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Car Insurance Laws by State

By Lark Lewis, J.D. | Legally reviewed by Jordan Walker, J.D. | Last reviewed

This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw’s team of legal writers and attorneys and in accordance with our editorial standards.

The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area.

Car insurance is mandatory in almost all states, requiring drivers to have a minimum level of coverage to protect against accidents and injuries. Auto insurance coverage varies by state, with some following fault-based systems and others using no-fault systems. In no-fault states, each driver’s insurance company covers their own damages, regardless of fault. Failure to maintain your own insurance can lead to legal violations, and some states offer alternatives like surety bonds or self-insurance for financial responsibility. Minimum coverage typically includes bodily injury and property damage liability.

Drivers must purchase and maintain a certain level of car insurance from an insurance company, known as a mandatory minimum, in case of an accident or injury to another person or property.

In many places, auto insurance covers any damage or injuries caused by an at-fault driver. This is essential, as it ensures that if you or a family member is injured in a crash, the at-fault driver’s insurance will likely cover the medical bills.

The exact insurance coverage varies from one state to another. For instance, while some states focus strictly on who was at fault in the accident, others operate on a no-fault system. In no-fault states, each driver’s own insurance covers their damages regardless of who caused the accident. If you fail to maintain this coverage, you could be in violation of insurance coverage laws.

There are a handful of states that don’t require you to purchase auto insurance. Instead, you must show evidence of financial responsibility in some other way, such as a surety bond, a cash deposit with the state, or a certificate of self-insurance.

Most insurance policies express the minimum amounts like this: 25/50/25 ($25,00/$50,000/$25,000), with the numbers corresponding to the following:

  • Personal injury damages
  • All personal injury damages for one particular accident
  • All property damages for one accident

When driving, it’s crucial to have proof of insurance and vehicle registration with you. In many states, not having this can lead to the suspension of your driver’s license and license plates. In the unfortunate event that you’re involved in an accident, not having the minimum coverage or proof of insurance can complicate matters. It’s even worse if you’re the at-fault driver.

The chart below contains a state-by-state listing of car insurance laws, including the type of liability insurance policyholders are required to carry and the basic minimums for each coverage type. These are only the required minimums. You may wish to purchase additional coverage or optional coverage depending on your specific auto insurance policy needs.

State

Types of Coverage Required

Minimum Liability Limits

State Insurance Requirements

Alabama

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/25

See Alabama Department of Insurance

Alaska

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

50/100/25

See Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles

Arizona

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

15/30/10

See Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles

Arkansas

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/15

See Arkansas State Insurance Department

California

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

30/60/15

See California Department of Motor Vehicles

Colorado

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/15

See Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association

Connecticut

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

25/50/25

See Connecticut Insurance Department

Delaware

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

25/50/10

PIP minimum coverage of $15,000.

See Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles

District of Columbia

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/10 

In addition:

  • Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Insurance is $25,000 per person
  • Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury is $50,000 per accident
  • Uninsured Motorist Property Damage is $5,000, subject to a $200 deductible

See District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles

Florida

Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Property Damage Liability

PIP per accident: $10,000

Property damage liability (PDL) per accident: $10,000

See Florida Department of Motor Vehicles

Georgia

Bodily Injury and Property Damage

25/50/25

See Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire

Hawaii

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

20/40/10

PIP: $10,000

See Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Idaho

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/15

See Idaho Department of Transportation

Illinois

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage

25/50/20

Uninsured/Underinsured motorist is $25,000 per person and $50,000 total per accident

See Illinois Office of the Secretary of State

Indiana

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist*

*Indiana requires uninsured motorist coverage unless rejected by the insured in writing

25/50/25

Uninsured motorist is equal to the minimum limits for liability coverage

See Indiana Department of Insurance

Iowa

All motorists must have bodily injury and property damage insurance

20/40/15

 See Iowa Insurance Division

Kansas

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25

  • Uninsured/Underinsured:
    • $25,000 per person
    • $50,000 per accident
  • PIP:
    • $4,500 per person for medical expenses
    • $900 per month for disability and/or loss of income
    • $25 per day for in-home services
    • $2,000 for funeral, burial or cremation expenses
    • $4,500 for rehabilitation expenses

See Kansas Insurance Department

Kentucky

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

25/50/25

PIP: $10,000

See Official Website for the Commonwealth of Kentucky

Louisiana

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

15/30/25

See Louisiana Department of Insurance

Maine

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

50/100/25

  • Uninsured motorist coverage: $50,000 per person
  • Uninsured motorist coverage: $100,000 per accident
  • Medical payments coverage: $2,000

