Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Arkansas: Do You Need It and Do You Already Have It?
Liability pays other people when you cause a crash. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is the mirror image: it pays you when the driver who caused the crash cannot. In Arkansas it arrives on the policy automatically, and it leaves only by signature. That makes it one of the easiest coverages to check and one of the easiest to lose without noticing.
What does uninsured motorist coverage pay for in Arkansas?
It pays for your injuries when the at-fault driver has no liability insurance, and under many policies after a hit-and-run. It comes in three related pieces, and the order matters more than most drivers realize.
Uninsured motorist bodily injury (UM)
Pays your medical costs, lost income and related losses when the at-fault driver has no liability coverage. Ark. Code § 23-89-403 requires it on every auto liability policy for vehicles registered or principally garaged in Arkansas unless a named insured rejects it in writing.
Underinsured motorist (UIM)
Applies when the at-fault driver has coverage but not enough. Under § 23-89-209, the insurer must give you the chance to buy it, and it is not reduced by what the other driver’s insurer paid, except to stop you collecting more than your actual damages.
Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD)
Covers damage to your vehicle, plus a reasonable amount for loss of use, when an uninsured driver causes it. Under § 23-89-404 it is offered to people who buy UM bodily injury and applies to losses above $200.
Why it matters here
The Insurance Research Council estimated 12.1% of Arkansas drivers were uninsured in 2023, about 1 in 8, ranking 26th among the states. The national rate was 15.4%.
One signature, two coverages
Section 23-89-209 says underinsured motorist coverage is not available unless uninsured motorist coverage is on the policy. A rejection signed years ago to trim the premium likely removed both, and underinsured coverage is what pays above a small policy.
When is uninsured motorist coverage the only coverage that pays?
In several common situations, nothing else on your policy responds. Your own liability coverage pays other people, not you.
A hit-and-run
There is no at-fault driver to claim against, so uninsured motorist coverage is often the claim. Some policies set conditions, such as reporting to police promptly, so read yours rather than assuming.
An uninsured at-fault driver
There is no insurance to collect from. A crash on Walton Boulevard in Bentonville or US-412 in Springdale with an uninsured driver leaves your UM coverage as the main source of payment for your injuries.
An at-fault driver at the state minimum
This is the most common case. A $25,000 per-person limit can be used up quickly, and underinsured coverage pays above it. Our guide on claims that exceed insurance limits explains the rest.
You dropped collision on an older car
Uninsured motorist property damage may be the only way to repair your own car after an uninsured driver hits it. Check it before you drop collision on an older car.
What does Arkansas law entitle you to with uninsured motorist coverage?
These are things you can ask for, not upgrades you have to be sold.
| Rule | What it means for you | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Included unless rejected in writing | UM bodily injury is on the policy by default. Only a written rejection removes it, and the rejection lasts until you withdraw it in writing. | § 23-89-403 |
| Limits up to your liability limits | If you buy liability above the minimum, the insurer must make UM available up to those limits, and turning that down must be in writing. | § 23-89-403 |
| UIM must be offered | You must be given the chance to buy underinsured coverage, but only alongside UM. | § 23-89-209 |
| UIM is not reduced by their payment | Your underinsured coverage is not reduced by the at-fault driver’s insurance, except to prevent payment beyond your damages. | § 23-89-209 |
| UMPD $200 deductible | UMPD applies to losses above $200. The $200 does not apply if the same insurer covers your car for collision and UMPD and the other driver is identified and solely at fault. | § 23-89-404 |
| No automatic re-offer | Once you reject a coverage in writing, the insurer does not have to offer it again at renewal. You bring it back by asking in writing. | §§ 23-89-403, 23-89-404 |
If I rejected uninsured motorist coverage before, will my insurer offer it again?
Not necessarily. Arkansas law does not require the insurer to raise it again at renewal, reinstatement or replacement once you have rejected it in writing. It comes back when you ask for it in writing.
Nobody will remind you
Under §§ 23-89-403 and 23-89-404, the insurer need not notify you about a rejected coverage in later renewal or replacement policies. A rejection can sit on a file for years.
New applications start fresh
When a renewal or replacement involves a new application, such as moving to a different insurance company, the offer rules apply as they would to a new policy. That is a natural moment to revisit the choice.
Read before you sign
A rejection form often appears in a stack of paperwork. Read it, ask what it removes, and keep a copy. Our guide to the types of car insurance explains each coverage on the form.
How do I check whether I have uninsured motorist coverage?
Your declarations page answers this. Work through these steps.
- Find the line on the declarations page.
It may read uninsured motorist, UM, UMBI, UIM or a combination. If it is not there, it was rejected at some point.
- Compare it with your liability limits.
If liability is high and UM sits at the floor, that is the gap the statute lets you close by asking.
- Look for property damage separately.
UMPD is its own line with its own $200 deductible rule.
- Check the hit-and-run wording.
