Uninsured Motorist Claims in Riverside County

Uninsured and underinsured driver claims

Last updated: 2026-09-16

If the driver who hit you has no insurance, or not enough, your own policy's uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may pay for your injuries. California's Insurance Code § 11580.2 governs that coverage and sets conditions, including special rules when the other driver can't be identified. Read your policy and notify your insurer promptly.

How the coverage works

California's uninsured motorist statute (Insurance Code § 11580.2) addresses coverage for bodily injury or wrongful death caused by the owner or operator of an uninsured vehicle. Underinsured coverage can apply when the at-fault driver's limits are too low for the harm caused. The exact amounts and conditions come from your own policy.

A claim against your own insurer is still adversarial

Even though it's your policy, the insurer will evaluate fault, the injuries and the value of the claim. Keep your communications in writing, keep copies of what you send, and be careful with recorded statements.

If the other driver can't be identified

For an unidentified hit-and-run driver, the statute requires, among other conditions, that the injury arose from physical contact with you or the vehicle you were in. See our hit-and-run page.

Other possible sources of recovery

Another person or company may share responsibility, such as a vehicle owner who allowed an unsafe driver to use the car or a business whose vehicle was involved. Each potential source has to be investigated on the facts.