See Maine Bureau of Insurance

Maryland

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

30/60/15

  • Uninsured Motorist & Bodily Injury Coverage is $30,000 per person or $60,000 per accident
  • Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage is $15,000 per accident
  • PIP isn’t mandatory but insurance companies must offer it

See Maryland Department of Transportation

Massachusetts

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Uninsured Motorist

20/40/5

  • Uninsured motorist coverage is $20,000 per person
  • Uninsured motorist coverage is $40,000 per accident
  • Property damage protection is $5,000
  • PIP is $8,000

See Official Website for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Michigan

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

20/40/10

Property Protection Insurance (PPI) coverage is $1 million limit per accident

PIP is covered in the insurance policy

See Michigan.gov

Minnesota

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

30/60/10

  • PIP is $40,000 per person per accident, with $20,000 covering medical expenses and $20,000 covering economic or non-medical expenses like lost wages
  • Uninsured Motorist coverage is $25,000 bodily injury liability per person/$50,000 bodily injury to two or more people

See Minnesota Commerce Department

Mississippi

Bodily Injury and Property Damage

25/50/25

See Mississippi Insurance Department

Missouri

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25

  • Uninsured motorist coverage is $25,000 for bodily injury per person, and
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident

See Missouri Insurance Department

Montana

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/20

See Montana Motor Vehicle Division

Nebraska

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage

Uninsured/underinsured Motorist coverage is 25/50

See Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles

Nevada

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/20

See Nevada Division of Insurance

New Hampshire

Drivers are not required to purchase car insurance.

If you do have car insurance, there are mandatory minimums.

The state also requires you to show proof of financial responsibility if you don’t have car insurance.

You remain liable for someone’s injuries and damages that you cause to another person’s vehicle or property.

25/50/25

See New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles

New Jersey

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage, Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage, Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage, and Underinsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage

Uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage is 15/30 for bodily injuries

Uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist property damage coverage is $5,000 with a $500 deductible

PIP: $15,000 per person per accident

See New Jersey Department of Banking & Insurance

New Mexico

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/10

 See New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division

New York

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Uninsured Motorist

PIP is $50,000 per person

Uninsured motorist coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident

$10,000 property damage

See New York Department of Motor Vehicles

North Carolina

Bodily Injury, Property Damage Liability, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage is 30/60 with a minimum of 30/60/25

See North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles

North Dakota

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25

PIP is $30,000 per person

See North Dakota Insurance Department

Ohio

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/25

See Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles

Oklahoma

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/25

See Oklahoma Department of Public Safety

Oregon

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

25/50/20

  • PIP is $15,000
  • Uninsured motorist bodily injury and underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident

See Oregon Department of Transportation

Pennsylvania

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

15/30/5

  • First-party benefits (FPB): $5,000
  • Uninsured/Underinsured Bodily Injury Coverage (UM/UIM BI) FPB: $5,000
  • UM/UIM BI: $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident, but the insured can reject this coverage

See PennDOT

Rhode Island

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25

  • Uninsured motorist coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident

See Rhode Island Insurance Division

South Carolina

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25

  • UM BI is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
  • UM PD is $25,000 with a $200 deductible

See South Carolina Department of Insurance

South Dakota

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25

  • UM BI is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident

See South Dakota Division of Insurance

Tennessee

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/25

See Tennessee Department of Revenue

Texas

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

30/60/25

See Texas Department of Insurance

Utah

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

25/65/15

  • PIP: $3,000

See Utah Insurance Department

Vermont

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

25/50/10

  • UM/UIM BI per person: $50,000
  • UM/UIM BI per accident: $100,000
  • UM PD: $10,000 with a $150 deductible

See Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles

Virginia

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

50/100/25

  • UM/UIM BI: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident

See Virginia DMV

Washington

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/10

See Washington State Department of Licensing

West Virginia

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25

  • UM BI: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
  • UM PD: $25,000 with a $300 deductible

See West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles

Wisconsin

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage, Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage

25/50/10

  • UM/UIM BI: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident

See Wisconsin DMV

Wyoming

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/20

See Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association

Note: State laws are always subject to change. This can occur through the enactment of new legislation, court decisions, and other means. Contact an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) on liability insurance coverage and bodily injury liability you’re researching.

Questions About State Car Insurance Laws? An Attorney Can Help

If either you or a family member are confused about complicated car insurance laws or insurance rates, you aren’t alone. Considering how tricky collision coverage, deductibles, and mandatory minimums can be, it’s no wonder many drivers turn to attorneys for help figuring out comprehensive coverage. Connect with an attorney who handles car accidents and automobile insurance to help navigate the complexities of car insurance requirements.

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