You May Be Overpaying for Groceries at Walmart — These 6 Stores Are Cheaper

When it comes to shopping smart, there are a few categories to consider. For non-perishable items, or things you may want to take back if they’re not quite right, knowing which stores have the best return policies is key. But for groceries, it’s best to know where to find the cheapest items so that you can decide where and how to splurge versus where to cut costs. Consumer Reports recently released a study finding that Walmart is no longer the cheapest grocery store. Find out where you can shop to save the most money on your groceries instead.

Cheaper Grocery Stores

The Consumer Reports study used Walmart as a baseline and compared several other grocery stores “in six cities representative of their regions” to find out where the best deals are. Six retailers came in cheaper than Walmart.

• Costco Wholesale is 21.4% less expensive
• BJ’s Wholesale Club is 21.0% less expensive
• Lidl is 8.5% less expensive
• Aldi is 8.3% less expensive
• WinCo is 3.3% less expensive
• H-E-B is 0.2% less expensive

Based on this, you’re likely to find the biggest savings when shopping in bulk. But if that kind of restocking doesn’t make sense for you, you can still save money at other discount grocery stores.

Most Expensive Grocery Stores

Of course, given how many retailers were included in this study, Walmart is by no means the most expensive place to get your groceries. If you’ve been feeling the pinch in your wallet, you may want to switch stores. The six most expensive stores in the study were:

• Vons is 26.7% more expensive
• Mariano’s is 27.6% more expensive
• Jewel-Osco is 29.7% more expensive
• El Rancho is 30.1% more expensive
• Shaw’s is 31.9% more expensive
• Whole Foods is 39.7% more expensive

Mid-Range Stores

Some of the middle-of-the-pack stores will save you money compared to Whole Foods or Shaw’s, but still stack up a little pricier than Walmart.

• Target is 5.9% more expensive
• Wegman’s is 7.6% more expensive
• Food 4 Less is 9% more expensive
• Ralph’s is 21.9% more expensive
• Trader Joe’s is 24.6% more expensive
• Albertson’s is 24.8% more expensive

At the end of the day, you will be limited by the variety of stores available to you, but you can cut your costs a bit if you’re able to switch up your routine. Even if it’s just opting to get some items from the cheaper store and saving your favorites for your main one, every penny is helpful.

Source

Most and Least Expensive Supermarkets, Consumer Reports, 2026.

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Will Your Grass Grow Back After Snow Plow Damage? Here’s the Deal

Snow plows worked hard to keep your sidewalks and driveway clear and passable during the deep freeze, and now that the snow has melted, you can see the damage they’ve done to your lawn. You may have some work ahead of you to ensure complete grass recovery, but at least you get to do this work in pleasant weather instead of in the middle of a blizzard. And Massachusetts landscaper Greg Cuoco figures your chances of success are good.

“Grass is pretty resilient. How healthy and lush it will grow depends on how healthy it was prior to winter, the extent of the snow plow damage, and how much time and trouble you can spare to see to its well-being.” If you’re willing to give your lawn the love it needs, but you need some advice on dealing with damage from mild to severe, our lawn experts are here to help.

Why Snow Plows Tear Up Lawns

It’s pretty simple, really. As the plow blade scrapes along a sidewalk or driveway, it inevitably catches grass that is growing near the edge. This is pretty hard to avoid, since it’s impossible to see the lawn edge under the snow unless you have some kind of demarkation line, like landscape edging, a gravel buffer or a gulley.

Unfortunately, says lawn expert Steven Corcoran, winter conditions often contribute to more extensive damage. “When only a small spot is touched by the snow plow, a larger area ends up being damaged because of how it can all stick together more.”

Will Grass Grow Back?

Because of its resilience, most grass will grow back, but it may need help if the damage is extensive. In cases of severe damage, the grass won’t grow back at all, and you’ll have to reseed or plant new sod.

Grass recovery can be severely inhibited by any de-icing salt that seeps onto the lawn, but turf grass specialist Ryan Walts recommends a few ways to mitigate this problem, and we’ll get to those below.

