Minimum Car Insurance Requirements by State

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As we get older, we achieve many different milestones in our lives. When we are infants and toddlers, we learn to roll, sit, crawl, and walk. As we advance into our teen years, we get the holy grail of milestones – a driver’s license! The next responsible step is to ensure that the vehicle we drive is properly covered by auto insurance. How do you know what coverage is right for you?

There is a minimum level of auto insurance required to operate a vehicle on the roadways in almost every state. Unsure what makes up a minimum insurance policy? By the end of this article, you will be able to identify the components of a minimum car insurance policy and understand what is required in your home state.

The Components of a State Minimum Car Insurance Policy

There are four basic requirements of a state minimum car insurance policy. Even though the limits for these requirements will vary by state, they are the foundation for protection on the road. These components are:

Bodily Injury Liability (per person per accident)
Property Damage Liability (per accident)
Personal Injury Protection (per person per accident)
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Protection (per person per accident)

Often known simply as “liability coverage,” these coverages are often expressed as a set of three numbers. The first number is the bodily injury liability indicated as per person per accident. The second number is the maximum amount per accident for bodily injury claims. The last number is the total amount allotted for property damage.

$20,000/$40,000/$15,000 might also be expressed by an insurance company as 20/40/15.

Bodily Injury Liability

Bodily injury liability coverage pays for the injuries that a driver causes to another person, including other drivers, passengers, or pedestrians on the road. This policy is what covers medical expenses, lost wages, legal fees, and funeral expenses when you cause an accident. The bodily injury liability coverage is what pays for others when you cause an accident. It does not cover your injuries.

Property Damage Liability

Property damage liability coverage pays the repair for damages caused by you during an accident. These damages can include the other person’s car or the property of someone else. The limit is expressed per accident.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Personal injury protection coverage is also known as PIP coverage or no-fault insurance. This coverage helps to cover medical expenses, lost wages, legal fees, and funeral expenses, regardless of who is at fault in the accident. The PIP coverage can cover either party in the accident up to the limits expressed in the policy. The PIP coverages are not always a requirement for minimum coverage.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage helps protect you and your property (like your car) when involved in an accident with a driver who has little to no insurance coverage. This coverage is not a requirement in all states.

State Minimum Requirements

Each state has its own requirements regarding the least amount of insurance you are allowed to carry to drive on the roads. To ensure that you are within the law of your state, use the following guide to ensure at least the minimum coverages cover your car.

Alabama

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

Alaska

$50,000 bodily injury liability/person
$100,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

Arizona

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$15,000 property damage liability/accident

Arkansas

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

California

$15,000 bodily injury liability/person
$30,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$5,000 property damage liability/accident

Colorado

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$15,000 property damage liability/accident

Connecticut

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident

Delaware

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$10,000 property damage liability/accident

Florida

$10,000 property damage liability/accident
$10,000 personal injury protection

Georgia

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

Hawaii

$20,000 bodily injury liability/person
$40,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$10,000 property damage liability/accident
$10,000 personal injury protection

Idaho

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$15,000 property damage liability/accident

Illinois

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$20,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsrued and underinsured motorist/accident

Indiana

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

Iowa

$20,000 bodily injury liability/person
$40,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$15,000 property damage liability/accident

Kansas

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident
Personal injury protection – $4,500/person in medical expenses, up to $900/month for disability or income loss, $25/day for in-home services, $4,500 for rehabilitation services, and $2,000 for funeral, burial, or cremation service costs.

Kentucky

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$10,000 personal injury protection

Louisiana

$15,000 bodily injury liability/person
$30,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

Maine

$50,000 bodily injury liability/person
$100,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$50,000 uninsured and underinstured motorist/person
$100,000 uninsured and underinstured motorist/accident
$2,000 medical payment coverage

Maryland

$30,000 bodily injury liability/person
$60,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$15,000 property damage liability/accident

Massachusetts

$20,000 bodily injury liability/person
$40,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$5,000 property damage liability/accident
$20,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$40,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident
$8,000 personal injury protection

