Vermont · Uninsured driver · Updated Oct 2026

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

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

Short answer

Every Vermont policy must include uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of at least $50,000/$100,000, which is higher than the liability minimum. Required: uninsured/underinsured/hit-and-run motorist coverage of at least $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident for injuries, plus up to $10,000 for property damage (with a $150 deductible in some cases).

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage
Required
Minimum liability
25/50/10
Insurance system
Fault (tort)

Uninsured motorist coverage in Vermont

Uninsured / underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)
Required: uninsured/underinsured/hit-and-run motorist coverage of at least $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident for injuries, plus up to $10,000 for property damage (with a $150 deductible in some cases).
Liability minimum
25/50/10
Official text
Read the official text

Compare every state in the minimum insurance table.

If the other driver has no insurance in Vermont

  • Every Vermont policy must include uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of at least $50,000/$100,000, which is higher than the liability minimum.
  • It also covers up to $10,000 of property damage caused by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver.

Penalties for driving uninsured in Vermont

  • Driving without insurance can bring a civil penalty of up to $500.

More facts for Vermont

  • Uninsured motorist coverage must be at least $50,000/$100,000, double the liability minimum (23 V.S.A. § 941).

How fast an insurer must handle a claim in Vermont

  • 8 V.S.A. § 4724(9) makes it an unfair claim settlement practice to fail to acknowledge and act reasonably promptly on claim communications, among other practices, when done often enough to be a business practice.
  • The statute sets no fixed number of days.

Claiming from the uninsured driver in Vermont

Small claims limit for car damage in Vermont: $10,000 (raised from $5,000 in 2023). Vermont small claims guide on Small Claims Map

Step by step if an uninsured driver hits you in Vermont

  1. Report the crash to the police. If anyone is hurt or property other than your own vehicle is damaged, you must stop, help as needed, and give your name, address, license number and the owner's name to the injured person, the property owner and any police officer. Reporting a crash in Vermont 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 Vermont it is required.
  4. If your coverage doesn't pay everything, sue the driver before the deadline: 3 years for both property damage and injury.

Free help in Vermont

Questions about uninsured drivers in Vermont

Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Vermont?

Required: uninsured/underinsured/hit-and-run motorist coverage of at least $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident for injuries, plus up to $10,000 for property damage (with a $150 deductible in some cases).

What happens if you drive without insurance in Vermont?

Driving without insurance can bring a civil penalty of up to $500.

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

Every Vermont policy must include uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of at least $50,000/$100,000, which is higher than the liability minimum. It also covers up to $10,000 of property damage caused by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver.

What is the minimum car insurance in Vermont?

25/50/10

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

3 years for property damage and 3 years for injury.

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

8 V.S.A. § 4724(9) makes it an unfair claim settlement practice to fail to acknowledge and act reasonably promptly on claim communications, among other practices, when done often enough to be a business practice. The statute sets no fixed number of days.

More for Vermont drivers

Nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.