Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Washington State: What UIM Pays When the Other Driver Can't
Washington's minimum auto liability limits are $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one accident and $10,000 for property damage. Those numbers took effect on September 1, 1980. The Legislature hasn't raised them since.
The Insurance Research Council (IRC) estimates that 19.1% of Washington drivers were uninsured in 2023. That's nearly one in five, the 10th highest rate in the country, and IRC says Washington had the largest increase of any state from 2020 to 2023.
Put those two facts together and the other driver's insurance can fail you in two ways: there isn't any, or there's a policy sized for 1980 facing a hospital bill from this decade. Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) is the part of your own auto policy that pays in both cases. Washington law makes insurers include it unless you turn it down in writing.
How many Washington drivers are uninsured
IRC's figure comes from claims, not from counting registered cars: it compares uninsured motorist claims with bodily injury liability claims. Because uninsured motorist claims include hit-and-run crashes, the estimate picks those up too. Read it as an estimate, not a headcount.
Source: Insurance Research Council estimates for 2023, published by Triple-I. Estimated as the ratio of uninsured motorist claims to bodily injury liability claims
Show the numbers
| State | Uninsured (est.) |
|---|---|
| Mississippi | 28.2% |
| New Mexico | 24.1% |
| D.C. | 23.1% |
| Michigan | 22.3% |
| Tennessee | 21.3% |
| Missouri | 20.7% |
| Florida | 20.6% |
| California | 20.4% |
| Colorado | 19.7% |
| Washington | 19.1% |
| U.S. (countrywide) | 15.4% |
| Oregon | 14.7% |
| Idaho | 6.4% |
Washington sits between two very different neighbors. Oregon's estimated rate was 14.7%, close to the national 15.4%. Idaho's was 6.4%, third lowest in the country.
Uninsured is only half of it. IRC estimates that 18.0% of drivers nationwide were underinsured in 2023, and that one in three (33.4%) were either uninsured or underinsured, up 10 percentage points since 2017. IRC's public materials don't include a Washington-only underinsured figure, so I won't guess at one. With a $25,000 per-person floor, though, it doesn't take a catastrophic crash to outrun someone's policy.
Then there are the drivers who leave. Washington State Patrol counted 39,584 hit-and-run collisions statewide between September 1, 2023 and May 31, 2025, about 1,900 a month. In 5,180 of them someone was killed or suffered substantial bodily harm. If the driver is never identified, there is no liability policy to claim against at all.
Why 25/50/10 doesn't go far anymore
Today's minimums come from Chapter 117, Laws of 1980, which raised them from 15/30/5. The session law's heading named two things: minimum mandatory amounts and underinsured motorist coverage. So the Legislature dealt with low limits and UIM in the same bill 46 years ago, and then left the limits alone. As of October 11, 2026, RCW 46.29.090 shows no amendment after 1980.
Source: ISO (Verisk) via Triple-I, Private Passenger Auto Insurance Losses 2015-2024. Paid claims, all limits combined, includes loss adjustment expense; excludes Massachusetts and most no-fault states
Show the numbers
| Average claim | |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $17,014 |
| 2016 | $16,082 |
| 2017 | $16,234 |
| 2018 | $18,213 |
| 2019 | $19,151 |
| 2020 | $20,769 |
| 2021 | $23,592 |
| 2022 | $24,681 |
| 2023 | $26,178 |
| 2024 | $28,278 |
The average injury liability claim was $17,014 in 2015 and $28,278 in 2024, up about 66%. It passed $25,000 in 2023. Put plainly, Washington's per-person minimum is now smaller than the average injury claim, never mind a bad one.
Those ISO figures include claim-handling costs and leave out Massachusetts and most no-fault states, so treat them as a national yardstick, not a Washington average. IRC's July 2026 study, which looked at claim payments only, points the same way: average bodily injury payments grew 7.8% a year from 2017 to 2022, more than double medical care inflation, and injury claimants received $2.00 in total settlement for every dollar of medical bills paid.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| WA minimum: injury to one person (RCW 46.29.090) | $25,000 |
| WA minimum: injuries per accident | $50,000 |
| WA minimum: property damage | $10,000 |
| Average injury liability claim, U.S. 2024 (ISO, includes claim-handling cost) | $28,278 |
| Average property damage liability claim, U.S. 2024 (ISO) | $6,770 |
| Medical care, one moderately injured person (NHTSA MAIS2, 2019 dollars) | $13,269 |
| Medical care, one seriously injured person (NHTSA MAIS3, 2019 dollars) | $69,345 |
| Total economic cost, one seriously injured person (NHTSA MAIS3: medical, lost work, legal and more) | $280,726 |
Source: RCW 46.29.090; ISO via Triple-I; NHTSA, The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2019 (Table 1-2).