Michigan

$50,000 bodily injury liability/person
$100,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$10,000 property damage liability/accident
$250,000 personal injury protection – lower options or opt-out is available for enrollees with Medicaid and Medicare

Minnesota

$30,000 bodily injury liability/person
$60,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$10,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinstured motorist/accident
$40,000 personal injury protection

Mississippi

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

Missouri

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident

Montana

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$20,000 property damage liability/accident

Nebraska

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident

Nevada

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$20,000 property damage liability/accident

New Hampshire

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage
$1,000 medical payments coverage

New Jersey

$15,000 bodily injury liability/person
$30,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$5,000 property damage liability/accident
$15,000 uninsured motorist/bodily injury

New Mexico

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$10,000 property damage liability/accident

New York

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$50,000 liability for death/person
$100,000 liability for death/accident
$10,000 property damage liability/accident
$50,000 personal injury protection
$25,000 uninsured and underinstured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident

North Carolina

$30,000 bodily injury liability/person
$60,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$30,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$60,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage/accident

North Dakota

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident
$30,000 personal injury protection

Ohio

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

Oklahoma

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

Oregon

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$20,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident
$15,000 personal injury protection

Pennsylvania

$15,000 bodily injury liability/person
$30,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$5,000 property damage liability/accident
$5,000 medical benefits

Rhode Island

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

South Carolina

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage

South Dakota

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident

Tennessee

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$15,000 property damage liability/accident

Texas

$30,000 bodily injury liability/person
$60,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident

Utah

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$65,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$15,000 property damage liability/accident

Virginia

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$20,000 property damage liability/accident

Vermont

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$10,000 property damage liability/accident
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$100,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident
$10,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage/accident

Washington

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$10,000 property damage liability/accident

Washington D.C.

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$10,000 property damage liability/accident
$20,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident
$5,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage/accident

West Virginia

$20,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$25,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person

Wisconsin

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$10,000 property damage liability/accident
$25,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/person
$50,000 uninsured and underinsured motorist/accident

Wyoming

$25,000 bodily injury liability/person
$50,000 bodily injury liability/accident
$20,000 property damage liability/accident

Exceptions to the Minimum Coverage Rules

Two states do not require their drivers to carry minimum insurance coverage as long as they can prove financial responsibility. In New Hampshire and Virginia, the requirement to hold a minimum coverage can be waived if the driver proves that they can cover financial responsibility in the event of an accident. Proof of financial responsibility often requires that the driver provide a deposit to the DMV for a specified amount that takes the place of a minimum insurance requirement.

However, in Virginia, if a driver has a history of traffic violations or accidents, they do not have the option to wave the minimum insurance requirements. They are required to carry insurance on their vehicle.

Why Minimum Car Insurance Matters

State minimum car insurance is put in place to help protect you if you cause an accident. Although not all plans cover you personally, they protect you from the damages or injury payments resulting from an accident on your part. You also want any person who causes an accident in which you are injured to have the minimum coverage to cover your expenses.

When looking for the best pricing on minimum car insurance in your state, it is best to quote more than one company. Different factors go into your car insurance quote, like your driving record. Some insurance coverages are more expensive than others. Still, almost all of them offer the right amount of coverage for your state’s minimum requirements.

What To Do If You Are Involved in an Accident

If you are involved in an accident, you should call the police to have an accident report prepared. Make sure you provide your insurance information to the other driver and get their insurance information from them as well. Take pictures of your vehicle, their vehicle, and any other things you think might be beneficial when making an insurance claim.

Do not admit fault in the accident, even if you were responsible.

When to Call a Lawyer

If you are having trouble getting insurance companies to pay the claim you have submitted after an accident, or the amounts do not cover what your injuries or losses amount to – you may need a car accident lawyer. Car accident lawyers are highly experienced in handling the insurance companies and the laws within the state for minimum coverages. In many situations, settlements are offered by the insurance company. These settlements won’t be nearly what you should get, and your car accident lawyer will be able to negotiate the terms for you.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident and the insurance company or the driver is not doing their part for compensation, TorkLaw is standing by to provide you with a free case consultation. Our experienced car accident lawyers know the laws and can handle the insurance company for you.