Your insurance will cover your car if an accident is your fault. But if you're in a collision with an uninsured motorist, you could be in trouble. According to an analysis this year by Insurance Research Council, or IRC, in Malvern, Pa., roughly 1 in 7 U.S. motorists are uninsured. In high-risk states such as Mississippi, almost 1 in 3 drivers doesn't have auto insurance.
"Everybody needs uninsured motorist coverage, and they need it to the same policy limits as their liability coverage," attorney Massey says.
Many states require car insurance companies to offer consumers uninsured motorist coverage, but insurance providers are not required to tell you exactly how high-risk your state is. Consumers can research it at Ircweb.org.