Nevada · Uninsured driver · Updated Oct 2026

Hit by an uninsured driver in Nevada: coverage, penalties and what to do

Your coverage, the penalties and how to claim your losses.

Short answer

Driving without the required insurance is a misdemeanor with a fine of $600 to $1,000 (cut to $100 for a first offense if you buy a policy by sentencing) (NRS 485.187). Insurers must offer uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage equal to your bodily injury limits, on a form approved by the Commissioner.

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage
Not required
Minimum liability
25/50/20
Insurance system
Fault (tort)

Uninsured motorist coverage in Nevada

Uninsured / underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)
Insurers must offer uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage equal to your bodily injury limits, on a form approved by the Commissioner. You may turn it down; it is not required (NRS 687B.145).
Liability minimum
25/50/20
Official text
Read the official text

Compare every state in the minimum insurance table.

If the other driver has no insurance in Nevada

  • If an uninsured driver hits you, you can claim under your own uninsured motorist coverage if you bought it, or sue the driver.

State forms and programs in Nevada

  • The DMV checks coverage electronically and says Nevada has no grace period: even a one-day lapse can lead to registration suspension and a reinstatement fee/fine of $250 to $1,750, and the DMV page also mentions a 3-year SR-22 and license suspension.

Penalties for driving uninsured in Nevada

  • Driving without the required insurance is a misdemeanor with a fine of $600 to $1,000 (cut to $100 for a first offense if you buy a policy by sentencing) (NRS 485.187).

How fast an insurer must handle a claim in Nevada

  • NRS 690B.012: your own insurer must approve or deny a casualty claim within 30 days after it gets the claim, and pay within 30 days after approval, or pay interest.
  • If it needs more information or time, it must tell you within 20 days and every 30 days after that.
  • NRS 686A.310 lists unfair claim practices, such as not acknowledging claims promptly or not settling fairly when liability is reasonably clear.

Claiming from the uninsured driver in Nevada

Small claims limit for car damage in Nevada: $10,000 for people and businesses, money only. Nevada small claims guide on Small Claims Map

Step by step if an uninsured driver hits you in Nevada

  1. Report the crash to the police. If anyone is hurt or killed, or the crash happened on a highway, and no officer is at the scene, report it right away to the nearest police office or the Nevada Highway Patrol. Reporting a crash in Nevada and getting the police report
  2. Write down the other car's plate and get witness names.
  3. Claim under your uninsured motorist coverage; in Nevada it is not required.
  4. If your coverage doesn't pay everything, sue the driver before the deadline: 3 years for property damage and 2 years for injury. Deadlines to sue in Nevada, with the calculator

Free help in Nevada

Questions about uninsured drivers in Nevada

Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Nevada?

Insurers must offer uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage equal to your bodily injury limits, on a form approved by the Commissioner. You may turn it down; it is not required (NRS 687B.145).

What happens if you drive without insurance in Nevada?

Driving without the required insurance is a misdemeanor with a fine of $600 to $1,000 (cut to $100 for a first offense if you buy a policy by sentencing) (NRS 485.187).

What can I do if an uninsured driver hits me in Nevada?

If an uninsured driver hits you, you can claim under your own uninsured motorist coverage if you bought it, or sue the driver. The DMV checks coverage electronically and says Nevada has no grace period: even a one-day lapse can lead to registration suspension and a reinstatement fee/fine of $250 to $1,750, and the DMV page also mentions a 3-year SR-22 and license suspension.

What is the minimum car insurance in Nevada?

25/50/20

How long do I have to sue an uninsured driver in Nevada?

3 years for property damage and 2 years for injury.

How fast must an insurer handle a car insurance claim in Nevada?

NRS 690B.012: your own insurer must approve or deny a casualty claim within 30 days after it gets the claim, and pay within 30 days after approval, or pay interest. If it needs more information or time, it must tell you within 20 days and every 30 days after that.

More for Nevada drivers

Nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.