Key Takeaways
Georgia requires insurers to offer uninsured motorist (UM) coverage under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11. A Georgia auto policy must include UM coverage unless a named insured rejects it in writing (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11); your declarations page shows whether you have it. The same section sets Georgia's minimum personal auto liability limits: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. UM coverage is part of your own policy and can pay for your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance to cover them. Georgia does not require PIP, and MedPay is optional. Fault still matters: recovery is barred at 50% or more fault and reduced by your share below that (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33). The general deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit is two years (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). Roden Law reviews your coverage for free.
Being hit by a driver with no insurance can feel like being injured twice: once in the crash, and again when you learn there may be no policy to pay for it. Georgia law requires insurers to offer uninsured motorist (UM) coverage under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11, which means your own auto policy may hold protection for exactly this moment. This guide explains what Georgia requires, what UM coverage does, and how to find out what your policy actually contains. Roden Law will review your coverage for free, and you pay no fees unless we win.
Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Georgia?
Georgia requires insurers to offer uninsured motorist coverage, under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11. A Georgia auto policy must include UM coverage unless a named insured rejects it in writing (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11). Whether your policy includes it, and at what limits, is printed on your declarations page, the summary sheet that lists each coverage and its limits.
That same section sets the floor for the liability side of a Georgia auto policy. Personal auto policies must carry at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage, under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11. Drivers convicted of DUI on or after May 14, 2025 must carry higher liability limits for 36 months (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16). Liability coverage pays for injuries you cause to others. UM coverage protects you.
How does Georgia auto insurance coverage compare?
Each part of a Georgia auto policy answers a different question about who pays. The table sets out what the law says about each one and what it does for you after a crash.
| Coverage | What Georgia law says | What it does for you |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | At least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11) | Pays people the policyholder injures; this is the policy you claim against when another driver is at fault |
| Property damage liability | At least $25,000 (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11) | Pays for other people’s vehicles and property |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | Insurers must offer it (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11) | Part of your own policy; can pay for your injuries when the at-fault driver cannot |
| Medical payments (MedPay) | Optional | Helps with your own medical bills |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | Not required in Georgia | Georgia is an at-fault state, so injury claims run against the driver who caused the crash |
What does uninsured motorist coverage pay for?
Uninsured motorist coverage is the part of your own auto policy that can pay for your injuries when the driver who caused the crash has no insurance to cover them. Because Georgia is an at-fault state, an injured person normally recovers from the at-fault driver’s liability insurer. UM coverage steps in when that source is missing.
Depending on your policy’s terms, UM coverage can help with the losses a crash leaves behind: medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Your policy’s limits cap what it will pay, which is why the number on your declarations page matters as much as whether the coverage is there at all.
What if the at-fault driver’s insurance is too small?
Your own UM coverage may still help when the at-fault driver’s policy is too small to cover your injuries, and how much it adds depends on the terms of your policy. A driver carrying only Georgia’s minimum of $25,000 per person in bodily injury coverage (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11) may have far less insurance than a serious injury requires. Hospital stays, surgery and months away from work can outrun a minimum policy quickly.
Before you accept any payment from the at-fault driver’s insurer, have a lawyer read your own policy. A signed release can affect your other claims, and that is hard to undo.
How do I find out if I have uninsured motorist coverage?
Your declarations page tells you whether you have UM coverage and its limits. Look for a line labeled “uninsured motorist” or “UM” with a dollar amount beside it. Then take these steps:
- If you cannot find the page, ask your agent or insurer for a complete copy of your policy, including the declarations and any endorsements.
- Note the limits and any other coverage listed, such as MedPay.
- Report the crash to your own insurer promptly; policies commonly set notice requirements.
- Keep copies of everything you receive and send.
A lawyer can request the policy for you and read its terms before you give your insurer a recorded statement. When you make a UM claim, the adjuster works for the insurance company, even though it is your own policy.
What if a hit-and-run driver caused the crash?
Your UM coverage may be the main source of compensation after a hit-and-run in Georgia, because a driver who flees cannot be identified to make a claim against. Whether and how it pays depends on your policy, the facts of the crash and conditions Georgia law sets for claims against an unknown driver. When the driver is unknown, there must have been actual physical contact between that driver’s vehicle and you or your property, unless an eyewitness other than you corroborates your account of how the crash happened (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(b)(2)). That is why evidence gathered in the first hours matters.
Call the police from the scene and get the report number. Photograph the damage, your injuries and the area, and write down the names and numbers of anyone who saw the crash. Report the hit-and-run to your insurer promptly. The driver who left the scene also broke the law: a driver involved in an accident must stop, give identifying information and render reasonable assistance under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-270.
Do fault and filing deadlines apply to a UM claim?
Fault and deadlines still matter when you make a UM claim in Georgia. Georgia bars recovery at 50% or more fault; below that, the award is reduced by your share (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33). An insurer, including your own, may argue that you share the blame, so preserve the evidence that shows how the crash happened.
The general deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit in Georgia is two years from the date of injury, under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. A UM claim has its own procedural steps that should be handled well before that date. Our guide to the Georgia statute of limitations for injury claims explains the deadline, and our Georgia car accident settlement value guide covers what drives the value of a claim.
Talk to a Georgia car accident lawyer for free
Roden Law’s Georgia car accident lawyers will look for every policy that may apply to your crash, read your UM coverage and deal with the insurers for you. If the crash happened in or around Savannah, see our Savannah car accident lawyers page, or reach our Savannah office or Darien office. Our Georgia personal injury lawyers handle injury claims beyond car crashes as well. Call 1-844-RESULTS or (912) 303-5850 for a free case review. You pay nothing upfront and no legal fees unless we win your case.
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About the Author
Tyler Love
Founding Partner, CTOTyler has represented numerous individuals across Georgia who suffered injuries from negligence or workplace incidents. He began his career in Cartersville at Akin & Tate under accomplished trial lawyers, then relocated to Savannah where he handled personal injury and workers’ compensation cases at a local firm. In 2013, Tyler became a founding partner of Roden […]
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