Uninsured motorist coverage pays you when the driver who hit you can't. Here is what Georgia's statute says, the add-on versus reduced-by choice, property damage, hit-and-runs, stacking and how to pick a limit, each point cited to the Georgia Code.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) pays for your injuries, and your car if you carry UM property damage, when an at-fault driver has no insurance or too little. Under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11, every Georgia auto policy includes it unless you reject it in writing. Its limit defaults to your liability limit, and the default form is add-on, which pays on top of the other driver's coverage.
- You probably have UM right now unless someone signed a written rejection.
- Add-on beats reduced-by once your injuries exceed the other driver's limit.
- The Insurance Research Council estimates 19.0% of Georgia drivers were uninsured in 2023, 11th highest in the country.
- Hit-and-run claims need physical contact or an independent eyewitness.
Do this: confirm your dec page shows add-on UM matching your liability limits, then have us price that exact coverage across our 25 carriers.
Someone runs a red light and puts you in the hospital. Then you learn they had no insurance, or a minimum policy capped at $25,000 for your injuries. What happens next depends on one line of your own policy that most Georgia drivers have never read.
That line is uninsured motorist coverage. Below is the plain-English version we give drivers in our Ringgold and Augusta offices, with the statute cited so you can check it. For the broader picture of a Georgia policy, start with our complete Georgia auto insurance guide.
Georgia UM coverage at a glance
| Item | Georgia answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Is UM required? | Included in every auto policy unless a named insured rejects it in writing | O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(1), (a)(3) |
| Default limit | Your liability limit, unless you affirmatively choose less (not below 25/50/25) | O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(1) |
| Default form | Add-on; reduced-by only by written rejection and selection | O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(b)(1)(D)(ii); Ga. L. 2008, p. 1192 (SB 276), for policies issued or renewed on or after Jan 1, 2009 |
| Deductibles | $250, $500 or $1,000 at the named insured's option; not below $250. | O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(2) |
| Hit-and-run | Physical contact, or an eyewitness other than you | O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(b)(2) |
| Renewals | No re-offer after a rejection; UM need not rise at renewal | O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(3) |
| Uninsured drivers | 19.0% of Georgia motorists in 2023 (11th highest); 15.4% nationally | Insurance Research Council, 2025 study |
What Does Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Pay For in Georgia?
The short answer: UM/UIM pays what the at-fault driver's insurance should have, up to your UM limit.
Uninsured motorist coverage is insurance on your own policy that protects you from other drivers. Georgia's statute covers bodily injury, death, loss of consortium and property damage: medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and, with UM property damage, your car. Georgia doesn't sell UM and UIM separately; the statute's definition of an "uninsured motor vehicle" covers both:
- No insurance at all on the at-fault vehicle.
- Not enough insurance: their limits run out before your damages do (the "underinsured" piece).
- Coverage denied legally by their insurer, or insurer insolvent.
- Driver unknown: a hit-and-run or phantom vehicle, under the rules below.
Under § 33-7-11(b)(1)(B), "insured" includes the named insured, a spouse and relatives living in the household, and anyone in the insured vehicle with permission. That's why a teenager without a car may be covered under a parent's policy.
Source: Insurance Research Council, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists: 2017 to 2023 (released February 2025), Georgia figure as reported by the Insurance Information Institute.
Nearly one Georgia driver in five carried no insurance in IRC's 2023 estimate. UM is the only part of your policy built for the driver who can't pay.
What Does Georgia Law Require Insurers to Offer?
The short answer: your insurer must include UM at a limit equal to your liability limit, and it stays on your policy unless a named insured rejects it in writing.
Lower limits are a choice the insurer has to prove. Rejection must be in writing. Choosing a lower limit need not be, but Georgia's Court of Appeals has held the insurer must show the insured affirmatively chose less: in Jones v. Georgia Farm Bureau (2023), and in a March 2026 commercial-policy decision refusing to treat a pre-filled application as that choice. Make the choice deliberately.