Minor Surface Scrapes

Some minor damage might not call for any action at all. “Just leave it be until temps warm up to see if it naturally recovers. Grass most often will, especially if the roots are still intact,” says lawn care specialist Chrissie Handley. “If not, overseed to encourage re-growth.”

Deep Ruts and Exposed Soil

You’ll need to bring in topsoil to fill in deep ruts that have developed, and then rake the area level. The grass may grow back naturally after you do this, but if not, it’s time to reseed. Here’s the re-seeding procedure Cuoco recommends:

1. First, remove any debris from the area, then loosen the soil a bit with a rake.
2. Scatter the seed and lightly tamp it down to ensure it contacts the soil.
3. Add starter fertilizer before or just after planting, and water the area more frequently for four to six weeks until the grass is settled.
4. Keep foot (and paw) traffic away from the area to give the grass a chance to grow.

Completely Torn-Out Sod

Basically, you have three options for grass recovery in cases of severe damage, depending on the size and condition of the torn-out area.

• The first is to reattach the turf that was torn out. “Check the root system,” advises Cuoco. “If you can see some whole roots that look like they’re growing, put the sod chunks back in areas where it was uprooted from, pressing slightly to re-attach it.”
• The second is to lay new sod, which is a quick and easy solution for extensive damage, but also an expensive one, says Cuoco.
• The third is to bring in new topsoil and reseed, following the procedure above.

How To Help Grass Recovery

Cuoco recommends top dressing a severely distressed lawn, but before you do that, check the soil pH to determine the best dressing to use. If the pH is low (acidic soil), use compost; peat moss is a good choice for high-pH soil. “Regardless of the material used, apply no more than a half inch of any top dressing material and rake it over the area for an even distribution before watering.” And don’t forget to water regularly and keep pets and kids away.

A lawn exposed to salt and other deicers may need a little extra help. Salt dehydrates the soil, making it harder for roots to draw moisture, and it upsets the nutrient balance. To improve grass recovery, Walts recommends the following:

• Flush the area with water to leach excess salt from the soil.
• Apply gypsum to help break up salt buildup and restore soil health.
• Aerate the lawn to promote deeper root growth and improve drainage.

FAQs

Can compacted soil prevent grass from growing back?

All our experts agree with Handley, who says that compacted soil can prevent healthy grass growth. “You may want to aerate the area to help improve drainage and airflow in March to improve ground conditions before overseeding.”

Who is responsible for lawn damage caused by a city snowplow?

That depends on the city, because municipal rules vary. In some cases, the city may pay for rehabilitation of the plow skips over the curb or street boundary and scrapes the grass, but if the damage is caused by piling snow onto the lawn, that’s usually considered normal winter wear and tear. Check with your public works department if you aren’t sure.

About the Experts

• Greg Cuoco is the CEO of The Difference Landscapes located in Lee, NH.
• Steven Corcoran is the CEO of Lawn Love, a nationally franchised lawn care service.
• Ryan Walts is the training manager and business coach at Lawn Squad, a national lawn treatment franchise.
• Chrissie Handley is a lawn care specialist working for Online Turf based in the UK.

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Spring Cleaning Your Devices: How to Maintain Your Digital Ecosystem

Reduce Location-Sharing Apps

If you want to keep tabs on family and friends to make sure they are safe, then you’ll want to rethink how many apps you actually have downloaded on your phone — it’s easy to go overboard sometimes. “If you’re using multiple location-sharing apps, consider consolidating to one trusted platform,” says Russell York, CEO and founder of Cosmo. “While native tools like ‘Find My’ or Google’s location sharing are OK, there are also dedicated family safety apps with enhanced features and using just one reduces battery drain, confusion and digital clutter.”

Strengthen Your Passwords

It’s easy to set the same password across multiple platforms for convenience; however, you’ll want to consider strengthening it for your online safety. “Strengthen or update your passwords and enable two-factor authentication to protect your family’s personal information,” says York. “Don’t snooze on software updates and app permissions either, make sure you’re only sharing what’s truly necessary.”

Keep your passwords written down in a secure place and change them up so they aren’t the same across different websites and platforms.

