Automobile Liability Coverage - Minimum State Requirements
Most states require car owners to buy a minimum amount of bodily injury and property damage liability insurance before they can legally drive their cars. All states have financial responsibility laws. This means that people involved in an automobile accident will be required to furnish proof of financial responsibility up to certain minimum dollar limits. To comply with financial responsibility laws, most drivers purchase automobile liability insurance. The insurance industry and consumer groups generally recommend a minimum of $100,000 of bodily injury protection per person and $300,000 per accident since accidents may cost far more than the minimum limits mandated by most states.
| State | Insurance required 2 | Minimum liability limits3 |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | BI & PD Liab | 20/40/10 |
| Alaska (AK) | BI & PD Liab | 50/100/25 |
| Arizona (AZ) | BI & PD Liab | 15/30/10 |
| Arkansas (AR) | BI & PD Liab, PIP | 25/50/25 |
| California (CA) | BI & PD Liab | 15/30/5 8 |
| Colorado (CO) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/15 |
| Connecticut (CT) | BI & PD Liab, UM, UIM | 20/40/10 |
| Delaware (DE) | BI & PD Liab, PIP | 15/30/10 |
| District Of Columbia (DC) | BI & PD Liab, UM | 25/50/10 |
| Florida (FL) | PD Liab, PIP | 10/20/10 9 |
| Georgia (GA) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/25 |
| Hawaii (HI) | BI & PD Liab, PIP | 20/40/10 |
| Idaho (ID) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/15 |
| Illinois (IL) | BI & PD Liab, UM | 20/40/15 |
| Indiana (IN) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/10 |
| Iowa (IA) | BI & PD Liab | 20/40/15 |
| Kansas (KS) | BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM | 25/50/10 |
| Kentucky (KY) | BI & PD Liab, PIP | 25/50/10 |
| Louisiana (LA) | BI & PD Liab | 10/20/10 |
| Maine (ME) | BI & PD Liab, UM, UIM | 50/100/25 10 |
| Maryland (MD) | BI & PD Liab, PIP 11, UM | 20/40/15 |
| Massachusetts (MA) | BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM | 20/40/5 |
| Michigan (MI) | BI & PD Liab, PIP | 20/40/10 |
| Minnesota (MN) | BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM, UIM | 30/60/10 |
| Mississippi (MS) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/25 |
| Missouri (MO) | BI & PD Liab, UM | 25/50/10 |
| Montana (MT) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/10 |
| Nebraska (NE) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/25 |
| Nevada (NV) | BI & PD Liab | 15/30/10 |
| New Hampshire (NH) | FR only, UM | 25/50/25 |
| New Jersey (NJ) | BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM | 15/30/5 12 |
| New Mexico (NM) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/10 |
| New York (NY) | BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM | 25/50/10 13 |
| North Carolina (NC) | BI & PD Liab | 30/60/25 |
| North Dakota (ND) | BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM | 25/50/25 |
| Ohio (OH) | BI & PD Liab | 12.5/25/7.5 |
| Oklahoma (OK) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/25 |
| Oregon (OR) | BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM | 25/50/10 |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | BI & PD Liab, PIP | 15/30/5 |
| Rhode Island (RI) | BI & PD Liab, UM | 25/50/25 9 |
| South Carolina (SC) | BI & PD Liab, UM | 25/50/25 |
| South Dakota (SD) | BI & PD Liab, UM | 25/50/25 |
| Tennessee (TN) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/10 9 |
| Texas (TX)1 | BI & PD Liab | 20/40/15 |
| Utah (UT) | BI & PD Liab, PIP | 25/50/15 9 |
| Vermont (VT) | BI & PD Liab, UM, UIM | 25/50/10 |
| Virginia (VA) | BI & PD Liab, UM | 25/50/20 |
| Washington (WA) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/10 |
| West Virginia (WV) | BI & PD Liab, UM | 20/40/10 |
| Wisconsin (WI) | FR only, UM | 25/50/10 |
| Wyoming (WY) | BI & PD Liab | 25/50/20 |
- 1. SB 1670, effective September 1, 2005 requires the Texas Department of Insurance to establish a vehicle insurance verification system.
- 2. Compulsory Coverages:
- BI Liab=Bodily injury liability
- PD Liab=Property damage liability
- UM=Uninsured motorist
- PD=Physical damage
- Med=First party (policyholder) medical expenses
- UIM=Under insured motorist
- PIP=Personal Injury Protection. Mandatory in no-fault states. Includes medical, rehabilitation, loss of earnings and funeral expenses. In some states PIP includes essential services such as child care.
- FR=Financial responsibility only. Insurance not compulsory.
- 3. The first two numbers refer to bodily injury liability limits and the third number to property liability. For example, 20/40/10 means coverage up to $40,000 for all persons injured in an accident, subject to a limit of $20,000 for one individual, and $10,000 coverage for property damage.
- 8. Low-cost policy limits for low-income drivers in the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan are 10/20/3.
- 9. Instead of policy limits, policyholders can satisfy the requirement with a combined single limit policy. Amounts vary by state.
- 10. In addition, policyholders must also carry at least $1,000 for medical payments.
- 11. May be waived for the policyholder but is compulsory for passengers.
- 12. Basic policy (optional) limits are 10/10/5. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage not available under the basic policy but uninsured motorist coverage is required under the standard policy.
- 13. In addition, policyholders must have 50/100 for wrongful death coverage.
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