Renewals don't reopen the question. Under (a)(3), an insurer doesn't have to re-offer UM at renewal if you rejected it before with the same company, and the UM amount "need not be increased" at renewal. Raise your liability and your UM may stay at the old number. In our office it is one of the most common mismatches we find.
Umbrellas are different. The same subsection says umbrella and excess policies don't include UM unless they expressly provide it. For how UM sits beside the coverage Georgia requires, see what auto insurance is required in Georgia under 25/50/25.
What Is the Difference Between Add-On and Reduced-By UM in Georgia?
The short answer: add-on UM (also called "excess") pays on top of the at-fault driver's liability; reduced-by UM (also called "set-off") subtracts what their insurer pays from your limit first. Add-on is Georgia's default and pays more whenever your damages exceed their limit.
A Ringgold driver commuting to Chattanooga on I-75 carries 100/300/100 liability and $100,000 per person in UM. A driver carrying Georgia's 25/50/25 minimum causes a crash, and her injuries total $140,000.
Same limit on the page, $25,000 apart. At $85,000 of injuries both forms pay in full; the gap appears in the serious claims UM exists for. Illustrative; real claims depend on the facts and the policy.
Reduced-by is usually cheaper, which is the only reason to pick it. In our experience it gets chosen when a quote is squeezed to hit a price, and the driver rarely remembers signing. The full side-by-side is in our coming guide to add-on vs reduced-by UM in Georgia. One terminology note: add-on is often described as "stacking on top of" the other driver's coverage. That is different from stacking several UM policies, covered below.
Online quotes rarely show the UM form. A cheaper quote may simply be reduced-by, or a lower UM limit. Match both before comparing price. See how to compare car insurance quotes in Georgia for the checklist.
How Does UM Property Damage Work in Georgia, and What Is the Deductible?
The short answer: it repairs your car when an uninsured driver is at fault, with a deductible of at least $250, and matters most on a car without collision.
"Property of the insured" means the insured vehicle and personal property inside it (§ 33-7-11(b)(1)(C)). Under § 33-7-11(a)(2), the named insured can choose UM deductibles of $250, $500 or $1,000 for property, and separately for bodily injury; higher amounts need the Insurance Commissioner's approval, none may go below $250, and each must be offered at a reduced premium. $250 is the floor, not a fixed number. Section 33-7-11(i) also lets a policy exclude property damage already paid by your own collision coverage. So:
- No collision on the car: UM property damage may be the only coverage that fixes it after an uninsured driver hits you.
- You carry collision: collision pays less its deductible, and your policy wording decides whether UM picks up any remainder. Ask us to read you that clause.
Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Cover a Hit-and-Run in Georgia?
The short answer: yes, with physical contact or an eyewitness other than you, and a crash report to law enforcement.
On I-520, the Bobby Jones Expressway, a pickup swerves into an Augusta driver's lane without touching her. She spins into the barrier; the pickup never stops.
Without the witness, the claim would face the statute's bar. Illustrative only; payment depends on the facts and the policy.
Phantom-vehicle claims turn on evidence from the first hours, so talk to an attorney early. Our guide to what to do with your car insurance after an accident in Georgia walks through reporting, photos and notice in order.
How Is UM Different From MedPay and Health Insurance?
The short answer: UM pays your full damages, including lost wages and pain and suffering, when an at-fault driver can't. MedPay and health insurance pay medical bills only, regardless of fault.