Clean Out The Downloads Folder

If you’ve downloaded some PDFs in the past, whether tax forms, contracts or medical forms, then that folder is probably pretty full. Aside from eating up all your storage, excessive downloads can be a cybersecurity threat.

“This is the most dangerous directory on your computer and phone,” says Stanislav Kazanov, head of GRC, cybersecurity and sustainability at Innowise. “If a device is infected by malware, then its downloads folder is typically the first port of call.”

It is the graveyard of the many PDF contracts, tax forms and scans of your ID that you downloaded “just for a minute” and forgot. He recommends sorting by date, deleting anything older than 7 days and moving critical documents to an encrypted drive.

Remove Unused Apps

Think about the apps you downloaded from the internet to order pizza or edit a photo years ago. “They are most likely outdated, full of security flaws and still tracking users,” says Kazanov. “If you don’t use an app in 3 months, then you should uninstall it.”

For the rest, go to the privacy settings and revoke any permissions they have to access location, contacts, and the microphone.

Do A Screenshot Cleanse

Screenshots are something many of us take, whether to keep something on file or even for easy access. “We have all been guilty of this: saving a screenshot of a Wi-Fi password, a credit card number, or a recovery code,” says Kazanov. “In the event that your iCloud account or Google Photos account is hacked, they aren’t going to look through someone’s vacation photos, but instead simply write a script to find the exact screenshots.”

Make this easier on yourself by opening your gallery and searching for images with keywords such as “password,” “login,” “card,” or “passport.” Delete those images and also clean out the recently deleted folder.

Get Rid Of Two-Factor SMS Authentication

These days, it seems like every platform, especially for work, wants you to have two-factor authentication. “​​If you are still getting login codes via SMS, you are susceptible to a SIM swap attack, which involves a hacker stealing your phone number,” says Kazanov.

Do this by going to your primary email and financial account security settings and changing it from “SMS” to an “authenticator app” (e.g., Google, Microsoft), or “Passkeys.”

About The Experts

• Russell York, CEO and founder of Cosmo.
• Stanislav Kazanov, head of GRC, cybersecurity and sustainability at Innowise.

RELATED:

• See a Green Dot on Your Android Phone? Here’s What It Means
• If You Get a USPS Scam Text, You Need To Do This Immediately
• This Is How Often You Should Restart Your Phone

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If You Don’t See This on Your Amazon Purchase, Your Delivery Window and Returns Might Take Longer

When ordering from Amazon, I usually just hit the “buy” button without checking the seller’s identity. Mostly, my inattention works out fine. But, occasionally, I’ve had to wait longer for a delivery or send in a return without a prepaid shipping label.

That’s because products listed as “Sold by Amazon” have uniform delivery windows and return policies, whereas offerings from third-party sellers can vary. To ease this, in early 2026, Amazon began rolling out changes requiring more seller-fulfilled orders to meet Amazon’s in-house standards.

“But there remains a structural difference between items sold directly by Amazon and those sold by independent merchants,” says Chris Gray, CEO of Brandwoven. “Before buying, check who the seller is and what the stated return windows and methods are.”

Here’s more about the benefits and drawbacks of buying from third-party sellers, and how to protect yourself from frustrating setbacks.

What “Sold By Amazon” Means

Products listed as “Sold by Amazon” are items that Amazon owns. That means Amazon sets its retail price and is responsible for handling its customer service and returns.

“This is known as first-party retail,” says Gray. “When something is sold by Amazon, you’re entering into a sales contract directly with them instead of an independent merchant using their platform.”

How to tell if something is “Sold by Amazon”?

It’s usually stated on the product page, near the price and main “buy” button. One line indicates who is shipping the item, and another states who is selling it.

Why Products Not Sold By Amazon May Take Longer to Be Delivered

Products fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) versus sold by Amazon are still part of Amazon’s overall warehousing and logistics setup, so they will have identical delivery times. Seller-fulfilled products, however, ship from suppliers’ own warehouses and sometimes from overseas, which can slow delivery times.

“Amazon is a multi-billion-dollar business which has its logistics working like the military at this point,” says Gray. “Larger third-party sellers can match Amazon’s speed, but smaller merchants may have longer handling times, fewer collection slots and less automation.”

