How Many Uninsured Motorists Are There? Which States Have the Most?

Last Updated on December 14, 2025

Driving without car insurance is more common than most people realize. The latest national estimate puts the uninsured motorist rate at 15.4% — which is more than 1 in 7 drivers.

Even though nearly every state requires liability insurance, millions of motorists still drive uninsured. The exact risk depends heavily on where you live: some states are in the single digits, while others have uninsured rates above 20%.

Below, we’ll break down how many uninsured drivers there are, which states have the highest and lowest uninsured motorist rates, and what you can do to protect yourself financially if you’re hit by someone without coverage.

Key Takeaways

• The latest national estimate shows 15.4% of drivers (more than 1 in 7) were uninsured in 2023, and uninsured rates vary widely by state.
• The lowest uninsured rates are in states like Maine, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, while Mississippi, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C. have some of the highest rates.
• Uninsured drivers increase costs for everyone because crash losses often shift to insured drivers through uninsured motorist claims, collision coverage, or out-of-pocket costs.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage can be one of the most valuable add-ons on a policy, especially for hit-and-run crashes and serious injuries.

More Than 1 in 7 Drivers Are Uninsured

According to the Insurance Research Council (IRC), 15.4% of motorists were uninsured in 2023. That figure rose sharply around 2020 and has continued trending upward in the years since.

If you’d like to see the latest IRC summary and the state-by-state rankings, you can reference their recent research summary here: Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists: 2017–2023 (IRC summary). You can also see a clean state-by-state table on the Insurance Information Institute’s page here: Uninsured motorist statistics by state.

Uninsured Motorists Drive Up Costs for Everyone

When an uninsured driver causes a crash, the financial damage doesn’t vanish — it usually shifts to someone else.

If an uninsured motorist hits you, you could be stuck with medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle repairs. In many cases, your recovery may depend on your own coverage — like uninsured motorist insurance, collision coverage, MedPay/PIP, or health insurance — especially if the at-fault driver has little money or assets.

Bottom line: uninsured driving increases the overall cost of claims in the system, and those costs tend to show up in premiums for insured drivers.

How the IRC Estimates Uninsured Motorist Rates

It’s hard to measure uninsured drivers directly, because uninsured drivers don’t show up in insurance databases the way insured drivers do. The IRC estimates uninsured motorist rates using claims data.

Specifically, the IRC looks at the frequency of uninsured motorist (UM) claims compared to bodily injury (BI) liability claim frequencies. It’s not perfect, but it’s one of the most widely cited methods for comparing states and tracking trends over time.

If you’re worried about making a UM claim, read this next: do uninsured motorist claims raise your rates?

Top 10 States with the Lowest Uninsured Driver Rates

Some states have relatively low uninsured motorist rates. Based on the most recent state-by-state estimates (2023), the 10 states with the lowest uninsured driver rates include:

1. Maine: 5.7%
2. Utah: 6.2%
3. Idaho: 6.4%
4. Wyoming: 6.7%
5. Montana: 7.2%
6. West Virginia: 7.8%
7. Massachusetts: 7.9%
8. New York: 8.6%
9. South Dakota: 9.4%
10. Nebraska: 9.5%

Top 10 States with the Highest Uninsured Driver Rates

Other states have much higher uninsured rates. Based on the most recent state-by-state estimates (2023), the 10 states with the highest uninsured driver rates include:

1. Mississippi: 28.2%
2. New Mexico: 24.1%
3. Washington, D.C.: 23.1%
4. Michigan: 22.3%
5. Tennessee: 21.3%
6. Missouri: 20.7%
7. Florida: 20.6% (Florida’s required coverages are unique compared to most states)
8. California: 20.4%
9. Colorado: 19.7%
10. Washington: 19.1%

Should You Carry Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Uninsured motorist coverage is designed to protect you if you’re hit by someone who has no insurance (and in many states, it also helps in hit-and-run situations). Some drivers also add underinsured motorist coverage for cases where the at-fault driver has insurance, but not enough to cover a serious accident.

In fact, some states require drivers to carry uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. If you want a simple explanation of the difference, start here: uninsured vs. underinsured motorist coverage.

Three common reasons drivers add UM/UIM coverage are:

Peace of mind: Even in “good” states, uninsured driving isn’t rare. UM coverage can prevent a bad situation from turning into a financial crisis.

Protection from underinsured drivers: Many drivers carry only the minimum legal limits — which often isn’t enough after a serious crash. You can sue the other driver for damages, but uninsured and underinsured drivers frequently have limited assets, which can make recovery difficult.

Coverage for hit-and-run crashes: If the other driver disappears, insurers may handle the claim like an uninsured motorist situation. UM/UIM coverage can provide extra protection against hit and run accidents.

If you want to add UM/UIM coverage, call your insurer (or agent) and ask for the price to add it to your policy. In many cases, it’s a relatively inexpensive upgrade compared to the protection it provides.

Why Do People Drive Without Insurance?

Uninsured driving is a complicated problem, and it usually isn’t explained by one single reason.

Some drivers skip insurance because it’s too expensive, some have had policies canceled for nonpayment, and others misunderstand what’s required (especially after moving states, buying a new car, or letting a policy lapse).

Uninsured rates also tend to be higher when insurance is less affordable relative to income — which is one reason uninsured driving can vary dramatically from one state to another.

How “No Pay, No Play” Laws Penalize Uninsured Drivers

To discourage uninsured driving, some states have “no pay, no play” style rules. These laws generally limit what an uninsured driver can recover after a crash — even if the uninsured driver wasn’t at fault (the details and exceptions vary widely by state).

Separately, many states have expanded electronic insurance verification systems to identify uninsured vehicles more quickly — which can lead to fines, registration suspensions, and other penalties if your policy lapses.

Are There Any States Where Car Insurance Isn’t Required?

In most of the U.S., liability insurance is required to legally drive. New Hampshire is the best-known exception: drivers can legally drive without insurance if they meet the state’s financial responsibility rules — but they’re still personally liable for damages they cause.

Virginia used to allow drivers to pay an uninsured motorist fee instead of carrying insurance, but that opt-out option ended July 1, 2024. Today, Virginia requires registered vehicles to have liability insurance that meets state minimum limits.

In some states, drivers can also use alternatives like a surety bond or cash deposit to prove financial responsibility instead of a traditional insurance policy. The rules vary, and these options usually require a significant amount of money up front.

FAQs on Uninsured Drivers in the U.S.

Final Word on Uninsured Drivers in America

Uninsured driving is a real nationwide issue. The most recent data puts the uninsured motorist rate at 15.4% (more than 1 in 7 drivers), and the rate varies sharply depending on your state.

If you’re concerned about uninsured drivers in your area, consider strengthening your protection — especially uninsured motorist coverage and (where available) underinsured motorist coverage. It can be one of the most cost-effective add-ons on an auto policy.