autoclaimsguide

The other driver's insurer

The other driver has no insurance — what now?

The short answer: your own policy is the rescue plan. Check for uninsured motorist property-damage coverage first, then collision coverage, then uninsured motorist bodily injury if anyone was hurt. File promptly, document everything, and treat the process with the same discipline as a claim against the other driver's insurer — because in a real sense, your insurer is now playing that role.

The order to check your own policy

  1. Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD). In states that offer it, this covers your car when the at-fault driver is uninsured — sometimes with no deductible or a small one.
  2. Collision coverage. Covers your car's repair or value regardless of fault, minus your deductible. If UMPD isn't available, this is the workhorse.
  3. Uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI). Covers medical costs and related losses if you or passengers are hurt. Process-only here: injury claim first steps →
  4. Medical payments / personal injury protection — if you carry it, this pays medical bills regardless of fault.

What changes about the dynamic

With uninsured-motorist claims, your own insurer evaluates the claim the way the other driver's insurer would have — scrutinizing fault, valuation, and injuries. The friendly relationship changes. Document as if you were dealing with an adversary: photos, reports, receipts, written timelines.

If you don't carry these coverages

  • Pursuing the driver personally — possible in small claims court for modest amounts, but uninsured drivers often have limited assets to collect against.
  • State-specific funds or programs — a few states have uninsured-driver mechanisms. Your state's insurance department can tell you if yours does.
  • The lesson for next renewal: uninsured-motorist coverage is usually inexpensive relative to what it protects. Check your declarations page today.
Don't skip the police report here An uninsured at-fault driver has every reason to disappear or change their story. The official report — filed immediately — is what anchors the uninsured-motorist claim.

Related guides

Informational only — not legal or insurance advice.

Uninsured-motorist coverage rules vary significantly by state — some states require it, some offer it as an option, availability differs. Check your own policy and your state's insurance department, or talk to a licensed professional.