Alternatively, if you see the term “Seller Fulfilled Prime,” that means Amazon isn’t handling the logistics, but the seller is still offering the same speed, customer service and return rules as Amazon Prime.

“If you don’t see the Prime badge, then this is where delivery timescales will differ,” says Darren Ratcliffe, founder of Courageous. “It’s important to check listing delivery timescales, as I’ve seen products with timeframes of weeks and not days.”

Why Products Not Sold By Amazon Are Harder to Return

It often takes third-party sellers longer to approve and process refunds. Also, they don’t offer the ease of returns via QR codes, the way FBA sellers and “Sold by Amazon” do.

Also keep in mind that sometimes FBA returns can take longer than “Sold by Amazon,” says Ratcliffe, because “sellers can dictate return parameters, so this can mean that acceptable conditions for a returned item are higher, and fees may differ too.”

Why Are There Third-Party Sellers

Many independent brands use Amazon as a storefront because they don’t want to sell wholesale to Amazon directly or can’t meet the volume requirements that Amazon demands for first party retail, says Gray. Some also prefer to retain control over pricing, branding and stock.

“Amazon is a marketplace, so there should be a diverse range of sellers to give us a good variation of products to buy,” says Ratcliffe.

Is Buying Third Party Safe?

It depends. The majority of products on Amazon are sold by independent sellers, many of which are established brands and reputable small businesses. Amazon also provides its “A to Z Guarantee” for protection against issues like shipping, returns and product defects and misrepresentations.

“That said, some sellers have stricter return conditions, longer dispatch times or lower service levels,” says Gray. “There’s also a higher risk of counterfeit or poor quality goods from unknown sellers.”

Before buying from a third party seller, check its rating, review its return terms and read recent feedback and product reviews.

“Amazon is notoriously harsh with sellers,” says Ratcliffe. “Rogue sellers are often quickly picked up on and dealt with, which is one of the reasons I like shopping with Amazon. It’s a relatively safe experience.”

Reasons to Still Buy Third Party

Many third parties offer niche, specialized or imported items not available elsewhere, and some are actually more competitively priced than Amazon’s own listings.

While shipping and returns may be slower, remember that two-day shipping and near-instant refunds are relatively recent expectations, says Gray. “For certain products that’s a trade-off we can accept in exchange for a wider choice, more competitive pricing or just knowing that we’re supporting a small business,” he says.

About the Experts

• Chris Gray is CEO of Brandwoven, which offers full-service marketplace management services for Amazon, Walmart.com, Target.com and more.
• Darren Ratcliffe is founder of Courageous, an award-winning e-commerce and web design agency, which helps established businesses in the US, UK, Europe and Australia grow sales through Amazon, other marketplaces and their own e-commerce websites.

RELATED:

• See a Green Dot on Your Android Phone? Here’s What It Means
• If You Get a USPS Scam Text, You Need To Do This Immediately
• This Is How Often You Should Restart Your Phone

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Swapping These 9 Household Products Can Save You Thousands

Single-use products are convenient, but they come with a high cost — to the tune of hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year. “They are among the most frequent and easiest-to-fix cash flow leaks I see in household budgets,” says home budget expert Cody Schuiteboer. “Cutting that spending will lead to real savings.”

Of course, single-use products also come at a high cost to the environment and often to our own health, thanks to the chemicals they contain and the pollution created by their manufacturing.

Fortunately, cutting back on, or even eliminating, them probably won’t significantly affect your daily routine. I know, because I’ve personally managed to axe just about all of these from my home. While it took a minute to adjust, I’m all the happier, healthier and wealthier for it.

Here are some ideas for single-use items to eliminate from your home to save money, plus easy alternatives for getting by without them.

Paper Towels

The average household uses two or three rolls a week, for an annual cost of about $180. To save money and trees, cleaning expert Marisol Rivera encourages her clients to use paper towels only as an emergency tool for extreme messes, not as an everyday norm.