Georgia is an at-fault state with no built-in personal injury protection, so your own coverage is a patchwork:
| Coverage | What it pays | Fault needed? | Georgia status |
|---|---|---|---|
| UM/UIM | Medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering; your car with UM property damage | Other driver at fault and uninsured or underinsured | Included unless rejected in writing |
| Medical payments (MedPay) | Medical expenses for you and passengers, up to a chosen limit | No | Optional |
| Health insurance | Medical care under your plan's deductibles, copays and network | No | Separate policy |
| Collision | Your car, less your deductible | No | Optional · lender may require |
Section 33-7-11(i) lets a UM policy exclude amounts already paid under MedPay or workers' compensation, so you can't collect the same bill twice. MedPay's strength is speed on early bills. Health insurance never pays you for a missed month of work. UM does.
How Much UM Coverage Should You Carry in Georgia?
The short answer: match your UM limits to your liability limits, in the add-on form. If you carry 100/300 bodily injury liability, carry 100/300 UM.
Coverage first, then price. Your liability limit is what you decided your mistakes could cost someone else; your own injuries deserve at least that. The statute agrees, making it the default UM limit.
- Set liability first: 100/300/100 as a floor for most households, higher with a home or savings.
- Match UM bodily injury to it, in the add-on form.
- Decide on UM property damage based on whether the car carries collision.
- Check any umbrella for UM if you want protection above your auto limit.
What does UM coverage cost?
We found no published Georgia benchmark for the UM line alone that we could stand behind; rate studies price whole policies. UM is a separate line on every quote that moves with your limit, form and carrier. For whole-policy benchmarks, see how much car insurance costs in Georgia. We show the UM line separately on every quote.
Can you stack UM coverage in Georgia?
Stacking means combining UM limits from several cars or policies. Georgia's statute has no stacking provision, so policy language and case law decide. Two points are clear: the statute caps UM plus the at-fault driver's liability at your actual losses, and reaching another policy depends on being an insured under it. In 2009 the Supreme Court of Georgia refused to let a driver stack three UM policies issued to his employer, because the company was the named insured. If a claim depends on stacking, ask an attorney.
How we quote UM across carriers
We hold 25 direct appointments; for Georgia auto that includes Progressive, Travelers, GEICO, Liberty Mutual, National General and Mercury. State Farm, Allstate, USAA and Georgia Farm Bureau are placed through our carrier and agency partners. We hold UM form, limit and deductible identical across carriers, so the price gap is the carrier, not weaker coverage. See our carrier access and market disclosure, how Richard Johnson Group compares insurance companies, and ratings in the best car insurance companies in Georgia.
Get your Georgia auto quote with add-on UM
Send your dec page and ZIP. We'll match UM to your liability and price it across 25 carriers.
When Does This Answer Change?
The short answer: "match liability, keep add-on" fits a typical household. These situations change the advice.
- You rejected UM years ago. Your insurer needn't re-offer it at renewal; you have to ask.
- You raised liability but not UM. Ask for both on the same change.
- You carry an umbrella. It excludes UM unless it expressly includes it.
- You drive a company car. UM eligibility turns on who the named insured is, the issue in the 2009 case. Check your personal policy too.
- You don't own a car. You may be covered as a resident relative; a non-owner policy can include UM.
- You drive for a rideshare or delivery app. Personal policies typically limit coverage during commercial use. Confirm UM for each app phase.
When should you talk to an attorney?
We're insurance agents, not lawyers, and this is not legal advice. Consider a Georgia attorney when injuries are serious, when damages may exceed the at-fault driver's limits, in any phantom-vehicle claim, when your insurer denies or delays, or when stacking is in play. Georgia generally allows two years to file a personal injury suit (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33), and § 33-7-11(d) requires your own UM insurer to be served with the suit. Subsection (j) allows a penalty if a UM insurer, in bad faith, refuses to pay a covered loss within 60 days after a demand. To report a problem with an insurer, the Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire takes consumer complaints.
Never reject UM or accept reduced-by to make a quote look cheaper. Your UM is the policy that answers for the uninsured driver.
The Bottom Line
Under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11 your Georgia policy includes UM unless someone rejected it in writing, its limit defaults to your liability limit, and since 2009 the default form has been add-on. Hit-and-runs need contact or an independent eyewitness, and UM deductibles start at $250.
