We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence.
Our content is backed by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed . Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories, except where prohibited by law for our mortgage, home equity and other home lending products. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you.
Checkmark Expert verified
Bankrate logoHow is this page expert verified?
At Bankrate, we take the accuracy of our content seriously.
“Expert verified” means that our Financial Review Board thoroughly evaluated the article for accuracy and clarity. The Review Board comprises a panel of financial experts whose objective is to ensure that our content is always objective and balanced.
Their reviews hold us accountable for publishing high-quality and trustworthy content.
Quick citation guide Select a citation to automatically copy to clipboard.APA: Rivelli, E. (2024, April 19). Minimum car insurance coverage requirements in each state. Bankrate. Retrieved September 06, 2024, from https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/minimum-coverage-requirements/
Copied to clipboard!MLA: Rivelli, Elizabeth. "Minimum car insurance coverage requirements in each state." Bankrate. 19 April 2024, https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/minimum-coverage-requirements/.
Copied to clipboard!Chicago: Rivelli, Elizabeth. "Minimum car insurance coverage requirements in each state." Bankrate. April 19, 2024. https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/minimum-coverage-requirements/.
Copied to clipboard!
Written by
Elizabeth Rivelli
Elizabeth Rivelli is a contributing insurance writer for Bankrate and has years of experience writing for insurance domains such as The Simple Dollar, Coverage.com and NextAdvisor, among others
Edited by
Jessa Claeys
Jessa Claeys is an insurance editor for Bankrate with over a decade of experience writing, editing and leading teams of content creators. She currently covers auto, home and life insurance with the goal of helping others secure a healthy financial future. Her work has been published by several insurance, personal finance and investment-focused publications, including Jerry, BiggerPockets, 401(k) Specialist, BP Wealth and more.
Reviewed by
Mark Friedlander
Mark Friedlander is director of corporate communications at III, a nonprofit organization focused on providing consumers with a better understanding of insurance.
At Bankrate, we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. To help readers understand how insurance affects their finances, we have licensed insurance professionals on staff who have spent a combined 47 years in the auto, home and life insurance industries. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation of how we make money . Our content is backed by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed entity (NPN: 19966249). For more information, please see our Insurance Disclosure .
Bankrate logoFounded in 1976, Bankrate has a long track record of helping people make smart financial choices. We’ve maintained this reputation for over four decades by demystifying the financial decision-making process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. All of our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts, who ensure everything we publish is objective, accurate and trustworthy.
Our insurance team is composed of agents, data analysts, and customers like you. They focus on the points consumers care about most — price, customer service, policy features and savings opportunities — so you can feel confident about which provider is right for you.
All providers discussed on our site are vetted based on the value they provide. And we constantly review our criteria to ensure we’re putting accuracy first.
Bankrate logoBankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions.
We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers.
Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reader. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that you’re getting credible and dependable information.
Bankrate logoYou have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.
We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories, except where prohibited by law for our mortgage, home equity and other home lending products. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range, can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
Bankrate logoCoverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
In almost every state in the U.S. (New Hampshire is the exception), drivers need to have a minimum amount of car insurance to drive on public roads legally. This generally consists of bodily injury liability and property damage liability but may include other types of coverage, depending on the state. Minimum insurance is generally cheaper than full coverage, which typically includes collision and comprehensive insurance, but if you have a lease or loan, you may be required by your lender to carry more robust financial protection.
Nearly all states have some form of car insurance requirement. Many states allow drivers to satisfy minimum requirements in several ways, including through a bond, deposits, evidence of self-insurance or by carrying an auto insurance policy. New Hampshire does not have a car insurance requirement, but you do have to prove that you can be financially responsible for damage that you cause before forgoing a policy, and there are minimum limits if you choose to buy coverage. There are several states, like Michigan, Minnesota and New Jersey, where drivers are required to carry liability and personal injury protection coverage.
Below are the coverage types that are often required with minimum car insurance:
The minimum amount of coverage per person and per accident is different depending on your location. To find the exact minimum coverage auto insurance requirements in your state, you can visit your state’s Department of Insurance website or contact your auto insurer.
Powered by Coverage.com (NPN: 19966249)
This advertisement is powered by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249) and a corporate affiliate of Bankrate. The offers and links that appear on this advertisement are from companies that compensate Coverage.com in different ways. The compensation received and other factors, such as your location, may impact what offers and links appear, and how, where and in what order they appear. While we seek to provide a wide range of offers, we do not include every product or service that may be available. Our goal is to keep information accurate and timely, but some information may not be current. Your actual offer from an advertiser may be different from the offer on this advertisement. All offers are subject to additional terms and conditions.
Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
RATE INCREASE ALERTCosts will continue to rise through 2022. Shop for a better rate before you renew your current policy.