Affordably replace them with cotton towels, Swedish dish cloths or even old cut-up cotton T-shirts. “While the transition to this system takes about two weeks to become fully automatic, the benefit will last a very long time,” says Schuiteboer.

Plastic Wrap

Swapping out plastic wrap for glass containers with lids, reusable silicon stretch lids or beeswax wraps saves money, plus cuts down on pollution. “Plastic wrap is a product that should be banned from every kitchen drawer in America,” says Schuiteboer. “It is one of the most used single-use plastic items, and it is almost impossible to recycle, so every single piece that has ever been used still exists in a landfill or in the ocean.”

Grocery Bags

Unless you live in a state or city that has placed fees on them, plastic grocery bags don’t directly cost you money — but their environmental cost is enormous, from animals ingesting them to the pollution and greenhouse gases created during their manufacturing.

The average American uses a whopping 365 plastic bags per year, but considering that in Denmark that number is just four, it should be pretty easy to make the switch to reusable totes. To streamline the process, Rivera recommends keeping a few foldable bags in your car or purse at all times.

Disposable Cups

Single-use disposable cups and lids can accumulate quickly, especially if you make daily coffee runs or host a lot of entertaining. To replace them, Rivera recommends purchasing a basic set of lightweight cups or mason jars for guests, and a good-quality insulated travel mug for drinks on the go.

“Once the travel mug becomes second-nature to grab, that greatly reduces the amount of disposable cups you throw away,” she says. Many coffee shops are also happy to refill your reusable mug with your favorite beverage.

Bottled Water

Regularly buying bottled water can add up to $500 or more a year, plus all of those plastic bottles introduce harmful toxins into your body and create a tremendous amount of waste.

“Bottled water demonstrates a clear lack of financial consideration,” says Schuiteboer. “I advise clients to cut this spending, as it is both quick and easy.”

Instead, invest in stainless-steel water bottles for on-the-go hydration. And if you don’t trust your tap water, use an under-sink or pitcher filter. To make the transition easier, Rivera suggests filling reusable bottles the night before and leaving them ready to go next to the door.

Disposable Razors

“The disposable razor industry operates on the assumption that it must normalize disposables,” says Schuiteboer. But, a quality cartridge razor or a safety razor with disposable blades, will pay for itself in well under a year, plus save on plastic waste.

It will also save on frustration, says Rivera, by eliminating that drawer full of possibly still good disposable blades.

Cleaning Wipes

Pre-moistened cleaning wipes are convenient, but expensive and easily abused, says Rivera. She recommends substituting them with a spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner and a set of microfiber cloths. Then, reserve a small canister of disinfecting wipes strictly for illnesses.

Microfiber cloths also clean better, says Schuiteboer, since they’re more effective at trapping bacteria and dirt. Pro-tip: color-code your cloths, with separate colors for the kitchen, glass and bathroom.

Fabric Softeners and Dryer Sheets

These chemicals don’t just cost money outright, they can damage your appliances and cause health issues ranging from skin irritation to asthma, migraines and hormone disruption.

“They also leave a waxy coating on fibers, making them absorb less dirt and water,” says Schuiteboer. “This makes your towels less effective.” Instead, add white distilled vinegar to the rinse compartment to remove buildup and odors, and use wool dryer balls and low heat to eliminate static cling, says Rivera.

Shower Puffs, Sponges and Loofahs

Save money by switching to regular washcloths. “Loofahs and mesh shower puffs in your bathroom are popular, but rarely cleaned well,” says medical expert James J. Chao. That results in organic material and moisture becoming trapped in the pores, promoting microbial growth. “They can also cause folliculitis or minor skin irritation if you continually rub them on your skin,” says Chao.

The same goes for kitchen sponges. Switching to dishcloths you wash and replace daily, or a brush that can dry standing up, will save you money and microbes. “A few dollars spent on rags can literally save you thousands in skin infections,” says Chao.

FAQ

What counts as a single-use item?

A single-use item is a product designed to be used a limited number of times, then discarded. “Even if the packaging is not labeled ‘disposable,’ the product’s price point dictates its purpose,” says Schuiteboer. “If it’s low-cost enough that washing it or keeping it for future use isn’t rational, it is single-use.”