The property damage minimum holds up better: the average property damage liability claim, $6,770, fits under $10,000. Injuries are where the 1980 numbers fall short. NHTSA's estimate of medical care alone for one seriously injured person is $69,345 in 2019 dollars, nearly three times the per-person minimum.
What UIM covers in Washington
Washington's statute, RCW 48.22.030, uses one term for both problems. An "underinsured motor vehicle" is one with no liability insurance at all, or one whose liability limits add up to less than the damages you're legally entitled to recover. Your declarations page may say "uninsured/underinsured motorist" or just "UIM." Under the statute, both situations fall under the same required coverage.
That coverage has to protect the people insured under your policy against underinsured, hit-and-run and phantom vehicles, for bodily injury, death and property damage. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) puts it this way: UIM reimburses you if you, a family member or your designated driver is hit by an uninsured driver, a hit-and-run driver or an unidentified vehicle that forces you to have an accident.
| Part | Rule and why it matters |
|---|---|
| (1) | "Underinsured" includes a vehicle with no liability insurance, or with limits below your damages. One coverage handles both uninsured and underinsured drivers. |
| (2) | Every Washington auto liability policy must include UIM for injury, death and property damage caused by underinsured, hit-and-run and phantom vehicles. It's on your policy unless someone rejected it. |
| (2) | The requirement doesn't extend to riding a motorcycle, to being in a vehicle you own or regularly use that isn't insured on the policy, or to umbrella and excess-only policies. An uninsured second car, a motorcycle or an umbrella can leave a gap. |
| (3) | Injury UIM equals your liability limits unless you reject all or part; UIM property damage covers your insured vehicle; insurers only have to offer it together with injury UIM. Raising your liability limits raises your default UIM. |
| (4) | A named insured or spouse can reject UIM in writing; it stays off renewals until requested in writing. A signature from years ago can still apply. |
| (5) | The UIM limit can be a per-accident maximum, regardless of the number of vehicles or premiums. Three cars on a policy doesn't have to mean three times the UIM. |
| (6) | With other similar insurance, the total can be capped at the higher of the limits. Two policies don't automatically add together. |
| (7) | Property damage deductible: no more than $300 for hit-and-run or phantom vehicles, $100 otherwise. Caps your out-of-pocket on the car. |
| (8) | Phantom vehicle (no contact) needs evidence besides your own testimony and a police report within 72 hours. Report quickly and get witness details. |
| (9)-(10) | Motorcycle insurers must explain UIM and offer a written rejection. Riders need UIM on the motorcycle policy itself. |
| (11)-(12) | Covered even if the other driver hurt you on purpose; you must report it to police and cooperate. Road-rage injuries aren't excluded as intentional. |
Source: RCW 48.22.030 (current text, last amended 2015).
The umbrella exception is worth knowing. The UIM requirement doesn't apply to umbrella policies, so a large umbrella may do nothing for you when the at-fault driver is the one without coverage. Whether yours includes UIM depends on its wording. I cover how umbrellas work on the Washington umbrella insurance page.
Walking or cycling is another gray area. The statute doesn't limit UIM to sitting in your own car, but who counts as an "insured" is set by the policy. Check the definitions section rather than assume.
Hit-and-run and phantom vehicles: the 72-hour rule
A hit-and-run driver hits you and leaves. A phantom vehicle never touches you at all. OIC's example is a car swerving into your lane and causing you to crash while avoiding it. Both are covered under subsection (2), but phantom vehicle claims come with two conditions in subsection (8):
- The facts have to be backed by competent evidence other than your own testimony or the testimony of anyone else with a UIM claim from the same crash.
- The accident has to be reported to law enforcement within 72 hours.
OIC also tells drivers to report any hit-and-run or unidentified-vehicle accident to local law enforcement within 72 hours and to get contact information from witnesses.
How UIM sits on top of the other driver's limits
UIM comes into play when the at-fault driver's liability limits are less than your damages. IRC describes underinsured coverage as paying for injury or property damage costs that exceed the at-fault driver's coverage.
Think of it in layers: the other driver's liability policy is the first layer, up to its limits, and your UIM is for what's left, up to your own UIM limit.