Powered by Coverage.com (NPN: 19966249)
This advertisement is powered by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249) and a corporate affiliate of Bankrate. The offers and links that appear on this advertisement are from companies that compensate Coverage.com in different ways. The compensation received and other factors, such as your location, may impact what offers and links appear, and how, where and in what order they appear. While we seek to provide a wide range of offers, we do not include every product or service that may be available. Our goal is to keep information accurate and timely, but some information may not be current. Your actual offer from an advertiser may be different from the offer on this advertisement. All offers are subject to additional terms and conditions.
Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
Although insurance carriers will not sell you a policy with less coverage than the state-mandated minimum coverage level, it may still be a good idea to review your state minimum coverage car insurance requirements. Also, remember that you can always purchase more coverage than required if you want additional financial protection. Most insurance professionals recommend getting quotes for multiple coverage levels before choosing your state’s minimum-required insurance, so you can find the coverage you need at a price you can afford.
The table below includes the minimum car insurance requirements in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
| State | Bodily injury liability and property damage liability | UM/UIM, PIP and MedPay |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 25/50/25 | None |
| Alaska | 50/100/25 | None |
| Arizona | 25/50/15 | None |
| Arkansas | 25/50/25 | None |
| California | 15/30/5 | None |
| Colorado | 25/50/15 | None |
| Connecticut | 25/50/25 | 25/50 UM/UIM |
| Delaware | 25/50/10 | 15/30 PIP |
| Florida | $10,000 PDL* | $10,000 PIP |
| Georgia | 25/50/25 | None |
| Hawaii | 20/40/10 | $10,000 PIP |
| Idaho | 25/50/15 | None |
| Illinois | 25/50/20 | 25/50 UM |
| Indiana | 25/50/25 | 25/50 UM; 50 UIM |
| Iowa | 20/40/15 | None |
| Kansas | 25/50/25 | 25/50 UM/UIM $4,500 PIP |
| Kentucky | 25/50/25 | None |
| Louisiana | 15/30/25 | None |
| Maine | 50/100/25 | 50/100 UM/UIM $2,000 MedPay |
| Maryland | 30/60/15 | 30/60/15 UM |
| Massachusetts | 20/40/5 | 20/40 UM $8,000 PIP |
| Michigan | 50/100/10 | Six PIP options: minimum $50,000 for insureds on Medicaid |
| Minnesota | 30/60/10 | 25/50 UM/UIM $40,000 PIP |
| Mississippi | 25/50/25 | None |
| Missouri | 25/50/25 | 25/50 UM/UIM |
| Montana | 25/50/20 | None |
| Nebraska | 25/50/25 | 25/50 UM/UIM |
| Nevada | 25/50/20 | None |
| New Hampshire** | 25/50/25 | 25/50 UM $1,000 MedPay |
| New Jersey | 25/50/25*** | 25/50 UM/UIM $15,000 PIP |
| New Mexico | 25/50/10 | None |
| New York | 25/50/10 | 25/50 UM $50,000 PIP |
| North Carolina | 30/60/25 | 30/60/25 UM 30/60 UIM |
| North Dakota | 25/50/25 | 25/50 UM/UIM $30,000 PIP |
| Ohio | 25/50/25 | None |
| Oklahoma | 25/50/25 | None |
| Oregon | 25/50/20 | 25/50 UM/UIM $15,000 PIP |
| Pennsylvania | 15/30/5 | $5,000 PIP |
| Rhode Island | 25/50/25 | None |
| South Carolina | 25/50/25 | 25/50/25 UM |
| South Dakota | 25/50/25 | 25/50 UM/UIM |
| Tennessee | 25/50/25 | None |
| Texas | 30/60/25 | None |
| Utah | 25/65/15 | $3,000 PIP |
| Vermont | 25/50/10 | 50/100/10 UM |
| Virginia*** | 30/60/20 | None |
| Washington | 25/50/10 | None |
| Washington, D.C. | 25/50/10 | 25/50/5 UM |
| West Virginia | 25/50/25 | 25/50/25 UM |
| Wisconsin | 25/50/10 | 25/50 UM |
| Wyoming | 25/50/20 | None |
*Florida only requires PDL and PIP. Minimum BI limits are 10/20 if you do purchase coverage. Drivers who have caused an accident involving bodily injury or death or received certain citations may be required to carry BI limits of 10/20. Drivers convicted of a DUI may be required to carry limits of 100/300.
**New Hampshire does not require car insurance, but these are the minimum limits if you buy a policy to satisfy the financial responsibility law.
***New Jersey limits are based on the “standard policy” minimum coverage requirements for current coverage. These limits reflect the increase that took place in January 2023. New Jersey’s minimum limits will increase again in January 2026, to 35/70/25 for liability and 35/70 for UM/UIM. PIP will remain at $15,000.
****Virginia policies effective on or after Jan. 1, 2025 will have increased coverage minimums of 50/100/25.
Traditional car insurance is not mandatory in all states. Depending on where you live, there may be alternative options, such as putting down a deposit or posting a bond with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, which serves as proof of financial responsibility. If you were to get into an accident, that money could be given to the other driver to compensate them for their losses, depending on the circumstances.
