Uninsured Motorists Coverage protects you, your family members who live with you, and occupants of your car, in the event they are injured as the result of negligent actions by an uninsured vehicle or hit-and-run motorist, in accidents occurring in New York State.
A claim may be filed with your auto insurance company under this coverage if anyone in your car is injured by the driver of an uninsured vehicle or a hit-and-run motorist, or if you or a member of your family is injured while in an uninsured vehicle, or injured as a pedestrian by an uninsured or hit-and-run motorist. If you do not own a car, but a relative in your household does, you may be covered under that policy. If no other coverage is available when injured as a pedestrian by an uninsured vehicle or hit-and-run driver or as an occupant of an uninsured vehicle in New York State, you may still be eligible for uninsured motorist protection from the Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Corporation (MVAIC).
You may also wish to consider purchasing SUM coverage in order to protect against out-of-state accidents, or the possibility of an accident involving another motor vehicle whose owner or operator was negligent and who may be insured for third-party bodily injury, but only at relatively low liability limits, in comparison to your own.