Why You Should Carry As Much Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage As You Can Afford in North Carolina
When people think about car insurance in North Carolina, they usually focus on the coverage that protects other people if they cause an accident—liability insurance. That’s required by law, so most drivers know they need that.
What many people don’t think about enough is the coverage that protects them.
In North Carolina, that protection comes from Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage, usually referred to as UM/UIM coverage. And if you ask me what limits you should carry, my answer is simple:
As much as you can reasonably afford.
North Carolina operates under a liability system. That means the person who causes the crash is responsible for paying the damages. In theory, that sounds fine. In reality, the at-fault driver often doesn’t have enough insurance or sometimes any insurance at all. When that happens, the person who caused the wreck may not have the financial resources to compensate you fully. That’s where UM/UIM coverage becomes critical.
Here is a link to a previous post on what that is, precisely:
North Carolina requires drivers to carry minimum liability limits, but those limits are not particularly high relative to medical expenses. The latest increase of liability limits was in 2025, and that lifted us up to $50,000. That can be one ED visit.
Serious injuries can easily exceed those amounts once you factor in:
- Emergency room treatment
- Imaging and diagnostic tests
- Physical therapy/Chiropractic care
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Long-term medical care
If the at-fault driver only carries minimum coverage, their insurance may run out long before your damages are fully covered.
If that happens, your UIM coverage should be able to help bridge the gap.
A lot of people assume their insurance policy is mainly there to protect others from them. UM/UIM coverage flips that idea around. It protects you and your family when someone else’s insurance isn’t enough.
As a personal injury attorney, I regularly see cases where someone suffers significant injuries and the at-fault driver only has what the state requires (if that) and it’s just not enough to cover their damages.When my client has strong UIM coverage, there’s often a path to recovering fair compensation. When they don’t, the options can become extremely limited.
That’s one of the reasons I encourage people to think about insurance coverage before they ever need it. Increasing your UM/UIM limits is usually one of the least expensive ways to dramatically improve your protection. For many drivers, raising those limits only adds a small amount to the monthly premium. But if you’re seriously injured by someone with little or no insurance, those additional limits can make an enormous difference in your ability to recover.
You can’t control who shares the road with you. Some drivers are uninsured. Others carry the bare minimum coverage. And accidents happen every day. The best way to protect yourself financially is to carry as much uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage as you can reasonably afford.
It’s one of the smartest insurance decisions you can make
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in North Carolina and have questions about insurance coverage or your rights, call me at 919-929-2992.