Minimum Car Insurance Requirements by State [2023]
Minimum car insurance laws vary by state but are the cheapest option for coverage. The average driver pays about $51 a month for minimum car insurance, but rates vary significantly between states.
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UPDATED: Jan 30, 2023
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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Jan 30, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Most states require a minimum amount of car insurance before you can drive or register your car
- The most common type of insurance required by states is liability insurance, though some also require uninsured motorist or personal injury protection
- Minimum insurance is your cheapest option for coverage, but most drivers benefit from buying additional insurance
Whether you’re buying car insurance for your new car or looking to reduce how much you pay a month, understanding minimum insurance requirements in your state is crucial to finding the right policy. However, states require different amounts of coverage, so knowing how much you need can be a bit confusing.
Most states require a minimum amount of liability insurance, while many others require uninsured motorist or personal injury protection coverage. While minimum insurance is your cheapest option for coverage, it’s not always your best bet — many drivers benefit from buying more coverage.
Read on to learn about your state’s minimum insurance requirements and how much it might cost you. Then, compare rates with as many companies as possible to find the best minimum coverage prices.
What are the minimum insurance requirements in each state?
Most states require a minimum amount of car insurance before you can register your car or legally drive. Minimum car insurance requirements vary by state, but most drivers are required to buy at least liability insurance. Many states also include uninsured/underinsured motorist or personal injury protection insurance in their coverage requirements.
Check below for car insurance laws by state and how much you’ll need before you hit the road.
States | Car Insurance Requirements | Minimum Liability Limits |
---|---|---|
Alabama | BI & PD liability | 25/50/25 |
Alaska | BI & PD liability | 50/100/25 |
Arizona | BI & PD liability | 25/50/15 (2) |
Arkansas | BI & PD liability, PIP | 25/50/25 |
California | BI & PD liability | 15/30/5 (3) |
Colorado | BI & PD liability | 25/50/15 |
Connecticut | BI & PD liability, UM, UIM | 25/50/25 |
Delaware | BI & PD liability, PIP | 25/50/10 |
D.C. | BI & PD liability, UM | 25/50/10 |
Florida | PD liability, PIP | 10/20/10 (4) |
Georgia | BI & PD liability | 25/50/25 |
Hawaii | BI & PD liability, PIP | 20/40/10 |
Idaho | BI & PD liability | 25/50/15 |
Illinois | BI & PD liability, UM, UIM | 25/50/20 |
Indiana | BI & PD liability | 25/50/25 |
Iowa | BI & PD liability | 20/40/15 |
Kansas | BI & PD liability, PIP | 25/50/25 |
Kentucky | BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM | 25/50/25 (4) |
Louisiana | BI & PD liability | 15/30/25 |
Maine | BI & PD liability, UM, UIM, Medpay | 50/100/25 (5) |
Maryland | BI & PD Liability, PIP, UM, UIM | 30/60/15 |
Massachusetts | BI & PD liability, PIP | 20/40/5 |
Michigan | BI & PD liability, PIP | 20/40/10 |
Minnesota | BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM | 30/60/10 |
Mississippi | BI & PD liability | 25/50/25 |
Missouri | BI & PD liability, UM | 25/50/25 |
Montana | BI & PD liability | 25/50/20 |
Nebraska | BI & PD liability, UM, UIM | 25/50/25 |
Nevada | BI & PD liability | 25/50/20 |
New Hampshire | FR only | 25/50/25 |
New Jersey | BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM | 15/30/5 (6) |
New Mexico | BI & PD liability | 25/50/10 |
New York | BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM | 25/50/10 (7) |
North Carolina | BI & PD liability, UM, UIM | 30/60/25 |
North Dakota | BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM | 25/50/25 |
Ohio | BI & PD liability | 25/50/25 |
Oklahoma | BI & PD liability | 25/50/25 |
Oregon | BI & PD liability, PIP, UM, UIM | 25/50/20 |
Pennsylvania | BI & PD liability, PIP | 15/30/5 |
Rhode Island | BI & PD liability | 25/50/25 |
South Carolina | BI & PD liability, UM | 25/50/25 |
South Dakota | BI & PD liability, UM, UIM | 25/50/25 |
Tennessee | BI & PD liability | 25/50/15 (4) |
Texas | BI & PD liability, PIP | 30/60/25 |
Utah | BI & PD liability, PIP | 25/65/15 (4) |
Vermont | BI & PD liability, UM, UIM | 25/50/10 |
Virginia | BI & PD liability (8), UM, UIM | 25/50/20 |
Washington | BI & PD liability | 25/50/10 |
West Virginia | BI & PD liability, UM, UIM | 25/50/25 |
Wisconsin | BI & PD liability, UM, Medpay | 25/50/10 |
Wyoming | BI & PD liability | 25/50/20 |
As you can see, there is a great deal of variation in insurance requirements between states. States like Michigan and Wisconsin have large insurance requirements, while some states like California are pretty lax.
When it comes to buying car insurance, the minimum amount your state requires is your cheapest option for coverage. It doesn’t offer the best protection for your car, but state minimum car insurance offers the lowest prices.
How much does minimum insurance cost in each state?
