Insurance Car Insurance Car Insurance Basics Minimum Car Insurance Requirements by State By Mila Araujo Updated on December 7, 2021 Reviewed by Julius Mansa Sponsored by What's this? & In This Article View All In This Article What Is Minimum Car Insurance? Do All States Require Car Insurance? Minimums by State Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) How much is car insurance on average per month? Photo: Vera Petrunina / Getty Images State minimum insurance requirements are the car insurance laws for each state. These laws can usually be found on the state insurance commissioner's website. As you go down the list, you will notice that driving without insurance is against the law in almost every state. Make sure you have met the minimum requirements in your state before you drive. Key Takeaways Driving without insurance is against the law in almost every state. Be sure you meet the minimum coverage amount in your state.You may need bodily injury liability, defined per person as well as per accident. States might order you to have property damage liability per accident.State laws might also call for personal injury protection (per person and per accident). One of the most common laws is uninsured or underinsured motorist protection.Car insurance liability coverages may be given in a series of numbers stating the amount covered for injury per person, per accident, and total property damages. What Is Minimum Car Insurance? If you own a car, you will need car insurance that meets the laws in your state. Each state is different, which is why it is vital to confirm the laws where you live. You can also contact your company if you have questions. Four basic types of coverage may be in your state's laws. You may need bodily injury liability, defined per person as well as per accident. States might order you to have property damage liability (also per accident). State laws might also call for personal injury protection (per person and per accident). One of the most common laws is uninsured or underinsured motorist protection that covers you and your car, per person, per accident. Car insurance liability coverages may be given in a series of numbers, which state the amounts covered for injury per person, accident, and total damages. For example, you might see $20,000/$40,000/$15,000, or 20/40/15. This provides bodily injury liability of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident, and property damage liability would be $15,000 per accident. Note There isn't an insurance product called "full coverage." Rather, you may be fully covered with combined policies such as bodily injury liability and property damage liability. When people refer to "full coverage," they generally mean comprehensive and collision insurance in addition to required liability coverage. Do All States Require Car Insurance? Nearly all states require some level of car insurance. However, there are some special cases. For instance, New Hampshire does not mandate that you buy car insurance to drive. It does require that you can pay anyone you injure as a result of your driving. You'll also need to pay for any property damage you cause. This means you'll need a large savings account if you don't have insurance. If you do buy a policy, New Hampshire law requires you to carry 25/50/25. Virginia, too, offers a second approach. Virginia drivers must either maintain a minimum of 25/50/20 or pay an uninsured motor vehicle (UMV) fee of $500. If they fail to carry insurance and fail to pay the (UMV) fee, they'll lose their driving privileges. Note Knowing whether you have enough insurance for your needs depends on how much risk you are willing to take. If you do not have enough money to cover damages, you'll have to pay out-of-pocket. Minimums by State Here's each state's car insurance mandates. Alabama Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 maximum per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident Alaska Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident Arizona Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 two or more peopleProperty damage liability: $15,000 per accident Arkansas Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident California Bodily injury liability: $15,000 per person Property damage liability: $5,000 per accident Bodily injury/death liability to more than one person: $30,000 Colorado Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $15,000 per accident Connecticut Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident Delaware Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $10,000 per accidentPersonal Injury Protection: A minimum of $15,000 for any one person and $30,000 for all persons injured in any one accident Florida Property damage liability: $10,000Personal injury protection: $10,000 Georgia Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident Hawaii Bodily injury liability: $20,000 per person/$40,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $10,000 per accidentPersonal injury protection: $10,000 Idaho Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $15,000 per accident Illinois Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $20,000 per accidentUninsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident Indiana Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident Iowa Bodily injury liability: $20,000 per person/$40,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $15,000 per accident Kansas Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentPersonal injury protection: $4,500 per person in medical expenses, up to $900 per month for disability or loss of income, $25 per day for in-home services; $4,500 for rehabilitation; $2,000 for funeral, burial, or cremation costs Kentucky Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accidentPersonal injury protection: $10,000 Louisiana Bodily injury liability: $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident Maine Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accidentUninsured motorist coverage: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accidentMedical payments coverage: $2,000 Maryland Bodily injury liability: $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $15,000 per accident