The majority of states in the United States say that uninsured motorist insurance does not cover punitive damages. Punitive damage awards are sometimes given to an injured party to: punish the wrongdoer that caused an accident, or deter others from causing similar injuries. Most states say that UM insurance should not provide an award of punitive damages since the above reasons to award it go unmet. This is because the innocent policyholder, and not the wrongdoer, pays for the UM coverage.