Example (hypothetical, round numbers): a driver carrying exactly 25/50/10 runs a red light and hits you. You're the only person hurt and fault isn't in dispute. Your injury damages, meaning medical bills, lost wages and everything else you're legally entitled to recover, come to $90,000. Your car needs $18,000 in repairs.
| No UIM | With UIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Injury: your damages | $90,000 | $90,000 |
| Injury: their liability pays | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Injury: your UIM pays | $0 | $65,000 |
| Injury: left unpaid | $65,000 | $0 |
| Car: repair cost | $18,000 | $18,000 |
| Car: their liability pays | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Car: your UIM pays | $0 | $7,900–8,000 |
| Car: left unpaid | $8,000 | $100 or less |
Illustration only, based on the limits in RCW 46.29.090 and the deductible cap in RCW 48.22.030(7)(b). With UIM, the only repair cost left unpaid is your UIM property damage deductible, which the law caps at $100 here. Leaves out PIP, health insurance and collision coverage.
Without UIM, the $65,000 is yours to chase. Collision coverage can fix the car minus its deductible, and you can sue the driver personally, which only helps if there's money to collect. With UIM at $100,000 per person, the gap is covered because $65,000 fits inside the limit. PIP and health insurance are left out of the table on purpose: how they interact with a UIM claim depends on your policy and Washington law, so ask your insurer or an attorney before you settle anything.
The detail I'd circle: by default your UIM injury limits match your own liability limits (subsection 3). A driver who buys 25/50 liability to keep the premium down usually ends up with 25/50 UIM too, and a $25,000 UIM limit can't close a $65,000 gap no matter how the claim is handled. Also note the middle number in 25/50/10: if a passenger in your car was hurt too, the at-fault policy's $50,000 per-accident limit would be shared, with no more than $25,000 for either of you.
Stacking, meaning whether UIM limits from several cars or policies add together, is something Washington lets policies prevent. Under subsection (5), the limit can be the most you get for one accident no matter how many cars or premiums are on the policy. Under subsection (6), with other similar insurance the total can be capped at the higher limit. Say you're riding in a friend's car: their policy has $50,000 of UIM and yours has $100,000. If both use that clause, the most you'd collect in UIM is $100,000, not $150,000.
Rejecting UIM: one signature that sticks
A named insured or spouse can reject UIM in writing, for injury, property damage or both, and can reject all of it or only part (subsections 3 and 4). Once rejected, it stays off supplemental and renewal policies until a named insured or spouse asks for it in writing. The written rejection is only required when the policy is first issued, not at each renewal or replacement. And picking UIM property damage limits below your property damage liability limit doesn't need a written rejection at all.
So a form signed at the first sale can shape the policy for years.
My read: rejecting UIM to lower the premium is your call to make, but make it with the 19.1% figure in front of you. If you don't remember signing anything, ask for a copy of the rejection. If you want the coverage back, put the request in writing, because that's how the statute says it gets added.
PIP works the same way
Personal injury protection (PIP) is the other coverage Washington insurers have to offer on every new or renewal auto liability policy (RCW 48.22.085). A named insured can reject it in writing, the rejection applies to every coverage level and everyone who would have been covered, and your insurer doesn't have to add it back at renewal unless a named insured asks in writing. OIC is blunt about the default: If you don't want PIP, you must reject it in writing. Otherwise, your auto insurer will add it to your policy and charge you for it.
| Benefit | Minimum | On request |
|---|---|---|
| Medical and hospital | $10,000 | $35,000 |
| Funeral | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Income continuation | $10,000 | $35,000 |
| Loss of services | $5,000 | $14,600 |
Source: RCW 48.22.095 (minimum insurers must offer) and RCW 48.22.100 (higher limits insurers must offer on request). Weekly caps: income continuation $200 at the minimum and $700 at the higher limit; loss of services $200 at the minimum.
PIP matters in an uninsured-driver crash because it doesn't wait on fault. In OIC's words, PIP applies no matter who is at fault.
Under RCW 48.22.005, it pays medical expenses incurred within three years of the accident, and income continuation starts 14 days after the accident and runs no longer than 54 weeks. It covers you and relatives living with you, anyone riding in or using your car with permission, and a pedestrian your car hits. State law doesn't require PIP to be offered to motorcycle riders.
Next to the injury costs earlier in this article, the $10,000 medical minimum is a down payment, not a full answer.
What driving uninsured costs in Washington
The ticket in Washington is for failing to provide proof of insurance, a traffic infraction under RCW 46.30.020, and not showing proof when an officer asks creates a presumption that you're uninsured. The base penalty in the court rule (IRLJ 6.2) is $250, and DOL says driving without the required insurance could mean a fine of $550 or more. If you were insured and just couldn't show it, the ticket is dismissed once you prove coverage, though the court can charge a $25 administrative cost. Knowingly giving an officer or a court an expired or canceled policy is a misdemeanor (RCW 46.30.040).
The bigger exposure comes after a crash: DOL says that if you're at fault without insurance, your license may be suspended if you fail to pay the resulting damages and injuries. Motorcycles have been under the mandatory insurance law since July 28, 2019, according to OIC.
