TL;DR:
Cyclists are uniquely vulnerable to accidents caused by uninsured or underinsured drivers—since auto policies typically don’t extend protection to bikes, carrying Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is essential to avoid being left footing an overwhelming medical or legal bill
- Imagine you sustain $100,000 in injuries from a collision with a driver insured for only $10,000
- Auto insurance policies normally exclude cyclists—even though riders can suffer serious injuries in a vehicle collision
- In many states, being named on a household family member’s auto policy with adequate UM/UIM coverage is sufficient—even if you don’t drive
Why do you need uninsured motorist coverage
We hope it never happens but often a cyclist is badly injured by a driver who has no insurance or a motorist who has insufficient insurance (the minimum liability insurance required by state law is sometimes as low as $10,000), or a motorist that cannot be identified, such as a hit-and-run driver.
In these instances the cyclist’s uninsured motorist coverage would cover their medical injuries</a> and damages that exceed the underinsured driver’s insurance.
How it works
As an example, if you have $100,000 in UM coverage on your auto policy, and you have $100,000 of injuries from an accident caused by a motorist who has only $10,000 in bodily injury liability insurance coverage, the bicyclist will recover $10,000 from the underinsured driver and then can recover $90,000 from their car insurance policy. The bicyclist’s own auto insurance essentially supplements the driver’s inadequate insurance.
However, if the cyclist’s UM policy limit is only $10,000, then the cyclist would not be able to make a UM claim because the policies cannot be combined. Making a UM claim does not affect the cyclist’s auto insurance premiums because UM coverage is to protect you for the fault of the underinsured driver.
On the bright side UM insurance is not expensive, and is probably one of the least costly limits of auto insurance coverage. Velosurance always recommends having the highest UM limits that you can afford because your UM coverage might be the only insurance compensation in the event of an accident. In some states you do not even need to own a car to benefit from UM insurance, as long as you are a household resident and named as an additional insured under the car insurance policy of a family member or other household member who has an auto policy that includes UM insurance.
To claim injuries under your UM insurance several things must occur:
- There must be contact between you and the auto.
- The auto must be found at fault for the accident.
- There must be a police report.
Key Takeaways
- Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage protects you when a driver with little or no insurance injures you
- Hit-and-run or underinsured drivers are also covered—your UM policy fills in the gap
- For example: if you’re hurt and have $100K UM coverage, but the at-fault driver has only $10K, you can still claim the remaining $90K from your own policy
- Vehicle Contact Protection (VCP) from Velosurance acts like UM/UIM auto coverage—covering medical bills, therapy, lost wages, and other expenses after a bike-car collision
- This coverage is essential for cyclists—especially e-bike riders—as auto UM/UIM doesn’t extend to e-bikes, and Velosurance’s VCP fills that void
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does uninsured motorist coverage do for a cyclist hit by a driver?
- Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays for a cyclist's medical injuries and damages when the at-fault driver has no insurance, carries insufficient insurance, or cannot be identified, as in a hit-and-run. The cyclist's own UM policy steps in to cover injuries and damages that exceed whatever the other driver can pay.
- How does UM coverage work when the at-fault driver carries only the state minimum liability limit?
- The cyclist recovers from both policies in sequence. As an example from the article: if you have $100,000 in UM coverage and $100,000 in injuries, but the at-fault driver only has $10,000 in bodily injury liability, you collect $10,000 from the driver's policy and then $90,000 from your own UM policy. The caveat worth knowing: if your UM limit is only $10,000, you cannot combine the two policies, so carrying the highest UM limit you can afford is the right approach.
- What conditions must be met to file a UM claim as a cyclist?
- Three things must be in place to make a claim under a standard UM policy: there must be physical contact between you and the automobile, the auto must be found at fault for the accident, and there must be a police report documenting the incident. Meeting all three conditions protects both the claimant and the insurer.
- Do cyclists need to own a car to get uninsured motorist protection?
- In many states you can access UM coverage without owning a vehicle. As long as you are a household resident and are named as an additional insured on a family member's or other household member's auto policy that includes UM coverage, you may be covered when riding your bike. Check your state's specific rules and the terms of the household policy to confirm eligibility.