What is the Minimum Car Insurance Requirements by State?
In almost every state, car insurance is very important compared to home insurance. It’s a crime to drive without an insurance policy in the United States. In purchasing auto insurance, there are certain requirements issued by the state. This has to do with the amount of coverage needed for you to be legalized and safe to drive on the road. However, car insurance requirements by states vary. Here we will provide you with car insurance requirements by state.
Check out the following table that shows the minimum coverage requirements in your state:
| States | Minimum car insurance requirements |
| Alabama | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| Alaska | $50,000 in bodily injury liability $100,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage liability |
| Arizona | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $15,000 in property damage per accident |
| Arkansas | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| California | $15,000 in bodily injury per person $30,000 in total bodily injury per accident $5,000 in property damage per accident |
| Colorado | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $15,000 in property damage per accident |
| Connecticut | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| Delaware | $25,000 in property damage per accident $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $10,000 in property damage per accident PIP: $15,000 |
| Florida | Personal injury protection (PIP): $10,000 Property damage liability (PD): $10,000 |
| Georgia | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| Hawaii | $20,000 in bodily injury liability per person $40,000 in total bodily injury per accident $10,000 in property damage liability |
| Idaho | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $15,000 in property damage per accident |
| Illinois | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $20,000 in property damage per accident |
| Indiana | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $20,000 in property damage per accident |
| Iowa | $20,000 in bodily injury liability per person $40,000 in total bodily injury per accident $15,000 in property damage liability |
| Kansas | $25,000 in bodily injury liability $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage liability |
| Kentucky | $25,000 in bodily injury liability $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage liability |
| Louisiana | $15,000 in bodily injury per person $30,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| Maine | $50,000 in bodily injury per person $100,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| Maryland | $30,000 in bodily injury per person $60,000 in total bodily injury per accident $15,000 in property damage per accident |
| Massachusetts | $20,000 in bodily injury liability per person $40,000 in total bodily injury per accident $5,000 in property damage per accident PIP: $8,000 UM BI: $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident |
| Michigan | $50,000 in bodily injury per person $100,000 in total bodily injury per accident $10,000 in property damage per accident |
| Minnesota | $30,000 in bodily injury per person $60,000 in total bodily injury per accident $10,000 in property damage per accident |
| Mississippi | $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage liability |
| Missouri | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| Montana | $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $20,000 in property damage liability |
| Nebraska | $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person $50,000 in bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 in property damage liability |
| Nevada | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $20,000 in property damage per accident |
| New Hampshire | $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person $50,000 in total bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 in property damage liability per vehicle |
| New Jersey | $15,000 in bodily injury per person $30,000 in total bodily injury per accident $5,000 in property damage per accident |
| New Mexico | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $10,000 in property damage per accident |
| New York | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $10,000 in property damage per accident PIP: $50,000 UM: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident |
| North Carolina | $30,000 in bodily injury per person $60,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| North Dakota | $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage liability per accident $25,000 in underinsured motorist bodily injury per person $50,000 in total underinsured motorist bodily injury per accident |
| Ohio | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| Oklahoma | $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage liability |
| Oregon | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $20,000 in property damage per accident PIP: $15,000 UM/UIM BI: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident |
| Pennsylvania | $15,000 in bodily injury per person $30,000 in total bodily injury per accident $5,000 in property damage per accident |
| Rhode Island | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| South Carolina | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| South Dakota | $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage liability $25,000 in uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury per person $50,000 in uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury per accident |
| Tennessee | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $15,000 in property damage per accident |
| Texas | $30,000 in bodily injury per person $60,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| Utah | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $65,000 in total bodily injury per accident $15,000 in property damage per accident |
| Vermont | $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $10,000 in property damage liability $50,000 in uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury per person $100,000 in uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury per accident $10,000 with a $150 deductible in uninsured motorist property damage |
| Virginia | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage liability UM BI: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident UM PD: $25,000 with a $300 deductible |
| Washington | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $10,000 in property damage per accident |
| West Virginia | $30,000 in bodily injury per person $60,000 in total bodily injury per accident $20,000 in property damage per accident |
| Wisconsin | $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $10,000 in property damage liability |
| Wyoming | $25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in total bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage liability |
Understanding The Minimum Requirements for Car Insurance by State
It’s often to understand the minimum requirements for car insurance by your state. Each state has its requirements. However, almost the whole state shares the same minimum requirement for liability coverage. But note that some states do not require several coverages. Here are the following car insurance coverage needed in your states:
Liability Insurance:
Nearly all states required a minimum amount of liability insurance. Liability insurance is a type of coverage that help to cover medical bills for any injuries or damage done to the other driver in a car accident.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM):
UM/UIM coverage helps to cover the cost of expenses of taking care of you and your passengers if involved in a car accident. Also, it helps to cover damage to your car and other property.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP):
PIP helps to cover payment for medical bills for both insured drivers and their passengers regardless of whether it’s your fault or the other driver’s. Its benefits are also extended to health insurance by helping to cover lost wages not included in your health insurance.
Medical Payments Coverage:
This insurance coverage helps to cover the medical expense from a car accident if you get injured. This does not only cover you but also cover your family and passenger. It does not include coverage on lost wages or any other benefits.
In addition, comprehensive and collision appears to be the most common type of car insurance coverage. But it’s not listed among the minimum requirement by states and no states require them.
States That Do Not Need Car Insurance
New Hampshire appears as the only state that does not require car insurance. According to reports, if any driver chooses not to purchase or have car insurance, he/she must prove they have enough funds to meet the state’s financial responsibility requirement even if they cause an accident. If you don’t meet the state’s requirements, this can result in the suspension of your license and registration.
In Virginia, auto insurance is essential, but drivers can choose to opt for the state insurance requirement only if they pay a $500 uninsured motorist fee each year.
States That Require Insurance
Almost every state’s car insurance is required. But know that state minimums and coverage types vary by state. Most of the states that require car insurance same a common type of coverage which is liability coverage for property damage and bodily injury. Only Florida requires liability coverage for property damage as well as PIP coverage.
Why is Car Insurance Important in Every State?
The main reason why car insurance is mostly required in every state is because of your responsibility in helping to pay for the cost of medical expenses if you cause an accident. In making car insurance essential, especially liability insurance, the passenger or driver injured due to the accident caused by you can rest assured that he/her medical bills will be paid off as well as the property damage without you having to worry about your financial well-being. It’s very important that you understand how much car insurance you need so that it will not affect your finances.
