Uninsured Motorist Coverage — Hawaii
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What Hawaii Law Actually Requires
Hawaii does not require uninsured motorist coverage. The state mandates liability insurance at minimum limits of $40,000 per person for bodily injury, $80,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $20,000 for property damage. Personal injury protection is also required. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is optional — you can legally register and drive without it.
This creates a structural gap. You are required to carry insurance that protects others when you cause an accident, but you are not required to carry insurance that protects you when an uninsured driver hits you. The decision to add uninsured motorist coverage is yours, and it matters because 9.6% of Hawaii drivers operate without any insurance at all.
“Hawaii law does not require uninsured motorist coverage, but 9.6% of drivers carry no insurance at all.”
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Hawaii Uninsured Driver Rate
Nearly one in ten drivers on Hawaii roads carries no liability insurance. When an uninsured driver causes an accident, your only protection is uninsured motorist coverage if you purchased it, or a lawsuit against someone who likely cannot pay.
Insurance Information Institute, 2023
How Uninsured Motorist Coverage Works in Hawaii
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage pays your medical bills, lost wages, and pain-and-suffering damages when an at-fault driver has no insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage pays when the at-fault driver's liability limits are too low to cover your damages. Both are sold as optional add-ons to your liability policy.
Hawaii also offers uninsured motorist property damage coverage, which pays to repair your vehicle when an uninsured driver hits you. This is separate from collision coverage. Collision pays regardless of fault; uninsured motorist property damage pays only when the other driver is at fault and uninsured.
When you add uninsured motorist coverage, you select limits that mirror or fall below your liability limits. The coverage applies per accident, not per vehicle, so one policy covers every household member driving any insured car.
Hawaii law does not require uninsured motorist coverage, but it does require carriers to offer it. You must actively decline it in writing if you choose not to purchase it.
Why Hawaii Drivers Add Optional Coverage
The 9.6% uninsured driver rate means that in any ten-car accident scenario, statistically one driver lacks coverage. Hawaii's no-fault personal injury protection system covers your medical bills regardless of fault, but PIP does not cover property damage, lost income beyond the statutory cap, or non-economic damages. When the at-fault driver is uninsured, PIP pays your immediate medical costs and then stops. Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage continues where PIP ends.
Households insuring multiple vehicles face compounded exposure. A two-car household has twice the collision surface area, twice the commute miles, and twice the probability of encountering an uninsured driver over the policy term. Adding uninsured motorist coverage to a multi-vehicle policy protects every driver and every car under one set of limits, without requiring separate coverage per vehicle.
Hawaii's high vehicle theft rate — 383.3 thefts per 100,000 population in 2024 — intersects with uninsured motorist considerations when a stolen vehicle is involved in a hit-and-run. If the thief has no insurance and cannot be located, uninsured motorist property damage coverage applies. The optional coverage becomes the only path to recovery when the at-fault party vanishes.
$40,000 / $80,000 / $20,000
Hawaii Minimum Liability Limits
Hawaii requires $40,000 per person and $80,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, plus $20,000 for property damage. These are the minimums the at-fault driver must carry. When that driver is uninsured, you have no liability policy to claim against unless you purchased your own uninsured motorist coverage.
Hawaii Revised Statutes
How to Add Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Every carrier writing auto insurance in Hawaii must offer uninsured motorist coverage at the time you purchase or renew your policy. The offer is mandatory; the purchase is optional. If you decline the coverage, the carrier requires a signed written rejection. This rejection stays on file unless you later request to add the coverage mid-term or at renewal.
When you add uninsured motorist coverage, you select bodily injury limits and, separately, property damage limits. Bodily injury limits typically match your liability limits. Property damage limits are often lower, and some households skip uninsured motorist property damage entirely if they already carry collision coverage. The two coverages overlap in function but differ in trigger: collision pays regardless of fault, uninsured motorist property damage pays only when the other driver is at fault and uninsured.
Compare Carriers Writing Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Hawaii
Twelve carriers write auto insurance in Hawaii and offer uninsured motorist coverage as an optional add-on: Allstate, Amica, Auto Club Enterprises, Farmers, Geico, Hartford, Liberty Mutual, National General, Progressive, State Farm, Travelers, and USAA. Each carrier prices uninsured motorist coverage differently based on your liability limits, driving record, and claims history. A household insuring multiple vehicles should compare quotes that include uninsured motorist coverage across at least three carriers to see how the optional coverage affects the total premium. Use the site's comparison tool to request quotes from carriers writing in Hawaii, and specify that you want uninsured motorist bodily injury and property damage coverage included in every quote.
When Uninsured Motorist Coverage Pays
An uninsured driver runs a red light and hits your car. Your personal injury protection covers your immediate medical bills up to its limit, but it does not cover lost wages beyond the PIP cap, pain and suffering, or long-term injury costs. Without uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage, you file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver and attempt to collect a judgment from someone who could not afford insurance in the first place. With uninsured motorist coverage, your own carrier pays your damages up to your policy limits.
A hit-and-run driver damages your vehicle and flees the scene. Collision coverage pays to repair your car minus your deductible, but if you do not carry collision, uninsured motorist property damage coverage steps in when the at-fault driver cannot be identified. The coverage treats a phantom driver as an uninsured driver. Your carrier pays the repair cost up to your uninsured motorist property damage limit, and you avoid paying out of pocket for someone else's fault.
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Get My Hawaii Car Insurance QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Hawaii?
No. Hawaii does not require uninsured motorist coverage. The state mandates liability insurance and personal injury protection, but uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is optional. Carriers must offer it, and you must decline it in writing if you choose not to purchase it.
What does uninsured motorist coverage pay for in Hawaii?
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage pays your medical bills, lost wages, and pain-and-suffering damages when an at-fault driver has no insurance. Uninsured motorist property damage coverage pays to repair your vehicle when an uninsured driver hits you. Both coverages apply only when the other driver is at fault and uninsured or cannot be identified.
How much uninsured motorist coverage should I carry in Hawaii?
Most households match their uninsured motorist bodily injury limits to their liability limits. Property damage limits are often lower, and some households skip uninsured motorist property damage if they already carry collision coverage.
Does uninsured motorist coverage apply to hit-and-run accidents in Hawaii?
Yes. Uninsured motorist coverage treats a hit-and-run driver as an uninsured driver. If the at-fault driver flees and cannot be identified, uninsured motorist bodily injury and property damage coverage apply. You file a claim with your own carrier, and the coverage pays up to your policy limits.
Can I add uninsured motorist coverage to an existing Hawaii auto policy?
Yes. You can add uninsured motorist coverage at any time by contacting your carrier. The coverage takes effect immediately or at the next policy term, depending on the carrier's rules. If you previously declined the coverage in writing, you can reverse that decision and request to add it mid-term or at renewal.
Does uninsured motorist coverage cost more for multiple vehicles in Hawaii?
Uninsured motorist coverage applies per accident, not per vehicle, so one policy covers every household member driving any insured car. The cost increases slightly when you add vehicles because the carrier prices the coverage based on total exposure, but you do not pay separate uninsured motorist premiums for each car.