Won’t reusable items create more laundry?

Yes, a little more. “But the math doesn’t support this as a meaningful argument,” says Schuiteboer. “Most homes can easily fit the additional items into laundry cycles without adding an extra load.”

Rivera recommends combining those additional cloths with existing loads of towels, then line-drying them for extra savings.

About the Experts

• Cody Schuiteboer is president and CEO of Best Interest Financial, where he talks to customers about household budget optimization every day.
• Marisol Rivera is a cleaning expert and professional organizer at Sparkly Maid Austin.
• James J. Chao, MD, FACS, is co-founder and chief medical officer of VedaNu Wellness in San Diego, California.

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The States With the Least and Most Expensive Car Insurance

We’ve looked at the average car insurance by state, but what about the cheapest car insurance? While it’s hard to narrow down the absolute cheapest quote in each state, given that there are so many factors that go into pricing, it is possible to find the cheapest companies in each state. We took a look at what goes into a quote and which companies offer the lowest rates across the country.

What Factors Go Into Pricing?

Bankrate recently ran an article looking at the cheapest car insurance companies across the country. As part of the piece, they also broke down some of the factors insurance companies use when calculating the cost of your policy. According to them, the price of you coverage depends, in part, on “your driving record, the car you drive and the level of protection you choose.”

There are also some factors that you don’t have as much control over, but that go into this calculation as well. In a second article by Bankrate, this one looking at the average cost of insurance state by state, the company cited other factors including “road conditions, the number of licensed drivers, uninsured driver statistics, traffic density and the cost of living as it relates to repair and labor costs when calculating your rate.” Laws and climate are also factors; things like “weather conditions, local claims history and state laws that specify the minimum insurance drivers are required to carry,” round out some of these calculations.

Cheap Car Insurance for Special Cases

ValuePenguin looked into automotive insurers who offer good rates for special cases. While not every insurer covers every state, their article notes that “ValuePenguin’s cheapest picks each offer insurance in at least 25 states.” According to them, these are the insurers offering the best rates for different special cases:

• American Family: full coverage or poor credit
• Auto-Owners: liability-only, teen drivers, record of speeding tickets, teen drivers with a record of speeding tickets, and teen drivers with an accident
• State Farm: accidents
• Progressive: DUIs
• USAA: military families

Cheapest Car Insurance by State

Nerdwallet ranks out the cheapest insurer in each state, along with their median rate. While your exact quote will vary based on the factors listed above, this will still give you a good idea of what to expect.

State	Insurance Company	Annual Cost
Vermont	Union Mutual	$779
Idaho	Travelers	$808
Nebraska	American National	$900
South Carolina	American National	$904
Virginia	Virginia Farm Bureau	$940
South Dakota	Kemper	$950
Wyoming	American National	$956
Wisconsin	Travelers	$991
Ohio	Central Insurance	$1,068
Maine	Progressive	$1,081
Washington	Kemper	$1,097
Alabama	Travelers	$1,199
North Carolina	Progressive	$1,174
Massachusetts	GEICO	$1,209
Tennessee	Travelers	$1,209
Minnesota	Travelers	$1,277
Oregon	State Farm	$1,287
Iowa	Progressive	$1,297
Hawaii	GEICO	$1,317
Indiana	American Family	$1,321
Michigan	GEICO	$1,321
Texas	Texas Farm Bureau	$1,321
Colorado	American National	$1,327
Connecticut	Travelers	$1,349
California	GEICO	$1,358
New Hampshire	GEICO	$1,389
New York	Progressive	$1,391
Nevada	Progressive	$1,414
Arizona	American Family	$1,419
Alaska	GEICO	$1,455
Maryland	GEICO	$1,457
New Mexico	Central Insurance	$1,464
Illinois	Travelers	$1,490
Pennsylvania	Encova	$1,506
Arkansas	Travelers	$1,535
Utah	Nationwide	$1,550
North Dakota	Nationwide	$1,576
Montana	State Farm	$1,603
Georgia	Georgia Farm Bureau	$1,605
New Jersey	GEICO	$1,648
Kansas	Travelers	$1,691
Missouri	Shelter	$1,700
Rhode Island	Travelers	$1,770
West Virginia	Encova	$1,772
Washington D.C.	Erie	$1,870
Delaware	Travelers	$1,950
Mississippi	Travelers	$1,961
Oklahoma	American Farmers and Ranchers	$1,996
Kentucky	Shelter	$2,096
Florida	State Farm	$2,101
Louisiana	Louisiana Farm Bureau	$3,059

