By Renata Alves · Senior Editor
Published · Updated
Answer in brief
Roughly one in five Florida drivers has no insurance, and most of the rest carry no bodily injury liability. If one of them injures you, uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage on your own policy is what pays for your medical bills beyond PIP, lost income and pain and suffering. Florida insurers must offer UM at limits equal to your bodily injury coverage unless you reject or reduce it in writing. Stacked UM multiplies your limit by the number of vehicles on the policy and is worth the modest extra premium for most households.
The Florida gap UM fills
Because Florida does not require bodily injury liability, a legally insured driver can still carry nothing that pays for the injuries they cause you. Your PIP covers the first $10,000; after that, without UM, you are relying on a lawsuit against someone who may have no assets. UM steps in as if you were suing your own insurer in the other driver's place, up to your limit.
Stacked vs non-stacked
| Option | How it works | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stacked | Limit applies once per accident | 100/300 UM, two cars = $100,000 per person |
| Stacked | Limit multiplied by vehicles on the policy | 100/300 UM, two cars = $200,000 per person |
Stacked UM typically costs 10–30% more than non-stacked. For a two- or three-car household it effectively doubles or triples protection for a small premium difference, which is why it is the default recommendation here.
Choosing a limit
Match UM to your bodily injury limit as a floor. If you carry 50/100 BI, carry at least 50/100 UM. Many Florida households carry 100/300 on both. UM also covers hit-and-run crashes and incidents where you are a pedestrian or cyclist.
Entries in this guide
Specific questions answered in more depth.
Entry
What Happens If You Are Hit by an Uninsured Driver in Florida?
Learn what covers medical bills and vehicle repairs after an uninsured crash in Florida, including PIP limits, tort rules, and uninsured motorist coverage.
Entry
Stacked vs. Non-Stacked UM Insurance in Florida: Differences and Rules
Learn the difference between stacked and non-stacked uninsured motorist coverage in Florida, statutory requirements, costs, and how to choose the right policy.
Questions & answers
Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Florida?
No, but insurers must offer it at your BI limits and you must reject it in writing.
Does UM cover property damage in Florida?
Florida UM covers bodily injury only. Damage to your car from an uninsured driver is paid by your collision coverage.
Can I carry UM without bodily injury liability?
Generally no. UM limits cannot exceed your BI limits, and you need BI to purchase UM.
Terms used in this guide
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage
- Pays for your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little. Florida insurers must offer it at your BI limits unless you reject it in writing.
- Stacked UM
- An option that multiplies your UM limit by the number of vehicles on the policy. Two cars with 100/300 stacked UM give $200,000 per person.
- Bodily injury liability (BI)
- Coverage that pays for injuries you cause to others. Not required for most Florida drivers, but required after a DUI (100/300) and strongly recommended for everyone.
Sources and references
Legal figures on this page (minimum limits, filing periods, statutory benefits) are checked against the primary law or the state insurance regulator listed below. Links and figures last verified Nov 2026.
- Fla. Stat. § 627.736 — required personal injury protection benefits — Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine), Fla. Stat. § 627.736Primary lawPIP: $10,000 medical and disability benefits, $5,000 death benefit; 80% of reasonable medical expenses, 60% of lost income; initial care within 14 days; $2,500 cap without an emergency medical condition.
- Fla. Stat. § 324.022 — property damage liability requirement — Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine), Fla. Stat. § 324.022Primary lawEvery owner must maintain at least $10,000 property damage liability (or a $30,000 combined single limit with PIP).
- Fla. Stat. § 627.727 — uninsured motorist coverage — Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine), Fla. Stat. § 627.727Primary lawUM must be offered with bodily injury liability; stacked coverage is the default unless non-stacked is selected in writing.
- Fla. Stat. § 627.737 — tort exemption and permanency threshold — Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine), Fla. Stat. § 627.737Primary lawNon-economic damages may be recovered only for permanent injury, significant scarring or death; defines the no-fault tort threshold.
- Insurance Research Council — Insurance Research CouncilIndependent researchIndependent, industry-funded research on uninsured motorists, claim trends and litigation.
- Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists — Insurance Information Institute (2024)Statistical dataInsurance Research Council estimates of uninsured drivers by state (2022: e.g. Michigan 19.6%, California 17.0%, Florida 15.9%, Texas 13.8%).
- Estimated percentage of uninsured motorists by state, 2017–2023 — Insurance Information Institute (2025)Statistical dataIRC time series by state; 2023: Mississippi 28.2%, New Mexico 24.1%, D.C. 23.1%, Michigan 22.3%, Florida 20.6%, California 20.4%, Texas 14.5%; lowest Maine 5.7%.
- What is covered by a basic auto insurance policy? — Insurance Information InstituteConsumer guidanceDefines bodily injury and property damage liability, MedPay, PIP, uninsured/underinsured motorist, collision, comprehensive and glass coverage.
Practical guidance on this page is original editorial work. Cited sources support factual statements and do not endorse this site. Dollar ranges described as typical or illustrative are editorial estimates, not figures from these sources.
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