Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage provides an insured with protection through his or her own insurance policy when the at-fault driver is uninsured, underinsured, or is unknown due to leaving the scene of the collision.
An uninsured motorist is a an individual who has no auto liability insurance coverage. An underinsured motorist is an individual who has auto liability insurance but the amount of coverage is less than the damages incurred by the injured party. The good news is that in accordance with Rhode Island Law, underinsured motorist falls under the same category of an uninsured motorist. In other words, uninsured motorist coverage will also cover underinsured motorist claims.
Although all drivers in Rhode Island are required by law to carry auto liability insurance coverage, not all drivers abide by the law. Statistically, Rhode Island has one of the highest percentages of uninsured drivers. With that being said, choosing to carry uninsured motorist coverage on your insurance policy is always recommended. The minimum auto liability insurance coverage required by law is usually not enough to cover the losses sustained in a serious car wreck.