The weak points are the ones people sign into: a rejection, a reduced-by election, a lower limit, an umbrella without UM. Match your UM to your liability in the add-on form, then let us shop that exact coverage across 25 carriers. You'll hear from a licensed Georgia agent within one business day. See our Georgia auto insurance page or start a quote.
Related questions
Often, yes. Georgia's statute ties UM to insured people, including the named insured and relatives living in the household, not only to the car. Whether a specific policy pays for a pedestrian or cyclist injury depends on its wording, so ask us to check yours before you ever need it.
Yes, for most households. Health insurance pays medical bills under its own deductibles and network rules, but it never pays lost wages, pain and suffering, or damage to your car. UM does, up to your limit, when the at-fault driver can't. Lost income is what people miss most after a serious crash.
Usually, yes, by endorsement mid-term or at renewal. Under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(3), your insurer isn't required to re-offer UM after a prior rejection with the same company, so the request has to come from you. We can price add-on UM at matching limits first.
They are the two ways Georgia UM can pay. Add-on sits on top of the at-fault driver's coverage; reduced-by subtracts their payment from your limit first. Our deeper guide on choosing between add-on and reduced-by UM walks through selection forms and more worked examples.
Frequently asked questions
Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Georgia?
Not in the way liability is, but it is included by default. Under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11, every auto liability policy issued in Georgia must include uninsured motorist coverage unless a named insured rejects it in writing. Georgia requires 25/50/25 liability on every registered vehicle, and UM is the coverage insurers must include but drivers may decline. In practice, if no one on your policy signed a written rejection, you have UM. We recommend keeping it, in the add-on form, at limits that match your bodily injury liability, because the Insurance Research Council estimates 19.0 percent of Georgia drivers were uninsured in 2023.
What is the difference between add-on and reduced-by UM in Georgia?
Add-on UM pays in addition to the at-fault driver's liability coverage, up to your UM limit and your total losses. Reduced-by UM subtracts what the at-fault driver's insurer pays from your UM limit before it pays anything. Since January 1, 2009, add-on has been Georgia's default under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(b)(1)(D)(ii), and reduced-by applies only if an insured rejects add-on and selects reduced-by in writing. With $100,000 of UM and an at-fault driver carrying $25,000, add-on can reach $125,000 in total recovery, while reduced-by tops out at $100,000.
Does Georgia UM cover a hit-and-run?
Yes, with conditions. O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(b)(2) treats a vehicle with an unknown owner or driver as uninsured, but it requires actual physical contact between that vehicle and you or your property, unless an eyewitness other than you corroborates your account of the crash. The crash also has to be reported as O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273 requires, which means immediately notifying police, the sheriff or the State Patrol when there is injury or apparent property damage of $500 or more. Call 911 from the scene, collect witness names and numbers, and photograph any paint transfer.
What is the UM property damage deductible in Georgia?
Georgia law sets the floor rather than a single amount. Under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(2), UM property damage deductibles of $250, $500 or $1,000 are available at the named insured's option, higher deductibles require the Insurance Commissioner's approval, and none may be reduced below $250. Each option must be offered at a reduced premium. Your declarations page shows which deductible you have. A policy may also exclude property damage already paid by your own collision coverage, so UM property damage matters most on a car that doesn't carry collision.
How much uninsured motorist coverage should I carry in Georgia?
Match your UM bodily injury limits to your liability limits, in the add-on form. If you carry 100/300/100 liability, carry 100/300 in UM. Georgia's statute already makes your liability limit the default UM limit, and lowering it requires an affirmative choice. Your liability limit reflects what you decided your mistakes could cost someone else, and your own injuries deserve at least the same protection. If you carry an umbrella policy, ask whether it includes UM, because Georgia law excludes UM from umbrella and excess policies unless they expressly provide it.
Last verified by the Richard Johnson Group team on .