You don’t get to choose who hits your car. However, you do get to choose how well you’re protected when it happens. That’s where underinsured motorist insurance comes in.

When someone hits you and they carry liability insurance, but not enough to cover all your medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering, their policy taps out early. That leaves you stuck unless you have Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage.

UIM acts as a backfill. Say the at-fault driver’s insurance caps out at $30,000, but your damages come to $75,000. If your UIM coverage is $100,000, it can kick in for the remaining $45,000. It only covers up to your policy limit, but it fills a critical gap.

In Minnesota, every auto insurance policy must include UIM coverage. But minimum coverage is just that—minimal. If you want actual protection, the default numbers won’t cut it.

What If the Other Driver Has No Insurance at All?

If the driver has no insurance, UIM won’t help. That’s when Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage steps in. In Minnesota, UM covers you if:

• The driver who hit you has no insurance.
• Their insurance lapsed or was fake.
• They fled the scene and were never found.

UM will cover your damages up to your policy limit. And like UIM, the required minimums are low—just $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident. That doesn’t go far if you end up in the hospital.

If your medical bills exceed your own coverage, and you don’t have sufficient health insurance, you could be stuck with the balance. Sometimes bumping up your UM/UIM coverage limits is the best way to ensure compensation.

Hit-and-Run in Minnesota? 

Minnesota is a no-fault state. That means your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays for the first chunk of your medical bills and wage loss no matter who caused the crash. But PIP is limited and doesn’t cover pain and suffering.

If someone hits you and flees, you’re dealing with an unidentified driver—legally considered uninsured. That’s where Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage takes over. UM covers scenarios where the other driver has no insurance or vanishes.

UIM and UM are bundled into Minnesota auto policies by law, and both matter. UIM comes into play when you do identify the driver, but they don’t have enough coverage.

When It’s Time to Call a Lawyer

Insurance policies are written by insurance companies—for insurance companies. Just because a coverage exists doesn’t mean your own insurance policy will pay.. Hit-and-run? They might question whether it actually happened. Underinsured driver? They’ll want every medical record, every receipt, and every scrap of evidence.

If you’ve been hit, whether the driver fled, had no insurance, or just didn’t carry enough, call an attorney. Melchert Hubert Sjodin, PLLP can help. Reach out and schedule a consultation at (952) 442-7700.