As much as the corrupt insurance industry has convinced the public otherwise, insurance is a product. Products are things that you decide to buy when you think you need or would otherwise benefit from having them.
Uninsured motorists ARE AND SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE for the damage that they cause just the same as those who have purchased an insurance product.
Those that are concerned with protecting THEIR OWN interests can purchase COLLISSION insurance. This ensures that whether an uninsured deer crosses the road at the wrong moment, or an uninsured rock rolls off a cliff, that the damage is paid for.
In the event that an uninsured motorist is at fault, the happy insured motorist has the benefit of collecting from their carrier immediately although their carrier may have to spend some time collecting from a fiscally challenged uninsured motorist.
In any case, all the insurance agents talked the average California moron into a mandate for Liability Insurance by beating the "you're paying high prices because of uninsured motorists" drum.
Once it became law, liability insurance switched from a product to a requirement and the price went through the roof. The savings promised by forcing insurance on the evil "uninsured" was by far outweighed in premium hikes on the liability side.
End result... Liability insurance is now a rip-off. Collision insurance is only slightly overpriced due to the insurance industry being immune from anti-trust laws that apply to any other business.