI also pays for non-medical damages like pain and suffering, which Medicare never covers. If you have Medicare Advantage with a low out-of-pocket maximum, the financial gap is smaller but UMBI still provides value.

Question 2

How much does Uninsured Motorist Coverage cost for drivers over 65?

Accepted Answer

For senior drivers aged 65-75 with clean records, Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury typically adds $8-$15/month and Uninsured Motorist Property Damage adds $3-$5/month, for a combined cost of $11-$20/month or $132-$240/year. Costs are higher in states with uninsured driver rates above 15% (like Florida, Mississippi, or New Mexico) and lower in states with strong enforcement and lower uninsured rates (like Massachusetts or New York). Your specific cost depends on the coverage limits you select and your zip code's uninsured driver frequency.

Question 3

Should I drop Uninsured Motorist Coverage on my paid-off car?

Accepted Answer

You should keep Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI) even on a paid-off car because it protects your health and retirement assets, not just your vehicle. Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) can reasonably be dropped if your vehicle is worth under $5,000 and you wouldn't replace it, or if you already carry collision coverage which provides overlapping protection. A 70-year-old with a 2012 sedan worth $6,000 might drop collision and UMPD to save $35/month but absolutely should keep UMBI to protect against medical costs from an uninsured driver.

Question 4

What's the difference between Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage?

Accepted Answer

Uninsured Motorist Coverage pays when the at-fault driver has no insurance at all; Underinsured Motorist Coverage pays when the at-fault driver's liability limits are too low to cover your damages. Many states combine these into a single UM/UIM policy. For senior drivers, underinsured protection is just as important as uninsured because many states allow liability minimums as low as $25,000 per person — inadequate to cover serious injury medical costs for a driver over 65, which often exceed $40,000-$60,000 for fractures or surgeries.

Question 5

Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage pay if I'm hit by a driver who fled the scene?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Uninsured Motorist Coverage pays for hit-and-run accidents where the at-fault driver is never identified, as long as you report the accident to police promptly. This is particularly valuable for senior drivers because without UMBI, a hit-and-run leaves you with no one to file a liability claim against, meaning you'd pay all medical costs through your own health insurance and receive nothing for pain, suffering, or non-medical losses. UMBI treats hit-and-run exactly like an accident with a known uninsured driver.

Question 6

Can I have higher Uninsured Motorist limits than my liability limits?

Accepted Answer

Most states and insurers require your Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury limits to match your liability limits or be lower — you typically cannot carry higher UMBI than liability. If you want $250,000/$500,000 in UMBI protection, you must also carry at least $250,000/$500,000 in liability coverage. For senior drivers with retirement assets to protect, carrying both coverages at $100,000/$300,000 or higher provides balanced protection whether you cause an accident or are hit by an uninsured driver, typically for $60-$90/month combined.

Question 7

Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage required in my state?

Accepted Answer

Uninsured Motorist Coverage is required in about 20 states and must be offered (but can be rejected in writing) in most others. States requiring UMBI include Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Even where not required, it's one of the most cost-effective coverages for senior drivers given the 13-20% uninsured driver rates in many states and the elevated medical costs drivers over 65 face after accidents.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage for Drivers 65+

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