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Minimum levels of car insurance you are required to buy

  • Last updated: May 14, 2011
Read the Spanish version: Cobertura mínima requerida para seguro de auto

minimum auto insuranceMost states require you have car insurance and have laws that outline the minimum level of coverage you must buy.

However, the minimum limits your state requires may not necessarily be adequate. A car accident can cost far more than the limits mandated by most states. The Insurance Information Institute recommends you carry at least $100,000 of bodily injury protection per person and $300,000 per accident (known as 100/300).

SRCCLK=$(esi_srcclk);ROOTCLK=$(esi_rootclk);ROOTQTR=$(esi_rootqtr);ROOTCCID=$(esi_rootccid);;n=203;c=700393;s=8622;x=7936;f=201010251419270;u=j;z=TIMESTAMP;AFF=article_auto&src=175027;statecode=$(GEO{'region_code'});" title="Insure.com">[Let Insure.com help you find affordable car insurance now.]

What is no-fault car insurance?

If your state has a "no-fault" auto insurance law, your policy must pay medical bills for you and your passengers regardless of who caused the accident. No-fault laws are intended to keep insurance fraud down.

How to read auto insurance liability limits

Here's how to read the following table of auto insurance liability minimums.

  1. First number: Bodily injury liability maximum for one person injured in an accident.
  2. Second number: Bodily injury liability maximum for all injuries in one accident.
  3. Third number: Property damage liability maximum for one accident.

For example, if you live in New York, the minimum liability limits are $25,000 for injury liability for one person, $50,000 for all injuries and $10,000 for property damage in an accident. Plus, New York requires you to have personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist coverage (UM).

Auto insurance minimums

State Liability required? Liability minimums (in thousands of dollars) PIP required? No-fault state? Uninsured motorist coverage required?
Alabama Yes, 25/50/25 No No No
Alaska Yes, 50/100/25 No No No
Arizona Yes, 15/30/10 No No No
Arkansas Yes, 25/50/25 Yes No No
California (1) Yes, 15/30/5 No No No
Colorado Yes, 25/50/15 No No No
Connecticut Yes, 20/40/10 No No Yes
Delaware Yes, 15/30/10 Yes No No
Florida (2) No, 10/20/10 Yes Yes No
Georgia Yes, 25/50/25 No No No
Hawaii Yes, 20/40/10 Yes Yes No
Idaho Yes, 25/50/15 No No No
Illinois Yes, 20/40/15 No No Yes
Indiana Yes, 25/50/10 No No No
Iowa Yes, 20/40/15 No No No
Kansas Yes, 25/50/10 Yes Yes Yes
Kentucky Yes, 25/50/10 Yes Yes No
Louisiana Yes, 15/30/25 No No No
Maine (3) Yes, 50/100/25 No No Yes
Maryland (4) Yes, 30/60/15 Yes No Yes
Massachusetts Yes, 20/40/5 Yes Yes Yes
Michigan Yes, 20/40/10 Yes Yes No
Minnesota Yes, 30/60/10 Yes Yes Yes
Mississippi Yes, 25/50/25 No No No
Missouri Yes, 25/50/10 No No Yes
Montana Yes, 25/50/10 No No No
Nebraska Yes, 25/50/25 No No No
Nevada Yes, 15/30/10 No No No
New Hampshire No, FR only (7)
No No Yes
New Jersey (5) Yes, 15/30/5 Yes Yes Yes
New Mexico Yes, 25/50/10 No No No
New York (6) Yes, 25/50/10 Yes Yes Yes
North Carolina Yes, 30/60/25 No No Yes
North Dakota Yes, 25/50/25 Yes Yes Yes
Ohio Yes, 12.5/25/7.5 No No No
Oklahoma Yes, 25/50/25 No No No
Oregon Yes, 25/50/20 Yes No Yes
Pennsylvania Yes, 15/30/5 Yes Yes No
Rhode Island (2) Yes, 25/50/25 No No Yes
South Carolina Yes, 25/50/25 No No Yes
South Dakota Yes, 25/50/25 No No Yes
Tennessee (2) Yes, 25/50/15 No No No
Texas Yes, 30/60/25
No No No
Utah (2) Yes, 25/65/15 Yes Yes No
Vermont Yes, 25/50/10 No No No
Virginia Yes, 25/50/20 No No Yes
Washington Yes, 25/50/10 No No No
Washington D.C. Yes, 25/50/10 No No Yes
West Virginia Yes, 20/40/10 No No Yes
Wisconsin Yes, 50/100/55 No No Yes
Wyoming Yes, 25/100/15 No No No
Source: Insurance Information Institute

1) Low-cost policy limits for drivers in the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan are 10/20/3.

(2) Instead of policy limits, policyholders can satisfy the requirement with a single combined policy. Amounts vary by state.

(3) In addition, policyholders must carry at least $1,000 for medical payments.

(4) PIP may be waived for the policyholder but it is compulsory for passengers.

(5) Basic policy (optional) limits are 10/10/5. UM/UIM coverage is not available under a basic policy but UIM is required under a standard policy.

(6) In addition, policyholders must have 50/100 for wrongful death coverage.

(7) Must show proof of financial responsibility.

No-fault auto insurance states

no fault

Florida

Hawaii

Kansas

Kentucky

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

New Jersey

New York

North Dakota

Pennsylvania

Utah

Puerto Rico*

Source: Insurance Information Institute. *Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory.

Deciphering auto insurance liability across state lines

If you hold the minimum automobile insurance required in your state and are involved in an accident in another state that requires higher minimum coverages or other coverage (such as personal injury protection), your policy will automatically increase to meet that state's minimum coverage requirements.

For example, if you're a Connecticut driver (where minimum liability coverage is $20,000 of bodily injury protection per person, $40,000 of bodily injury protection per accident and $10,000 of property damage per accident, or 20/40/10, as it's often called) and are involved in an accident in New York (which requires 25/50/10 of liability coverage), your insurance will automatically extend to meet New York's requirements. This boost can be helpful, especially when you cause a large amount of property damage.

Some states restrict the ability of their citizens to sue one another for pain and suffering after a car accident. Puerto Rico (a U.S. territory) and 12 states have "no-fault" laws. These laws mean that your car insurance must pay for bodily injury damages no matter who's at fault in an accident. However, these same states allow their citizens to litigate against folks from other states after a car accident.

For example, you are limited in your ability to sue for damages if you live in Pennsylvania. When buying your auto coverage you have two choices of liability: "full tort" or "limited tort." If you choose "limited tort," you will pay less in premiums but you won't be able to sue another Pennsylvanian for pain and suffering unless you're seriously injured and your medical bills exceed a specified minimum amount. What constitutes a serious injury is outlined in your car insurance policy. If you choose full tort, your premiums will be more but you will be able to sue no matter the amount of your damages.

Throw out the rulebook if someone from another state crashes into you. Even if you have Pennsylvania "limited tort," you'll be able seek compensation for pain and suffering in the court system if someone from outside Pennsylvania crashes into you.


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