None of that pays the person who got hit. That's the job UIM does.
What to check on your declarations page
OIC's consumer guide says to review your declarations page to make sure it shows the types and amounts of coverage you asked for. For UIM and PIP, this is what I'd look at:
- Is there a UIM bodily injury line at all? Under the statute it should only be missing if someone rejected it in writing. Ask to see that rejection.
- Do the UIM limits match your liability limits? Lower UIM injury limits mean a partial rejection. Look at the liability limits too: if they're 25/50, your UIM probably is as well.
- UIM property damage. Is it listed, what's the limit, and what's the deductible? The law caps the deductible at $100, or $300 for hit-and-run and phantom claims.
- PIP. Is it on the policy or rejected? Basic limits ($10,000 medical) or the higher $35,000 option?
- Every vehicle in the household. UIM and PIP rules both leave out injuries while you're in a vehicle you own or regularly use that isn't on the policy (RCW 48.22.090 for PIP).
- Motorcycles. Washington doesn't require your car policy's UIM to cover you on a motorcycle. Check the motorcycle policy separately.
- Umbrella. Ask whether it includes UIM. Washington doesn't require it to.
If something doesn't match what you remember choosing, raise it with your agent or insurer before renewal. If you can't get a straight answer, OIC's Consumer Advocacy line is 800-562-6900 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday), or you can file a complaint with OIC online. The rest of a Washington auto policy is covered on our Washington auto insurance page and the Washington insurance FAQ.
FAQ
Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Washington state?
Drivers aren't required to buy it, but insurers must include it. Under RCW 48.22.030, every Washington auto liability policy must include underinsured motorist coverage, which also covers uninsured and hit-and-run drivers, unless a named insured or spouse rejects it in writing.
What is the uninsured motorist property damage deductible in Washington?
State law caps it at $300 when a hit-and-run driver or phantom vehicle caused the damage, and at $100 in other underinsured property damage claims (RCW 48.22.030(7)).
What are the minimum auto insurance limits in Washington state?
$25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injuries per accident and $10,000 for property damage (RCW 46.29.090). The limits have been the same since September 1, 1980.
Is PIP required in Washington state?
Insurers must offer PIP on every new or renewal auto policy, and it's added unless a named insured rejects it in writing. The minimum is $10,000 for medical and hospital expenses (RCW 48.22.085 and RCW 48.22.095).
Your own policy wording and Washington law control how any claim is paid. Confirm your situation with a licensed agent or the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, and for legal questions, such as deadlines to file a lawsuit, talk to an attorney.
Sources
- RCW 48.22.030: Underinsured, hit-and-run, phantom vehicle coverage
- RCW 46.29.090: Minimum liability limits
- RCW 46.30.020: Liability insurance required, violations
- RCW 46.30.040: False evidence of financial responsibility
- RCW 48.22.005: PIP definitions
- RCW 48.22.085: PIP must be offered, written rejection
- RCW 48.22.090: PIP exceptions
- RCW 48.22.095: Minimum PIP benefits
- RCW 48.22.100: PIP limits on request
- Laws of 1980, Chapter 117 (Substitute House Bill 1983)
- Triple-I: Facts and statistics, uninsured motorists (IRC 2023 estimates)
- Insurance Research Council: Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists 2017-2023 news release (Feb 17, 2025)
- Insurance Research Council: research summary, underinsured rate 2023 (hosted by United Policyholders)
- Insurance Research Council: Auto Injury Insurance Claims study news release (July 30, 2026)
- Triple-I: Facts and statistics, auto insurance (ISO claim severity 2015-2024)
- NHTSA: The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2019 (Revised), Feb 2023
- Washington State Patrol: Hit and Run Alert System report, June 2025
- Washington OIC: Learn how auto insurance works (accessed Oct 11, 2026)
- Washington OIC: What to do if you're hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver (accessed Oct 11, 2026)
- Washington OIC: Personal injury protection (accessed Oct 11, 2026)
- Washington OIC: Mandatory auto/motorcycle insurance law (accessed Oct 11, 2026)
- Washington OIC: A consumer's guide to auto insurance (PDF)
- Washington OIC: Auto insurance and Consumer Advocacy contact (accessed Oct 11, 2026)
- Washington OIC: File a complaint
- Washington DOL: Mandatory insurance (accessed Oct 11, 2026)
- Washington Courts: IRLJ 6.2 monetary penalty schedule
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax or insurance advice. Coverage depends on the actual policy, its terms, conditions and exclusions, and state law. Maru Insurance · WA License (WAOIC) #1365574 · FL License #G363233 · NPN 22261820.