(a)

(1) No automobile liability insurance covering liability arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of any motor vehicle shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state with respect to any motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in this state unless coverage is provided therein or supplemental thereto and is not less than limits described in § 27-19-605, under provisions filed with and approved by the Insurance Commissioner, for the protection of persons insured thereunder who are legally entitled to recover damages from owners or operators of uninsured motor vehicles because of bodily injury, sickness, or disease, including death, resulting therefrom.

(2) However, the coverage required to be provided under this section shall not be applicable when any insured named in the policy has rejected the coverage in writing, and this rejection shall continue until withdrawn in writing by the insured.

(3)

(A) Should a named insured or applicant purchase third-party liability coverage in greater limits than the minimum provided in § 27-19-605, the insurer shall have available and the agent shall offer a named insured or applicant coverage required under this section in limits up to his or her third-party liability limits.

(B) No insurer shall be required to offer, provide, or make available coverage conforming to this section in connection with an excess policy, umbrella policy, or any other policy which does not provide primary motor vehicle insurance for liabilities arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a specifically identified motor vehicle.

(C)

(i) An insured or applicant not desiring to purchase higher limits shall reject the increased limits in writing on the application for insurance coverage, although agents must offer the increased limits to all new applicants for insurance on and after the passage of this act.

(ii) The requirement for written rejection shall be applicable to new business written on and after January 1, 2000.

(iii) For an existing business, insurers shall provide at the next two (2) renewals after the passage of this act notice that such increased limits are available.

(D) When an existing-named insured has coverage under this section less than the insured's third-party liability limits, that coverage shall not change on July 30, 1999, unless a named insured requests in writing to purchase the higher limits.

(b) After a named insured or applicant for insurance rejects this coverage, the insurer or any of its affiliates shall not be required to notify any insured in any renewal, reinstatement, substitute, amended, or replacement policy as to the availability of such coverage.