Car Insurance Laws by State

By FindLaw Staff | Legally reviewed by Garrett Monteagudo, Esq. | Last reviewed January 17, 2023

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Car insurance is required in almost all states. Known as a mandatory minimum, drivers must purchase and maintain a certain level of car insurance from an insurance company in case of an accident or injury to another person or property.

If you fail to maintain this coverage, you could be in violation of the law.

There are a handful of states that don't require you to purchase car insurance. Instead, you must show evidence of financial responsibility in some other way, such as with 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:

  1. Personal injury damages,
  2. All personal injury damages for one particular accident, and
  3. All property damages for one accident.

Below, you will find a state-by-state chart of car insurance laws, including the type of liability insurance you are required to carry and the basic minimums for each coverage type. Remember, these are only minimums. You may wish to purchase additional coverage depending on your specific needs.

State

Type of Required Coverage

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

15/30/5

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

25/50/10

However, it's also important to note that personal injury protection (PIP) is $15,000.

See Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles

District of Columbia

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/10 and

  • 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

Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection

PIP: $10,000

Property damage liability (PDL): $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 is $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

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*

*It's important to note that uninsured motorist coverage is only required 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, 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

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, Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

30/60/15 and

  • Uninsured Motorist & Bodily Injury Coverage are 30/60
  • Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage is $15,000
  • PIP is $2,500

See Maryland Department of Transportation

Massachusetts

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection, Uninsured Motorist

20/40/5 and

  • Uninsured motorist coverage is $20,000 per person
  • Uninsured motorist coverage is $40,000 per accident
  • Personal injury protection is $8,000

See Official Website for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Michigan

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal Injury Protection

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

See Michigan.gov

Minnesota

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

30/60/10 and

  • PIP is 40, with 20 being for medical expenses and 20 being for economic reasons like lost wages
  • Uninsured Motorist coverage is 25/50

See Minnesota Commerce Department

Mississippi

Bodily Injury and Property Damage

25/50/25

No, see Mississippi Insurance Department

Missouri

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25 and

  • 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, 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, with a $500 deductible

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, Uninsured Motorist

PIP is 50

Uninsured motorist coverage is 25 per person and 50 per accident

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, Uninsured Motorist

PIP is 30 per person at a minimum

No, 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

25/50/20 and

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

See Oregon Department of Transportation

Pennsylvania

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

15/30/5 and

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

See PennDOT

Rhode Island

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25 and

  • Uninsured motorist coverage is 25 per person and 50 per accident

See Rhode Island Insurance Division

South Carolina

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25 and

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

See South Carolina Department of Insurance

South Dakota

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

25/50/25 and

  • UM BI is 25 per person and 50 per accident

See South Dakota Division of Insurance

Tennessee

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/15

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

25/65/15 and

  • PIP: $3,000

See Utah Insurance Department

Vermont

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

25/50/10 and

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

See Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles

Virginia

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Uninsured Motorist

30/60/20 and

  • UM/UIM BI: 30 per person and 60 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 and

  • UM BI: 25 per person and 50 per accident
  • UM PD: 25 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 and

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

See Wisconsin DMV

Wyoming

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

25/50/25

See Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association

Note: State laws are always subject to change, usually through the enactment of new legislation but also through court decisions and other means. Contact an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.

Questions About State Car Insurance Laws? An Attorney Can Help

If you're confused about poorly written car insurance laws, you aren't alone. Considering how complicated collision coverage, deductibles, and mandatory minimums can be, it's no wonder many drivers turn to attorneys for help figuring out car insurance. Connect with an attorney who specializes in car accidents and insurance to help navigate the complexities of the law.

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