Must my Georgia UM limits match my own liability limits on the policy?
Uninsured motorist coverage is offered to match the policy’s liability limits, but it does not have to stay matched. Georgia law requires the insurer to make UM coverage available up to those liability limits while allowing the insured to choose a lower amount, so the two figures can be equal or the UM limit can be smaller.
The offer is tied to the liability limits ¶
Under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11, when an insurer issues a motor-vehicle liability policy it must offer UM coverage in an amount equal to the liability limits the insured carries. This pegs the starting point: a driver with 100,000 dollars in liability coverage is offered 100,000 dollars in UM coverage. The statute uses the liability limits as the benchmark for what must be made available, not as a mandatory floor the insured cannot go below.
A lower limit is possible through a proper election ¶
The insured is free to accept the full matching amount, take a reduced UM limit, or reject UM coverage altogether. Georgia channels a reduction or rejection through a written election so the choice is documented. If the insured does nothing to reduce or reject, the coverage generally attaches at the offered, matching level.
The documentation cuts both ways. If an insurer cannot produce a valid signed election reducing the UM limit, a court may treat the UM coverage as existing at the higher, liability-matched amount. The writing is what allows the insurer to prove the insured knowingly chose less.
What this means on the declarations page ¶
A few practical points:
- UM and liability limits often appear as equal numbers, but they are separately stated and can differ.
- A UM limit lower than the liability limit is permissible when the insured elected it in writing.
- The actual coverage appears on the UM line of the declarations page and on any signed UM selection form.
The UM limit is also distinct from how that limit interacts with the at-fault driver’s coverage. Whether UM adds on top of, or is reduced by, the liability payment is a separate question from whether the UM limit equals the insured’s liability limit.
The bottom line ¶
Georgia requires UM coverage to be offered equal to the liability limits, but it does not require an insured to keep it that high. An insured may carry a lower UM limit, or none, through a valid written election. Absent that documented choice, the coverage tends to be treated as matching the liability limits, which is why the offer and any election form matter.
This article is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship, and Georgia law may change. For advice about a specific situation, consult a licensed Georgia personal injury attorney.