Massachusetts Bodily injury liability: $20,000 per person/$40,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $5,000 per accidentUninsured motorist coverage: $20,000 per person/$40,000 per accidentPersonal injury protection: $8,000 Michigan Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accidentProperty damage liability for accidents in another state: $10,000Personal injury protection: $250,000 (lower options or opt-out available for Medicare and Medicaid enrollees) Minnesota Bodily injury liability: $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $10,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per personUninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $50,000 per accidentPersonal injury protection: $40,000 Mississippi Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident Missouri Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $10,000 per accidentUninsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident Montana Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $20,000 per accident Nebraska Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident Nevada Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $20,000 per accident New Hampshire Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage: $25,000Medical payments coverage: $1,000 New Jersey Bodily injury liability: $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $5,000 per accidentUninsured motorist bodily injury: $15,000 New Mexico Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $10,000 per accident New York Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 for a death per accidentProperty damage liability: $10,000 per accidentLiability for death: $50,000 per person/$100,000 liability per accident for two or more peoplePersonal injury protection: $50,000Uninsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident North Carolina Bodily injury liability: $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accidentUninsured motorist coverage per person: $30,000/$60,000 per accidentUninsured motorist property damage coverage: $25,000 per accident North Dakota Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentPersonal injury protection: $30,000 Ohio Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident Oklahoma Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident Oregon Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $20,000 per accidentUninsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentPersonal injury protection: $15,000 Pennsylvania Bodily injury liability: $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $5,000 per accidentMedical benefit: $5,000 Rhode Island Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident South Carolina Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accidentUninsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentUninsured motorist property damage coverage: $25,000 South Dakota Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident Tennessee Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $15,000 per accident Texas Bodily injury liability: $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accident Utah Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$65,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $15,000 per accident Vermont Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $10,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage: $10,000 per accident Virginia Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $20,000 per accident Washington Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $10,000 per accident Washington, D.C. Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $10,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: $20,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentUninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage: $5,000 per accident West Virginia Bodily injury liability: $20,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $25,000 per accidentUninsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person Wisconsin Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $10,000 per accidentUninsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per personUninsured motorist coverage: $50,000 per accident Wyoming Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accidentProperty damage liability: $20,000 per accident Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) How much is car insurance on average per month? The average annual car insurance cost is a bit more than $1,000. It comes out to about $88 per month. How do you get cheap car insurance? The best way to get cheap car insurance is to shop around and take advantage of any promotional offers. Common discounts and promo offers include good-driver discounts for avoiding tickets, bundle discounts for adding different types of coverage, and anti-theft discounts for installing anti-theft accessories. What is comprehensive car insurance? Comprehensive car insurance covers situations that don't occur while driving. For example, comprehensive coverage will cover the stolen car when a thief breaks into your car in your driveway (but often will not cover the contents of the car), or when a storm knocks down a tree branch that breaks your windshield. Comprehensive coverage is not required. How soon do you have to get insurance after buying a used car? In most states, it's illegal to drive any car without required insurance coverage. States set grace periods for insuring a recently acquired car. In general, you can expect to have between a week and a month to get insurance after buying a used car. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "A Shopping Tool for Automobile Insurance," Pages 4-5. State of New Hampshire Insurance Department. "Your Guide to Understanding Auto Insurance in the Granite State," Page 1. Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. "Insurance Requirements." Alabama Department of Insurance. "Automobile Insurance FAQs." Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. "Mandatory Insurance." Arizona Department of Transportation. "Vehicle Information." Arkansas Insurance Department. "Consumers FAQ - Private Passenger Automobile Insurance." 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