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State minimum car insurance

You often need at least liability coverage to hit the road. But is minimal protection right for you?

Updated

May 17, 2021

Fact checked

Most states require a minimum amount of car insurance protection before you can get on the road, but the requirements are different from state to state. However, this level of protection might not be enough to cover all of your car damage or medical bills after an accident. Look at whether you should add optional coverage or buy a higher coverage limit, which is the maximum dollar amount that your insurance will pay for a claim. If your car isn’t worth much and you don’t have many assets, state minimum car insurance might be right for you.

State minimum car insurance in all 50 states

Find the limits in your state to find out how much insurance you need to have at a minimum.

Search your state

State	Minimum requirements
Alabama	25/50/25 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
Alaska	50/100/25 $50,000 bodily injury liability per person $100,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
Arizona	25/50/15 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $15,000 property damage liability total per accident In Arizona, you are not required to have auto insurance to legally drive in the state. However, if you choose not to purchase insurance, you must put up a $40,000 bond to prove you can pay for damages in case of an accident.
Arkansas	25/50/25 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
California	15/30/5 $15,000 bodily injury liability per person $30,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $5,000 property damage liability total per accident
Colorado	25/50/15 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $15,000 property damage liability total per accident
Connecticut	25/50/50 + UM + UIM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage total per accident
Delaware	25/50/10 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $10,000 property damage liability total per accident
Florida	PDL + PIP $10,000 property damage liability total per accident $10,000 personal injury protection
Georgia	25/50/25 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
Hawaii	20/40/10 + PIP $20,000 bodily injury liability per person $40,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $10,000 property damage liability total per accident $10,000 personal injury protection
Idaho	25/50/15 + UM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $15,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident
Illinois	25/50/20 + UM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $20,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident
Indiana	25/50/25 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
Iowa	20/40/15 $20,000 bodily injury liability per person $40,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $15,000 property damage liability total per accident
Kansas	25/50/25 + UM + PIP $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident Personal injury protection (PIP) with the following minimums: $4,500 per person in medical expenses $900 a month for disability or loss of income $2,000 for burial or cremation expenses $4,500 for rehabilitation
Kentucky	25/50/25 + PIP $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $10,000 personal injury protection
Louisiana	15/30/25 $15,000 bodily injury liability per person $30,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
Maine	50/100/25 + UM + PIP $50,000 bodily injury liability per person $100,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $100,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident $2,000 medical expenses coverage
Maryland	30/60/15 + UM + UIM + PIP $30,000 bodily injury liability per person $60,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $15,000 property damage liability total per accident $2,500 personal injury protection $30,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $60,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $15,000 uninsured/underinsured property damage coverage per accident
Massachusetts	20/40/5 + UM + PIP $20,000 bodily injury liability per person $40,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $5,000 property damage liability total per accident $20,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $40,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident $8,000 personal injury protection
Michigan	50/100/10 + PIP $50,000 bodily injury liability per person $100,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $10,000 property damage liability total per accident $50,000 minimum if you have Medicaid $250,000 in PIP for most drivers Opt out if your health insurance covers accident injuries $1 million property protection — which covers buildings and parked cars In Michigan, you are required to have no-fault car insurance that covers injuries and damages regardless of who’s at fault.
Minnesota	30/60/10 + UM + UIM + PIP $30,000 bodily injury liability per person $60,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $10,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage total per accident $40,000 personal injury protection
Mississippi	25/50/25 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
Missouri	25/50/25 + UM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident
Montana	25/50/20 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $20,000 property damage liability total per accident
Nebraska	25/50/25 + UM + UIM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage total per accident
Nevada	25/50/20 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $20,000 property damage liability total per accident
New Hampshire	25/50/25 + UM + UIM + PIP $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage total per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage $1,000 medical payments coverage In New Hampshire, having car insurance is optional. However if you are ever at-fault in an accident, the owner of the vehicle will still have to pay for any bodily injury or property damage. Below are the minimum limits in case one does decide to purchase insurance in New Hampshire.
New Jersey	15/30/5 + PIP $15,000 bodily injury liability per person $30,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $5,000 property damage liability total per accident $15,000 medical payments coverage
New Mexico	25/50/10 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $10,000 property damage liability total per accident
New York	25/50/10 + UM + PIP $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $10,000 property damage liability total per accident $50,000 liability for death per person $100,000 liability for death per accident $50,000 personal injury protection $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident
North Carolinaremoved	30/60/25 + UM $30,000 bodily injury liability per person $60,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $30,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $60,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage total per accident
North Dakota	25/50/25 + UM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident $30,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage total per accident
Ohio	25/50/25 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
Oklahoma	25/50/25 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
Oregon	25/50/20 + UM + PIP $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $20,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident $15,000 personal injury protection
Pennsylvania	15/30/5 + PIP $15,000 bodily injury liability per person $30,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $5,000 property damage liability total per accident $5,000 medical benefits
Rhode Island	25/50/25 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
South Carolina	25/50/25 + UM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage
South Dakota	25/50/25 + UM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident
Tennessee	25/50/15 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $15,000 property damage liability total per accident
Texas	30/60/25 $30,000 bodily injury liability per person $60,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident
Utah	25/65/15 + PIP $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $65,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $15,000 property damage liability total per accident $3,000 personal injury protection
Vermont	25/50/10 + UM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $10,000 property damage liability total per accident $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $100,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident $10,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage total per accident
Virginia	25/50/20 + UM + UIM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $20,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $20,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident In Virginia, you do not have to buy car insurance as long as the driver can prove they have a way to pay for injuries of property damage in case of an at-fault accident. Below are the minimums in Virginia in case you decide to purchase insurance.
Washington	25/50/10 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $10,000 property damage liability total per accident
Washington, DC	25/50/10 + UM + UIM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $5,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident
West Virginia	25/50/25 + UM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $25,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage
Wisconsin	25/50/10 + UM $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $10,000 property damage liability total per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage total per accident
Wyoming	25/50/20 $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability total per accident $20,000 property damage liability total per accident