The most flexible state for car insurance alternatives is New Hampshire. In New Hampshire, drivers are not required to carry auto insurance, except in cases where they must have an SR-22. Here are the other states that provide the option to use a financial filing in lieu of a traditional auto insurance policy:
| States allowing self-insurance | Minimum self-insurance requirements |
|---|---|
| California | $35,000 cash deposit or surety bond |
| Connecticut | $50,000 cash or its equivalent for first vehicle, $60,000 for the second vehicle, $65,000 for the third and $70,000 for the fourth |
| Florida | $40,000 in unencumbered net worth |
| Georgia | $50,000 surety bond or security deposit and $100,000 net worth |
| Hawaii | $300,000 surety bond |
| North Dakota | $155,000 security deposit per vehicle |
| Pennsylvania | $50,000 in secured collateral for the first vehicle, plus $10,000 each for additional vehicles |
| Vermont | Evidence of $115,000 in net worth |
However, keep in mind that forgoing traditional car insurance comes with its own set of challenges. While the additional requirements for self-insurance vary between states, each state has an approval process and requires the funds to be held separately from your personal finances so they are available immediately if needed. In the event of an at-fault accident, you are required to handle the situation in a similar manner as an insurance company. Any paperwork or legal proceedings are your responsibility (you may hire legal assistance). One benefit of having traditional car insurance is that your carrier’s claims agent will do the bulk of the work on your behalf.
Most insurance professionals recommend higher policy limits than the minimums required by law for greater financial protection, and you may need full coverage depending on your situation. Car insurance is designed to protect your finances from the fallout of vehicle accidents, so having a policy that fits your needs — even if it’s more expensive than the minimum requirements — may save you from financial devastation should the worst happen.
Almost all states require you to carry a certain amount of minimum coverage. This generally includes liability insurance and may include other types of coverage, such as PIP or MedPay. This coverage may be enough to pay for damages or injuries in a minor accident, but might not provide enough coverage if you are in a significant crash. Liability coverage only covers the other driver and their passengers, as well as their cars or other property. If you wish to have coverage for your own vehicle in an at-fault crash, you will need a full coverage policy, which includes comprehensive and collision insurance. If you can afford it, many insurance experts recommend that you purchase more than the minimum amount of coverage required in your state, to give you an added level of protection. Higher levels of liability coverage, plus collision and comprehensive, will give you a more robust policy that may protect you more thoroughly in the event of a serious accident.
Minimum coverage car insurance will help pay for the injuries and property damage you cause if you’re the driver in the at-fault accident. In some states, minimum coverage car insurance also includes PIP and uninsured motorist coverage, which can help pay for your injuries in a variety of scenarios. It’s also important to note that unless your state requires uninsured motorist property damage coverage, minimum coverage car insurance doesn’t pay to repair your vehicle, whether you’re at fault or not at fault. Instead, you’ll need to add comprehensive and collision if you want your car covered.
A full coverage car insurance policy generally includes liability insurance and your state’s other minimum coverage requirements (if applicable), plus collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision insurance covers your vehicle’s repairs after an accident, whereas comprehensive coverage covers your vehicle’s repairs after a non-collision incident, such as theft, vandalism, storm damage or damage from striking an animal.
The cost of car insurance may vary greatly for every driver. The average cost of car insurance in the U.S. is $2,314 per year for full coverage and $644 for minimum coverage, according to Bankrate’s study of quoted annual premiums, but your rate may be more or less than the average. That’s because the premiums you pay are calculated using a range of personal factors like your ZIP code, claims history, driving record, coverage options, deductibles and more.
When insuring a leased vehicle, your leasing company will typically require you to carry a minimum of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident in bodily injury coverage and $50,000 in property damage coverage (or 100/300/50). Because the leasing company still technically owns the car during your lease term, it may require these higher-than-minimum liability limits for extra financial protection if you’re deemed at fault in an accident. In addition to 100/300/50, your leasing company will probably require that you carry comprehensive and collision, and it may restrict how high you can set your deductible. Leasing coverage requirements vary from company to company, so to ensure your policy meets the terms of your lease agreement, you may want to consult with your dealer or leasing company for more information.
Yes, your car insurance policy will cover you anywhere you drive in the United States. Your car insurance policy must meet the coverage requirements in the state where the car is registered. However, there are no restrictions for driving in another state where the minimum requirements are higher; if you drive into a state that has higher minimum limits than yours, your minimum coverage policy will adjust up to that state’s limits. You may even have the same coverage if you drive across the border into Canada. However, you should confirm with your car insurance company or agent that you are covered in Canada prior to driving across the border. Most standard U.S. auto policies do not provide coverage in Mexico.
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze April 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a single, 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2022 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
