# Can UM/UIM Cover an Illinois Motorcycle Accident Claim?

![Charles N. Therman](https://www.choosecharlie.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/charles-therman-reviewed-by-2026-10-200x300.jpg)Reviewed by[Charles N. Therman](https://www.choosecharlie.com/our-team/charles-therman/)Principal Attorney & Founder, Therman Law OfficesIllinois attorney since 2000November 9, 2026[Contact Us](https://www.choosecharlie.com/contact-us/)![Can Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage Pay After an Illinois Motorcycle Accident?](https://www.choosecharlie.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/uninsured-underinsured-motorist-coverage-motorcycle-accident-300x200.jpg)

**Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can pay after an Illinois motorcycle accident** when the driver who caused your injuries has no insurance or carries too little coverage. The amount available depends on your policy and what happened during the crash.

1. How Does Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Work in Illinois?
2. What Does Illinois Law Require for Motorcycle Insurance?
3. When Can Uninsured Motorist Coverage Pay After a Motorcycle Crash?
4. How Much Can Underinsured Motorist Coverage Pay in Illinois?
5. How Can a Chicago Motorcycle Accident Attorney Help With an Insurance Dispute?
6. What Should You Do if the Other Driver Has No Insurance?
7. Illinois Motorcycle UM/UIM Coverage FAQs
8. Get Answers About Your Motorcycle Insurance Claim

![Charles N. Therman](https://www.choosecharlie.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/charles-therman-reviewed-by-2026-10-200x300.jpg)Reviewed by[Charles N. Therman](https://www.choosecharlie.com/our-team/charles-therman/)Principal Attorney & Founder, Therman Law OfficesIllinois attorney since 2000November 9, 2026[Contact Us](https://www.choosecharlie.com/contact-us/)

A [Chicago motorcycle accident lawyer](https://www.choosecharlie.com/chicago-il/motorcycle-accident-lawyer/) at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can help you determine which insurance policy applies, especially when your medical bills exceed what the other driver’s insurer will pay. We understand how frustrating it can be to face mounting expenses while waiting for an insurance company to respond, and we can handle those conversations on your behalf. 

## How Does Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Work in Illinois?

**Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage** applies when a driver who causes your injuries has no liability insurance. **Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage** can provide additional payment when the responsible driver’s liability limits fall below your UIM limits and cannot cover your losses.

[Chicago personal injury lawyers](https://www.choosecharlie.com/) can help determine which coverage applies to your motorcycle accident. You might have benefits available through your own policy, even though another driver caused the collision. The policy language matters, especially if you own several vehicles.

Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can review your insurance documents to identify coverage that might apply. This becomes important when you borrow someone’s motorcycle or suffer injuries as a passenger, since those circumstances can affect which insurer handles your claim.

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## What Does Illinois Law Require for Motorcycle Insurance?

Illinois generally requires motorcycle insurance policies to provide uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage. Under [215 ILCS 5/143a](https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/ILCS/Fulltext?DocName=021500050K143a), the minimum limits are **$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident**, although riders can purchase higher limits.

The [Illinois Department of Insurance](https://idoi.illinois.gov/consumers/consumerinsurance/auto-insurance-shopping-guide.html) explains the main coverage types that could apply after a motorcycle accident:

- **Liability insurance**: Pays covered losses you cause to other people.
- **Uninsured motorist coverage**: Covers qualifying bodily injury claims involving uninsured or hit-and-run drivers.
- **Underinsured motorist coverage**: Provides additional benefits when the responsible driver’s liability limits fall below your UIM limits.

Under [215 ILCS 5/143a-2](https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/ILCS/Fulltext?DocName=021500050K143a-2), policies with UM limits above the state minimum must also include matching UIM coverage. Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can help you check your declarations page to see what protection you purchased.

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## When Can Uninsured Motorist Coverage Pay After a Motorcycle Crash?

Uninsured motorist coverage can pay for injuries caused by a driver who lacks liability insurance. Illinois also allows certain hit-and-run claims, although the circumstances and applicable policy requirements can affect your eligibility for payment.

Several situations could lead to a UM claim:

- **An uninsured driver hits you**: A motorist runs a red light and strikes your motorcycle without carrying liability coverage.
- **A driver leaves the scene**: Someone sideswipes your motorcycle and disappears before police identify them.
- **A passenger suffers injuries**: An uninsured motorist causes a collision that injures someone riding on the back of your motorcycle.

Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can investigate these circumstances and check whether your policy requires physical contact for a hit-and-run claim. UM bodily injury coverage can pay for qualifying injury-related losses, but motorcycle repairs depend on separate property damage coverage.

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## How Much Can Underinsured Motorist Coverage Pay in Illinois?

Underinsured motorist coverage can help pay your remaining losses when the other driver’s liability limits fall below your UIM limits. The amount you collect from that driver’s insurance generally reduces what your UIM policy can pay, and your total recovery still depends on the value of your claim.

Your medical expenses and other losses could reach $100,000 after a serious motorcycle crash. If the responsible driver only has $25,000 in coverage, that leaves a substantial amount unpaid. With a $100,000 UIM limit, your own insurance could provide up to another $75,000, depending on your claim.

Before accepting the other driver’s settlement offer, check the notice requirements in your UIM policy. Under [215 ILCS 5/143a-2](https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/ILCS/Fulltext?DocName=021500050K143a-2), you should give your insurer written notice before settling with the at-fault driver. If the insurer receives notice and does not advance a payment equal to the proposed settlement within 30 days, it may lose its right to recover that payment from the at-fault driver. Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can help you address those requirements before you settle.

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## How Can a Chicago Motorcycle Accident Attorney Help With an Insurance Dispute?

A Chicago motorcycle accident attorney can help when your insurance company refuses to pay a UM/UIM claim or offers less than your injuries have cost you. You might expect your insurer to work with you, especially after years of paying premiums, but disagreements over coverage can happen.

Before founding his firm, Charles Therman worked for Allstate, where he gained experience with insurance claims from the company’s perspective. That background helps Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. recognize the arguments insurers use to question claims and determine when those arguments need a closer look.

Your insurer might accept that the other driver caused the crash and still refuse to pay what your injuries have cost you. An attorney can question how the company arrived at its offer and help you decide what to do if the adjuster refuses to reconsider.

## What Should You Do if the Other Driver Has No Insurance?

If the driver responsible for your motorcycle accident has no insurance, contact your insurer promptly and ask about uninsured motorist coverage. You should also seek medical attention, even if you have concerns about paying for treatment.

The steps you take now can help preserve information your insurer might request:

- **Report the crash**: Contact the Chicago Police Department or Illinois State Police, depending on which agency handled the collision.
- **Notify your insurer**: Explain what happened and ask about UM or UIM claim requirements.
- **Keep your records**: Save medical bills and correspondence from insurance adjusters.
- **Check your policy**: Find your declarations page and review the coverage limits.

Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can help with insurance communication and connect eligible clients with medical providers who accept liens. That option can help injured riders obtain care when they lack health insurance or cannot afford immediate payment.

## Illinois Motorcycle UM/UIM Coverage FAQs

Your motorcycle might need repairs, and you could still be waiting for the insurance company to decide what it will pay. Some questions about UM and UIM coverage come up once you start looking at your options.

### Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Pay for Motorcycle Repairs?

Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage **does not pay for motorcycle repairs**. You would need applicable collision coverage or uninsured motorist property damage coverage, if available under your policy, to seek payment for damage to your bike.

### Can You Use UM/UIM Coverage if You Were a Motorcycle Passenger?

Motorcycle passengers can qualify for UM or UIM benefits when an applicable policy covers them and an uninsured or underinsured driver caused their injuries. The motorcycle’s policy and the passenger’s other insurance could affect which coverage applies.

### **Can Your Insurance Company Deny a UM/UIM Claim?**

Your insurance company can deny a UM/UIM claim if it determines that the accident or requested benefits fall outside the policy’s coverage. You can challenge that decision, and some disputes proceed through arbitration under Illinois law.

## Get Answers About Your Motorcycle Insurance Claim

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can pay after an Illinois motorcycle accident, but you need to know what your policy covers before you agree to a settlement. An insurance adjuster’s first offer might leave substantial medical expenses unpaid.

At [Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C.](https://www.choosecharlie.com/about/), we bring **75 years of combined legal experience** to injury claims and work on a contingency-fee basis. We take your concerns seriously and explain what options you have.

Our Chicago motorcycle accident lawyers can review your coverage and help you pursue available benefits when another driver causes your injuries. Contact us for a free consultation so we can discuss what happened and what comes next. **Choose Charlie.**

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Source: https://www.choosecharlie.com/faqs/uninsured-underinsured-motorist-coverage-motorcycle-accident/