As you saw above, there’s significant variation between states when it comes to insurance laws. While minimum insurance is your cheapest option for a policy, the amount you’ll pay depends on where you live. States with higher insurance requirements typically have higher average insurance rates, though many other factors affect prices.
To see how much the average price for minimum insurance in your state is, check below.
States | Average Monthly Liability Rates |
---|---|
Alabama | $37 |
Alaska | $47 |
Arizona | $48 |
Arkansas | $36 |
California | $45 |
Colorado | $49 |
Connecticut | $59 |
Delaware | $69 |
District of Columbia | $58 |
Florida | $76 |
Georgia | $55 |
Hawaii | $39 |
Idaho | $32 |
Illinois | $40 |
Indiana | $34 |
Iowa | $27 |
Kansas | $32 |
Kentucky | $47 |
Louisiana | $73 |
Maine | $30 |
Maryland | $55 |
Massachusetts | $52 |
Michigan | $72 |
Minnesota | $39 |
Mississippi | $41 |
Missouri | $38 |
Montana | $34 |
Nebraska | $33 |
Nevada | $64 |
New Hampshire | $35 |
New Jersey | $76 |
New Mexico | $44 |
New York | $71 |
North Carolina | $31 |
North Dakota | $25 |
Ohio | $35 |
Oklahoma | $40 |
Oregon | $53 |
Pennsylvania | $43 |
Rhode Island | $68 |
South Carolina | $50 |
South Dakota | $26 |
Tennessee | $37 |
Texas | $49 |
Utah | $45 |
Vermont | $30 |
Virginia | $38 |
Washington | $53 |
West Virginia | $43 |
Wisconsin | $33 |
Wyoming | $29 |
Countrywide | $48 |
Although minimum insurance is affordable, it comes with a few financial risks. First, minimum insurance doesn’t cover your car. If you cause an accident, you’ll have to pay for your repairs by yourself. The second risk is that most states don’t require very much insurance, and exceeding those limits is not difficult. If your insurance runs out before everything is paid for, you’ll be left with the rest of the bill.
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What types of insurance are required by states?
You saw that states require different types of insurance. The most commonly required type of insurance is liability insurance, but there are a few others some states require. The types of insurance your state might require include the following:
- Bodily injury liability: The first half of liability insurance pays for injuries you cause to other people, their passengers, and any pedestrians or bystanders.
- Property damage liability: The other half of liability insurance covers damage you cause to other people’s property, including vehicles and buildings.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist: Although most states require car insurance, not everyone follows the law. Uninsured motorist insurance protects you from drivers without adequate coverage and is required in 20 states.
- Personal injury protection: Personal injury protection covers health care expenses for you and your passengers after an accident, no matter who was at fault. Personal injury protection insurance is required in 16 states.
- Medical payments: Medical payments insurance — or MedPay — is similar to personal injury protection insurance, but it doesn’t cover lost wages. Maine is the only state that requires MedPay insurance.
Although these are the only coverages required by state law, many other types of insurance are available. For example, many drivers choose to buy comprehensive and collision insurance to better protect their cars.
Which states don’t require car insurance?
Most states require car insurance, but there are a few that don’t. Currently, only two states don’t require car insurance before you can start driving:
- New Hampshire: New Hampshire drivers are only required to prove they can pay for the damage they cause in an accident. Drivers with a major violation, such as a DUI or at-fault accident, might be required to buy insurance. Compare New Hampshire car insurance rates here.
- Virginia: Virginia allows drivers to pay an annual $500 uninsured motorist fee instead of buying coverage. However, that leaves you completely responsible if you cause an accident. Since minimum insurance costs about $500 a year in Virginia, most drivers are encouraged to buy coverage. Compare Virginia car insurance rates here.
Many other states allow drivers to make a large cash deposit with the DMV rather than buy car insurance. Every state is different, but the deposit amounts are usually between $25,000 and $115,000. Due to the large deposit amount and the inconvenience of getting into an accident, most experts recommend getting insurance instead.
Find Affordable Insurance in Your State Today
No matter how much state car insurance you need, minimum coverage offers the lowest prices. While understanding how much insurance you need might be a bit confusing, you don’t have to figure it out by yourself — an insurance representative can help.
Although minimum insurance is your cheapest option for coverage, you should still compare as many rates as possible. You’ll see significant variations in rates between different companies, and you’ll likely overpay if you don’t compare rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do states require car insurance?
States require car insurance to protect drivers from having to pay for damage or injuries they sustain at the hands of another driver. It also protects the at-fault driver from the financial hardship of paying for the damage they caused. To encourage drivers to buy the right coverage, you’ll face steep penalties if caught without it.
What types of car insurance do states require?
The most commonly required coverage is liability insurance, but many require uninsured motorist, personal injury protection, or medical payments insurances as well.
What happens if you drive without insurance?
Most states require SR-22 insurance from anyone caught driving without insurance. The exact penalty for driving without insurance depends on where you live, but the consequences are usually heavy. Common penalties include fines, license suspension, vehicle impoundment, and even jail time. You’ll also face higher insurance rates in the future.
Free Car Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.
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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.