The cost of state minimum car insurance

Average insurance rates vary by state, but expect to pay around $400 to $600 for the cheapest rates.

The good news is many online quotes automatically default to your state’s minimum requirements. You’ll also be able to see explanations of the limits and what each coverage type means, which makes it easier to understand what you’re covered for.

Company	Average annual rate	Learn more
Geico	$394	Read review
USAA	$416	Read review
Progressive	$536	Read review
Grange	$557	Read review
Mercury	$564
Kemper	$615	Read review
21st Century	$651	Read review
Allied	$666	Read review
Nationwide	$666	Read review
Allstate	$693	Read review
Liberty Mutual	$709	Read review
State Farm	$726	Read review
The Hartford	$727	Read review
Average	$598	Compare all reviews

To get these quotes, we compared rates for the same driver profile averaged across all California zip codes.
- Male driver
- 26-30 years old
- Married
- Good credit
- 2017 Toyota Camry LE
- State minimum requirements
- $15,000/$30,000 liability
- $15,000 property damage

Why does every state have different minimum insurance requirements?

Like most US laws, every state gets to decide most of the laws for its residents, other than federal laws which apply to every state. And while many states have similar 25/50/25 liability limits, only about half the US requires uninsured or PIP coverage.

Uninsured driver rates tend to increase in states with higher requirements because this leads to higher insurance costs and more drivers who can’t afford to get insurance.

Minimum liability limits are also difficult to change, since this would require data gathering to support the decision and new legislature to be drafted and passed. That’s why many states haven’t changed their liability limits in decades.

Bottom line

Make sure you’re covered with at least the minimum coverage limits for your state so that you can drive legally. But because state minimum coverage leaves you unprotected for certain kinds of damage, it pays to compare additional coverage you need on top of the bare minimum, such as full coverage.

Thank you for your feedback!

Roslyn McKenna

Roslyn McKenna Ayers is insurance manager at ValuePenguin and a former publisher at Finder, specializing in home and auto coverage. Her expertise and analysis has been featured on Bankrate, MSN and Reader's Digest. She holds a BA in writing and communications from Maryville College.

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