VictimsGuide

A Citizen’s Guide to Auto Insurance and Crash Law

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WASHINGTON GUIDE 05

Washington Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Washington RCW 48.22.030 requires automobile liability policies to include underinsured-motorist protection unless a named insured or spouse rejects all or part of that coverage in writing. For bodily injury and death, the offered UIM limits generally match the insured’s third-party liability limits unless reduced or rejected in accordance with the statute.

  • Obtain declarations, endorsements and the original written UIM rejection or reduction documents.
  • Identify every policy under which the injured person may qualify as an insured.
  • Review liability settlements, offsets, other-insurance provisions and subrogation issues before release.
  • Analyze hit-and-run, phantom-vehicle and regular-use issues under the current statutory text and policy.

Washington law also expressly addresses intentionally caused incidents from the covered person’s perspective: a covered person may qualify for UIM protection even when the tortfeasor intentionally caused the occurrence, unless the covered person intended to cause the event. Additional reporting and cooperation requirements apply when the covered person was the intended victim.

Primary Washington Source

RCW 48.22.030 — underinsured, hit-and-run and phantom-vehicle coverage.

Current-law review: September 17, 2026. Verify the policy actually issued, written rejection history and current Washington appellate authority before publication or reliance.