Some policies set conditions for hit-and-run claims, such as prompt police reports. Read yours before you need it.
- Ask in writing if anything is missing.
Because the insurer does not have to raise it again, your written request is what reopens it.
How much does full-coverage auto insurance cost through Cribb?
Across the carriers we work with, auto policies carrying liability, collision and comprehensive placed through Cribb have averaged $79 to $105 a month.
Cribb’s agency average across full-coverage auto policies we placed. What adding or raising uninsured motorist limits changes depends on the insurance company and the limits you choose.
The ranges shown here are an average of premium on policies Cribb Insurance Group Inc actually wrote, over the 18 months ending September 2026, across 2,500 policies. They describe what other people paid for their own coverage, not what you will pay. Exclusions, limits and conditions apply, and the insurance company sets your premium after its underwriting review.Your quote depends on your vehicles, drivers, driving and claims history, garaging address, chosen limits and deductibles, and, where the insurer uses it, a credit-based insurance score. This is a planning range, not a quote, and not any carrier’s filed rate.
Find out whether it was ever signed away.
Cribb Insurance Group is an independent agency in Bentonville serving Northwest Arkansas. Send us your declarations page and we will show you whether uninsured, underinsured and property damage coverage are on it, how the limits compare with your liability limits, and what closing any gap costs across multiple insurance companies.
Ask Cribby about uninsured motorist coverage
Cribby is Cribb Insurance Group’s AI assistant for general insurance questions. Start with one of these, or ask your own. For your own policy, talk with our team.
Want to see what your current policy says? Upload your declarations page to Coverage Compare. It shows your uninsured, underinsured and liability limits side by side and flags coverage that is missing, so you can see whether a rejection is sitting on your policy.
Use Coverage CompareUninsured motorist coverage questions
Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Arkansas?
Your insurer must include it, but you may reject it. Under Ark. Code § 23-89-403, uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage comes on every Arkansas auto liability policy unless a named insured rejects it in writing, and the rejection stays in force until withdrawn in writing. Check your declarations page to see whether it is there.
What happens to underinsured coverage if I reject uninsured motorist coverage?
You lose access to it. Ark. Code § 23-89-209 says underinsured motorist coverage is not available unless uninsured motorist coverage is on the policy, and it cannot be issued without it. A single written rejection therefore removes both, and underinsured coverage is what pays above a small policy.
What is the difference between uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage?
Uninsured coverage applies when the at-fault driver has no liability insurance, including many hit-and-run cases. Underinsured coverage applies when they have insurance but not enough to pay for what they caused. Underinsured situations arise whenever a driver carries only the $25,000 per-person minimum.
Does uninsured motorist coverage pay for a hit-and-run?
Often yes, because there is no at-fault driver to claim against. Policies can set conditions, such as reporting the accident to police promptly, so read your own policy wording rather than relying on the general rule. Report a hit-and-run to police and your insurer right away.
What is uninsured motorist property damage coverage?
It covers your vehicle, plus a reasonable amount for loss of use, when an uninsured driver damages it. Under Ark. Code § 23-89-404 it applies to losses above $200. That $200 does not apply if the same insurer covers your car for collision and UMPD and the other driver is identified and solely at fault.
Can I get uninsured motorist limits as high as my liability limits?
Yes. If you buy liability limits above the state minimum, Ark. Code § 23-89-403 requires the insurer to make uninsured motorist coverage available up to those liability limits. Turning down the higher limits must be done in writing. Ask for a quote with matching limits to see the difference.
If I rejected it before, will my insurer offer it again?
Not necessarily. Once you reject the coverage in writing, Arkansas law does not require the insurer to offer it again at renewal, reinstatement or replacement. You can bring it back by asking in writing. A new application, such as switching insurance companies, restarts the offer rules.
Sources we checked for this guide:
Insurance answers you can understand. From a local agency you can know.
We believe good insurance decisions start with clear information. Our Northwest Arkansas insurance guides explain coverage, pricing considerations and policy differences in everyday language, so you can shop with greater confidence.
Check your uninsured motorist coverage before you need it.
Send us your declarations page or start a quote. We will show you whether uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage are on your policy, how the limits compare with your liability limits, and how options from multiple insurance companies compare.
A quote is an estimate. It is not a guarantee of final premium, coverage or eligibility. The insurance company sets the actual rate and the actual coverage terms after its underwriting review, and they may differ from any figure shown here. Cribb Insurance Group Inc is an independent insurance agency, not an insurance company. Your insurance company issues the policy and pays covered claims. Coverage cannot be bound, changed or cancelled through this website, email, social media or voicemail, and is not in force until Cribb Insurance Group Inc or the insurance company confirms it in writing. Coverage, eligibility, discounts and prices vary by insurance company, policy and individual situation. Cribb Insurance Group Inc, 1601 SW Regional Airport Blvd, Bentonville, AR 72713, (479) 286-1066.