Tennessee · Uninsured driver · Updated Oct 2026
Hit by an uninsured driver in Tennessee: coverage, penalties and what to do
Your coverage, the penalties and how to claim your losses.
Short answer
Failing to show proof of insurance is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of up to $300, and the vehicle may be towed.
- Minimum liability
- 25/50/25
- Insurance system
- Fault (tort)
Uninsured motorist coverage in Tennessee
- Liability minimum
- 25/50/25
- Official text
- Read the official text
Compare every state in the minimum insurance table.
If the other driver has no insurance in Tennessee
- To recover from an uninsured driver, check whether your own policy has uninsured motorist coverage.
Penalties for driving uninsured in Tennessee
- Failing to show proof of insurance is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of up to $300, and the vehicle may be towed.
- After a conviction, the state suspends the driver's license unless they prove, within 30 days of the notice, that they had insurance on that date.
- After a crash with $400 or more in damage, you (or your insurer or lawyer) can file a claim with the Department of Safety against an uninsured driver who contributed to it: their driving privileges can be revoked unless they show insurance, get a release from you, or post a bond.
Claiming from the uninsured driver in Tennessee
Small claims limit for car damage in Tennessee: $25,000 in General Sessions Court (Tennessee has no court called small claims; you file a civil warrant). Tennessee small claims guide on Small Claims Map
Step by step if an uninsured driver hits you in Tennessee
- Report the crash to the police. Stop at the scene. Reporting a crash in Tennessee and getting the police report
- Write down the other car's plate and get witness names.
- Ask your insurer whether your policy has uninsured motorist or collision coverage.
- If your coverage doesn't pay everything, sue the driver before the deadline: 3 years for property damage and 1 year for injury.
Free help in Tennessee
Questions about uninsured drivers in Tennessee
What happens if you drive without insurance in Tennessee?
Failing to show proof of insurance is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of up to $300, and the vehicle may be towed. After a conviction, the state suspends the driver's license unless they prove, within 30 days of the notice, that they had insurance on that date. After a crash with $400 or more in damage, you (or your insurer or lawyer) can file a claim with the Department of Safety against an uninsured driver who contributed to it: their driving privileges can be revoked unless they show insurance, get a release from you, or post a bond.
What can I do if an uninsured driver hits me in Tennessee?
To recover from an uninsured driver, check whether your own policy has uninsured motorist coverage.
What is the minimum car insurance in Tennessee?
25/50/25
How long do I have to sue an uninsured driver in Tennessee?
3 years for property damage and 1 year for injury.
More for Tennessee drivers
- All car accident rules in Tennessee
- Comparative fault
- Reporting a crash
- Minimum car insurance in every state
- Guide: hit by an uninsured driver
- Fault and payout explainer
- Deadline calculator
- Insurance claim letter
- Police report request letter
Nearby states
- TN Dept. of Safety: Financial Responsibility Laws
- TN Dept. of Safety: Owner Operator Report
- Tennessee Highway Patrol: Crash Report
- TN Dept. of Commerce and Insurance: File an Insurance Complaint
- TN Dept. of Commerce and Insurance Bulletin: Comparative Negligence - Uninsured Motorist Claims (June 29, 1993)
- TN Comprehensive Driver License Manual (Dept. of Safety)
Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.