RELATED:

• Do You Know What That Little Button on Your Seat Belt Is For?
• What Those Lines on Your Backup Camera Really Tell You
• Here’s What The Small Panel On Your Car’s Front Bumper Is For

Sources

Cheapest Car Insurance in February 2026, Bankrate, January 2026.

Car Insurance Rates by State for February 2026, Bankrate, 2026.

Top 10 cheapest car insurance companies, ValuePenguin.

Cheap Full Coverage Car Insurance for 2026, Nerdwallet, 2026.

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1 in 7 Drivers Has No Insurance — Here’s What Happens If One Hits You

Getting into a collision with a driver who doesn’t have car insurance is more common than you’d think. Insurance claims work differently when an uninsured driver causes a crash. Not understanding your insurance policy coverage may surprise you about who pays for damages and lost time.

Without the right type of coverage, you could be forced to pay out of pocket for an accident you didn’t cause. The good news is that most insurance policies include (or offer) uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. Uninsured motorist insurance coverage covers medical payments, collision repairs, and may cover loss of income (up to policy limits) when an at‑fault driver doesn’t have insurance.

Knowing how these coverages work, what to do at the scene of the accident, and how to file a claim can help you avoid delays, as well as legal and financial headaches. Follow along as an insurance expert and an injury lawyer explain what can happen when you’re hit by someone without car insurance and how to ensure you’re financially protected when the other driver can’t pay following a crash.

How Common Are Uninsured Drivers?

According to a 2023 report by the Insurance Research Council (IRC), more than one in seven drivers nationwide (15.4 percent) were uninsured. Other data by the IRC shows that in the U.S, “one in three drivers are either uninsured or underinsured,” a staggering ten percentage point increase since 2017.

Melanie Musson, auto industry expert at Clearsurance.com added, “In some areas, uninsured drivers make up a quarter of all drivers.” Considering those statistics, “How many uninsured motorists do you think you pass on a trip to the grocery store?” she asked.

What Happens Immediately After the Accident?

First, determine if anyone requires medical attention. Then call law enforcement. Getting law enforcement involved ensures that an official record of the accident is filed, especially if one of the drivers lacks insurance. “All involved parties need to exchange information —driver’s licenses, license plate numbers and names on the registration, and insurance information, even if the other party doesn’t have insurance,” said Musson.

Carefully and methodically document the accident scene [photos, location, time of day, weather conditions, names of any witnesses if they come forward] and “contact your insurance company right away, they can help you understand your next steps,” said Chad Watwood, Attorney at LawBike Motorcycle Injury Lawyers. Then, request a copy of the police report. It will indicate whether the at-fault driver has insurance coverage. Depending on the jurisdiction, “the uninsured driver will likely be cited,” said Watwood.

Who Pays for the Damage?

Even if the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance, “They should still pay for the damages,” said Munson. Your own insurance policy will pay for damages, assuming you have Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Insurance. Uninsured Motorist and Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UM‑BI) Insurance (usually packaged together) is mandatory or strongly recommended by every state and normally covers:

• Medical bills.
• Lost wages.
• Pain and suffering.
• Long‑term disability.
• Funeral expenses.

Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UM‑PD) covers your vehicle’s damage if the at-fault driver is uninsured and unable to pay for repairs. UM‑PD is not available in all states. Some states require you to carry collision insurance, and that will cover the repairs to your car, less your deductible.

Your UIM-BI and UM-PD coverage fills the “gap” between what the other driver’s insurance will pay and the actual cost of damages. “UIM-BI and UM-PD usually cover medical payments, collision repairs or even health insurance,” said Watwood. That’s why it’s critical you check, read and understand your automobile insurance policy, including coverage limits.

