Uninsured Motorist Coverage — Arizona
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Arizona Does Not Mandate Uninsured Motorist Coverage
You're structuring coverage for two or more vehicles in Arizona and need to know whether uninsured motorist (UM) protection is required. It is not. Arizona law requires only liability coverage: $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage. Uninsured motorist coverage is optional.
That optional status matters when you're adding a second or third vehicle to your policy. Carriers present UM as an add-on during the quote process, and many households decline it to lower the premium. The decision becomes structural: if you decline UM on a multi-car policy, every vehicle on that policy goes without it.
“Declining UM on a multi-car policy leaves every vehicle unprotected when an uninsured driver causes a collision.”
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Arizona Uninsured Motorist Rate
More than one in ten Arizona drivers carries no insurance. When an uninsured driver hits one of your vehicles, your own liability coverage pays nothing for your damage or injury — only UM coverage responds.
NAIC Auto Insurance Database Report 2023
What Uninsured Motorist Coverage Actually Pays
Uninsured motorist coverage pays for your injuries and, in Arizona, your vehicle damage when another driver causes the collision and carries no insurance. It also covers you when the at-fault driver flees the scene and cannot be identified. Arizona offers two UM components: bodily injury (UMBI) and property damage (UMPD).
UMBI pays medical bills, lost wages, and pain-and-suffering damages up to the limit you select. UMPD pays to repair or replace your vehicle, minus your deductible, when the at-fault driver is uninsured. Both operate only when the other driver is legally at fault and uninsured or unidentified.
When you insure multiple vehicles, UM applies per accident, not per vehicle. If an uninsured driver hits two of your cars in one collision, your UMPD limit covers both vehicles combined, not each vehicle separately. The per-accident structure means households with three or four vehicles face higher total exposure in a single incident.
Declining UM on a multi-car policy leaves every vehicle on that policy unprotected when an uninsured driver causes a collision.
The Structural Gap When You Decline UM
Arizona's 10.6% uninsured rate translates to roughly 620,000 drivers on the road with no coverage. When one of them hits your vehicle, your liability coverage does nothing — it pays only for damage you cause to others. If you declined UM, you pay out of pocket for your own vehicle repair and medical bills, or you file through collision coverage if you carry it.
Collision coverage pays for your vehicle damage regardless of fault, but it does not cover your injuries. UMBI fills that gap. Households managing multiple vehicles often carry collision on newer cars and drop it on older ones to control cost. When an uninsured driver hits the older car, declining UM means no coverage at all for that vehicle's damage.
The exposure compounds across multiple vehicles. A household with three cars faces three times the likelihood that one of them will be hit by an uninsured driver over the policy term. Declining UM to save premium on a multi-car policy concentrates that risk on the household rather than transferring it to the carrier.
$25,000 / $50,000 / $15,000
Arizona Minimum Liability Limits
Arizona requires only liability coverage at these minimums. Uninsured motorist coverage is optional, but when an uninsured driver hits you, your liability coverage pays nothing for your own damage or injury.
Arizona Revised Statutes § 28-4009
Comparing UM Across Arizona Carriers
Not every carrier writing multi-car policies in Arizona offers both UMBI and UMPD. Some offer only UMBI and require you to rely on collision coverage for vehicle damage. Others bundle UMBI and UMPD together and do not allow you to decline one while keeping the other. The structural differences matter when you're comparing quotes for multiple vehicles.
Carriers that write non-standard and high-risk policies — Acceptance, Bristol West, Dairyland, GAINSCO, Infinity, Kemper, The General — typically offer UM as an optional add-on with flexible limits. Standard-tier carriers like Allstate, Geico, Progressive, and State Farm also offer UM, but their default quote screens sometimes pre-select it, requiring you to actively decline. Review the quote breakdown carefully to confirm whether UM is included and at what limit.
When to Add UM to Your Multi-Car Policy
Add UMBI when any household member driving your vehicles would face financial hardship from medical bills and lost wages after a collision caused by an uninsured driver. Arizona's minimum liability limits are low, and 10.6% of drivers carry nothing at all. UMBI ensures your household is covered regardless of the other driver's insurance status.
Add UMPD when you carry collision coverage on some vehicles but not all. If you dropped collision on an older car to lower your premium, UMPD becomes the only coverage that pays for that vehicle's damage when an uninsured driver is at fault. Without it, you pay out of pocket for repairs or replacement.
Compare carriers that write your household's vehicles and offer UM limits matching your liability coverage. Request quotes with and without UM to see the actual cost difference on a multi-car policy. The premium increase is typically smaller than the exposure you're declining.
How UM Fits Into a Multi-Car Policy
Arizona carriers price UM as a per-policy add-on, not a per-vehicle charge. Adding a second or third vehicle to your policy does not double or triple your UM premium the way liability coverage scales. The UM premium increases modestly to reflect the additional exposure, but the cost structure favors multi-car households over maintaining separate policies.
You select UM limits when you structure the policy. Most carriers offer UMBI limits matching your liability limits, and UMPD limits up to the actual cash value of your vehicles. If you carry $50,000 per accident in liability, you can select $50,000 per accident in UMBI. The limits apply to the entire household, not to each vehicle individually.
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Get My Arizona Car Insurance QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does Arizona require uninsured motorist coverage?
No. Arizona requires only liability coverage at $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $15,000 for property damage. Uninsured motorist coverage is optional.
What does uninsured motorist coverage pay for in Arizona?
Uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) pays your medical bills, lost wages, and pain-and-suffering damages when an uninsured driver causes a collision. Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) pays to repair or replace your vehicle when the at-fault driver is uninsured or unidentified.
How does uninsured motorist coverage work on a multi-car policy?
UM applies per accident, not per vehicle. If an uninsured driver hits two of your cars in one collision, your UMPD limit covers both vehicles combined. Carriers price UM as a per-policy add-on, so adding a second or third vehicle increases the UM premium modestly rather than doubling or tripling it.
What happens if I decline UM and an uninsured driver hits my car?
Your liability coverage pays nothing for your own damage or injury. If you carry collision coverage, it pays for your vehicle damage minus your deductible, but it does not cover your injuries. Without UM or collision, you pay out of pocket for everything.
Do all Arizona carriers offer uninsured motorist property damage coverage?
No. Some carriers offer only UMBI and require you to rely on collision coverage for vehicle damage. Others bundle UMBI and UMPD together. Review the quote breakdown to confirm which UM components are included and at what limits.
Should I add UM to my policy if I already have collision coverage?
Yes, if you want injury protection. Collision covers your vehicle damage regardless of fault, but it does not cover your medical bills or lost wages. UMBI fills that gap when an uninsured driver causes the collision.