Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage can protect an insured person injured by a driver without applicable liability insurance. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage can address injury losses that exceed the at-fault driver’s liability coverage. These coverages are optional to purchase in Nevada, so do not assume they are included in your policy.
After a Las Vegas crash, the useful starting points are the policy in effect on the accident date, the other driver’s coverage, and documentation of the injury. This guide focuses on Nevada rather than applying another state’s insurance rules to your claim.
TL;DR
- UM: concerns an at-fault driver without applicable insurance.
- UIM: concerns inadequate liability coverage for the injury losses.
- Check coverage: being insured does not itself mean you purchased UM/UIM.
- Review the policy: who is insured, limits, exclusions and notice terms matter.
- Do not sign a release without understanding it: have counsel review how a proposed settlement affects the remaining claims.
Table of Contents
- Uninsured vs. underinsured: the plain difference
- What UM/UIM coverage pays for
- Is UM/UIM required in Nevada?
- UM vs. UIM: how limits change what you collect
- Stacking vs. nonstacking coverage
- What to do after a crash with an uninsured or underinsured driver
- When your own insurer becomes the problem
- Review the policy before accepting an offer
- Discuss an injury claim with Summit
- Checklist: what to find in your policy this week
- FAQ
- Sources
Uninsured vs. underinsured: the plain difference
The Nevada Division of Insurance describes UM/UIM as optional protection for injuries involving uninsured, underinsured or hit-and-run drivers. Whether a particular incident is covered still depends on the policy and facts.
| Question | UM | UIM |
|---|---|---|
| Other driver | No applicable liability coverage | Liability coverage may be insufficient |
| Documents to gather | Your policy and evidence of the other driver’s coverage status | Your policy, other available limits and injury-loss records |
| Important limit | Coverage and insured status must be established | The policy limit is not a promised payment |
What UM/UIM coverage pays for
Separate the bodily-injury claim from vehicle repairs. The Nevada Division of Insurance’s coverage guide distinguishes UM/UIM, collision coverage and medical-payments coverage. Collision may address vehicle damage if you purchased it, subject to its deductible and terms. Medical-payments coverage has a different role from a liability-based injury claim.
Keep bills, treatment records, wage information and repair estimates in separate groups. Do not import a California property-damage limit into a Nevada policy, or assume collision coverage is included in every auto policy.
Is UM/UIM required in Nevada?
Nevada does not require drivers to purchase UM/UIM. Under NRS 687B.145, insurers generally must offer it at the bodily-injury limits purchased for a covered passenger car or motorcycle, subject to the statute’s exceptions. An offer is not proof that the coverage was purchased.
Request the declarations, full policy, endorsements, and coverage-selection or rejection records. Ask the insurer to identify the coverage in force on the accident date. A rule about written rejection in another state does not establish Nevada requirements.
UM vs. UIM: how limits change what you collect
Nevada’s UIM statute addresses bodily-injury damages exceeding the at-fault driver’s liability limits, up to the insured’s own coverage limits. A limits-reduction example from another jurisdiction should not be treated as the Nevada calculation.
A claim review needs the available liability limits, supported damages, all potentially applicable policies, and prior payments or proposed settlements. Coverage disputes and multiple injured people can complicate the calculation. Do not assume that adding the declarations-page numbers produces the amount you will receive.
Stacking vs. nonstacking coverage
Stacking means seeking combined limits from more than one applicable coverage. Nevada permits certain policy limitations under NRS 687B.145(1), with requirements concerning clear terms, prominence and premiums. A label such as “nonstacked” does not resolve every coverage or enforceability question.
Bring all household and vehicle policies that might apply. Ask who qualifies as an insured and whether a limitation is enforceable. Do not assume that nonstacking always restricts recovery to the vehicle involved, especially for a pedestrian or passenger. See our Nevada stacking guide for documents to review.
Related situations include rideshare crashes and e-bike or scooter injuries. The existence of several policies does not mean all provide coverage.
What to do after a crash with an uninsured or underinsured driver
- Seek medical care and keep treatment and expense records.
- Document the scene, vehicles, witnesses and available insurance information when safe.
- Obtain the report number if police responded. A report is evidence, not a final liability determination.
- Notify potentially relevant insurers promptly and keep copies of notices.
- Ask for written explanations of coverage decisions and requested documents.
- Have counsel review any release or settlement before signing. Notice, cooperation and settlement issues require policy-specific analysis.
For a serious collision, our Las Vegas car accident team can discuss the incident and potential coverage questions.
When your own insurer becomes the problem
Most people expect a fight with the at-fault driver’s insurer. Fewer expect one with their own. In a UM/UIM claim, your insurer owes you a duty to handle the claim fairly, but it also pays out of its own pocket. That tension is where disputes start.
Typical friction points include a lowball valuation of pain and suffering, demands for repeated paperwork, delays with no explanation, arguments over whether the other driver was really at fault, and disputes about whether you gave proper notice or got consent before settling. When delay or denial has no reasonable basis, it can cross into bad faith, but the legal standard and the remedies differ from state to state, so a general rule is not safe to rely on.
If your own insurer is stalling or denying a claim you believe is valid, read our page on Nevada bad faith insurance claims. Keep a log of every call, email and deadline, and save every letter.
Review the policy before accepting an offer
A clear coverage review separates three questions: who is insured, what losses are supported, and what the policy and Nevada law provide. Keep the insurer’s explanation alongside the policy language so any disagreement can be identified precisely. An early offer is not necessarily the final assessment of an injury, and a denial is not automatically bad faith.
Discuss an injury claim with Summit
If you were injured in Nevada, request a free case review and have the relevant policies and claim correspondence available. Summit handles car accident claims, wrongful death and insurance bad faith matters. Whether a claim can be accepted depends on its facts.
Checklist: what to find in your policy this week
You do not need to wait for a crash. Pull out your declarations page and check:
- Whether UM and UIM are included, and at what limits for bodily injury.
- Whether the limits are lower than your liability limits, and by how much.
- Whether property damage is covered under UM or only under collision.
- Whether coverage is stacked or nonstacked, and whether you signed a rejection or election form.
- Whether UM/UIM follows you as a pedestrian, passenger or cyclist.
- What your deductible is on collision, since that is often the quicker route for car repairs.
Ask your licensed insurance agent for quotes at different limits and an explanation of coverage differences. Premium changes vary; do not assume additional coverage will cost a particular amount.
FAQ
Are uninsured and underinsured the same?
No. UM concerns a driver without applicable liability coverage. UIM concerns coverage that may be insufficient for the injury losses.
Is UM/UIM mandatory in Nevada?
Purchase is optional. Nevada’s offer requirements do not mean every policy includes the coverage.
Does nonstacking mean only the occupied car’s limit applies?
Not necessarily. Insured status, policy wording and the enforceability of any limitation need review.
Does UM/UIM pay for repairs?
Do not assume bodily-injury UM/UIM pays for the vehicle. Review collision and any separate property-damage provisions with the insurer.
Should I wait to notify my insurer until the other claim settles?
Do not assume waiting is safe. Promptly review notice and cooperation requirements, and have any settlement or release reviewed before signing.
Sources
- Nevada Division of Insurance: UM/UIM and minimum liability coverage
- Nevada Division of Insurance: Automobile Insurance
- NRS 687B.145: UM/UIM and policy limitations
Recommended
This article was written with the assistance of AI and should never be treated as legal advice. It is not 100% guaranteed to be correct and you should never fail to contact an attorney based on its contents.
Talk with Summit
If you have questions about an injury in Nevada, our team can discuss your situation.
Request a case reviewGeneral information only; this article is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.