Can You Sue an Uninsured Driver?

You can absolutely sue. However, both Musson and Watwood agree, it’s usually not worth it. “Uninsured drivers often have little or no assets, so collecting money for damages becomes difficult,” said Musson. Watwood added, “It depends on the assets or income that the person [you are suing] possesses. If they have no assets, any settlement probably won’t be much [financial compensation].” It’s better and less stressful to have uninsured motorist coverage.

Do State Lines Matter?

Yes. “State lines impact insurance requirements, as well as the UM/UIM structure,” said Watwood. If a crash happens in another state, that state’s rules often govern fault and claims.

Here’s an example. “If you have minimum liability coverage in your state but cause an accident in a different state that has higher minimum requirements, your policy automatically adjusts to meet that state’s minimum requirements, and cover [if necessary] the higher limits required in the state where the accident happened,” said Musson.

In addition, some states mandate Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. Also known as “no-fault” insurance, you don’t have to prove fault to get benefits. Devised to speed up medical treatment and reduce lawsuits, your auto insurance coverage pays for your injuries and certain other expenses after a crash, no matter who caused the accident.

FAQ

Is car insurance required everywhere in the United States?

“Most states and their jurisdictions mandate liability insurance, or some financial responsibility bonds,” said Watwood. Musson pointed out, “Interestingly, in New Hampshire, where car insurance is not required, the rate of uninsured drivers is lower than the US average.” (New Hampshire law does require residents to show proof of financial responsibility if you’re liable for someone else’s injuries or damages, however.)

So, even when it’s not required, the vast majority of drivers choose insurance because it provides such valuable protection. Up until 2024, you could legally operate a vehicle in Virginia without auto insurance by paying an annual $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee. Now, when you apply for or renew your vehicle registration, you are obliged to show your vehicle has minimum liability insurance coverage.

In my state of Pennsylvania, you must carry $5,000 in no-fault medical coverage and show your PA Financial Responsibility Identification Card before your vehicle can be state safety-inspected and emissions-tested.

What are minimum coverage limits?

Minimum limits of liability are the lowest amounts of coverage a driver needs under state law, and each state is different. For example, New Hampshire’s UM/UIM bodily injury auto insurance minimum is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, while medical payment coverage is $1,000 per accident. Virginia’s UM/UIM bodily injury minimum amount is the same as New Hampshire’s, yet it has no requirement for medical payment coverage. Pennsylvania, a no-fault state, requires a minimum of $15,00 per person and $30,000 of bodily injury liability coverage, First-Party Benefits (your medical costs due to an accident, regardless of who’s at fault) of $5,000 and UM/UIM bodily injury amount of $15,000.

Experts

• Charles (Chuck) Watwood Jr. founded Lawbike Motorcycle Injury Lawyers in 1996 after graduating from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. (Email interview Feb 19, 2026.)
• Melanie Musson, a published insurance and finance expert, is the fourth generation in her family to work in the insurance industry. Over the past two decades, Melanie has gained in-depth knowledge of and specializes in state-specific insurance laws and how insurance fits into every person’s life, from budgets to coverage levels at Clearsurance. (Email interview Feb 20, 2026.)

Resources

• Insurance Research Council: “One in Three Drivers are Either Uninsured or Underinsured in the U.S, Exposing Themselves and Other Drivers to Significant Financial Risk, New IRC Study Shows”
• Kelly Blue Book: “In Some States, 1 in 5 Drivers Are Uninsured”
• LegalClarity: “Are You Required to Have Car Insurance in Virginia?”
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners: “Auto Insurance”
• Insurance Research Council: “One in Eight Drivers Uninsured”
• Insurance Information Institute: “Facts and Statistics: Uninsured motorists”
• Progressive: “At-Fault vs. No-Fault Accidents”
• Progressive: “Car insurance requirements by state”

Related

• Do You Know What That Little Button on Your Seat Belt Is For?
• What Those Lines on Your Backup Camera Really Tell You
• Here’s What The Small Panel On Your Car’s Front Bumper Is For

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