The majority of states in the U.S. legally require drivers to carry a minimum level of auto insurance. Depending on the state you live in, the type of minimum coverage you have to carry could vary. It is important to note that a majority of the states’ minimum coverage is typically liability insurance which covers the other party and not yourself or your car. There are five types of auto insurance coverage that your state may mandate:
- Bodily injury liability insurance (BI) – This covers the medical bills incurred by the other party defined per person and per accident.
- Property damage liability (PD) – This covers damage to another vehicle, not your own car.
- Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) – This pays for your own medical expenses caused by a driver who does not have insurance.
- Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) – This pays for your own medical expenses caused by a driver who does not have enough bodily injury liability insurance.
- Personal injury protection insurance (PIP) – Pays for your own medical expenses and loss of income.
Every state except for Florida mandates drivers to carry Bodily Injury insurance and drivers in every state except for New Hampshire where auto insurance is optional must carry Property Damage coverage. You can still purchase additional coverage to completely protect yourself in the event of an accident even if you live in a state that doesn’t require every type of coverage.
Which States Don’t Require Car Insurance?
At the moment, there are only two states that don’t require drivers to purchase insurance. These states include New Hampshire and Virginia. Drivers are still financially responsible for any damages that result from a car accident even though insurance isn’t required in New Hampshire. If drivers are unable to pay for damages, their license and registration may be suspended.
In Virginia, drivers can either choose to get auto insurance or pay a $500 Uninsured Motor Vehicle Fee each year. However, this fee does not cover damages from accidents, meaning drivers are still liable in the event of an accident.
The chart below details the type of coverage required by each state. It’s important to note that liability insurance is often shown in a format such as 25/50/25. The first two numbers represent the limits for bodily injury liability while the third number refers to property damage liability. If a state has a 25/50/25 requirement, this translates to the following:
Each person injured in an accident is covered up to $25,000. There is a maximum of $50,000 for the accident and another $25,000 is set aside for any property damage. It should be noted, however, that your policy’s liability coverage won’t cover your own injuries or vehicle damage.
| State | Requirements | Monthly Premium ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $43 |
| Alaska | $50,000 bodily injury liability per person $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $37 |
| Arizona | $15,000 bodily injury liability per person $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident | $54 |
| Arkansas | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $41 |
| California | $15,000 bodily injury liability per person $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident $5,000 property damage liability per accident | $52 |
| Colorado | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident | $57 |
| Connecticut | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident | $79 |
| Delaware | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident | $100 |
| Florida | $10,000 property damage liability per accident $10,000 personal injury protection | $95 |
| Georgia | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $66 |
| Hawaii | $20,000 bodily injury liability per person $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $10,000 personal injury protection | $42 |
| Idaho | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident | $33 |
| Illinois | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident | $54 |
| Indiana | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $39 |
| Iowa | $20,000 bodily injury liability per person $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident | $27 |
| Kansas | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident Personal injury protection, including $4,500 in medical expenses, up to $900 per month for disability or loss of income, $25 per day for in-home services, $2,000 for funeral burial or cremation costs, $4,500 for rehabilitation | $48 |
| Kentucky | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $10,000 personal injury protection | $72 |
| Louisiana | $15,000 bodily injury liability per person $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $97 |
| Maine | $50,000 bodily injury liability per person $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $2,000 medical payments coverage | $31 |
| Maryland | $30,000 bodily injury liability per person $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident $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 | $89 |
| Massachusetts | $20,000 bodily injury liability per person $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident $5,000 property damage liability per accident $20,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $40,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $8,000 personal injury protection | $45 |
| Michigan | $20,000 bodily injury liability per person $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident Personal injury protection (unlimited) $1 million property protection | $208 |
| Minnesota | $30,000 bodily injury liability per person $60,000 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 $40,000 personal injury protection | $69 |
| Mississippi | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $43 |
| Missouri | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident | $52 |
| Montana | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident | $34 |
| Nebraska | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident | $35 |
| Nevada | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident | $81 |
| New Hampshire | (Minimum limits if driver purchases car insurance, which is optional.) $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage $1,000 medical payments coverage | $39 |
| New Jersey | Basic policy: $10,000 total limit for bodily injury per accident $5,000 property damage liability per accident $15,000 personal injury protection Standard policy: $15,000 bodily injury liability per person $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident $5,000 property damage liability per accident $15,000 personal injury protection | $106 |
| New Mexico | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident | $46 |
| New York | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $50,000 liability for death per person $100,000 liability for death per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $50,000 personal injury protection | $120 |
| North Carolina | $30,000 bodily injury liability per person $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $30,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $60,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident | $33 |
| North Dakota | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $30,000 personal injury protection | $34 |
| Ohio | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $43 |
| Oklahoma | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $43 |
| Oregon | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $15,000 personal injury protection | $88 |
| Pennsylvania | $15,000 bodily injury liability per person $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident $5,000 property damage liability per accident $5,000 medical benefits | $40 |
| Rhode Island | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $77 |
| South Carolina | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage | $47 |
| South Dakota | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident | $27 |
| Tennessee | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident | $39 |
| Texas | $30,000 bodily injury liability per person $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident | $60 |
| Utah | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $65,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident $3,000 personal injury protection | $58 |
| Vermont | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $100,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $10,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident | $32 |
| Virginia | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability 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 | $40 |
| Washington | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident | $42 |
| Washington DC | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $5,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident | $66 |
| West Virginia | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage | $50 |
| Wisconsin | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident | $39 |
| Wyoming | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident | $26 |
Is the State Minimum Insurance Enough?
At the end of the day, what you’re required to pay for car insurance depends on where you live. Some states require more minimum coverage than others and the rates also vary. There is always the option to add coverage until you have a policy you’re comfortable with. Car insurance is meant to protect you and your assets. You could get sued by the other party for damages if you are in a serious accident and you only have the minimum amount of liability insurance. Also, if you only have liability insurance, you will still be responsible for your own medical bills and car damage. Instead of buying the minimum insurance your state requires, try shopping with different auto insurance providers to get the cheapest car insurance provider for your needs.