Bare Minimum Car Insurance Coverage Requirements by State
Find out if your car insurance policy meets your state's minimum liability coverage requirements. We have the minimum car insurance requirement for each state.
Different states require different minimum amounts of liability coverage. Some states have much higher levels than others. For example, the laws in Maine are much stricter than those in Florida. However, all of them (except for New Hampshire, which doesn’t require liability coverage) include these three basic components:
- Individual Bodily Injury Liability (BIL): This is the most your insurance company will pay for one person injured in a car accident. It applies only to people named on your policy. State minimums range from $10,000 to $50,000.
- Total Bodily Injury Liability: This is the most your insurance company will pay in total for everyone injured in a car accident. It applies to you and people not named on your policy. State minimums range from $20,000 to $100,000.
- Property Damage Liability (PIL): This is the most your insurance company will pay for property damage caused by a car crash. This includes all physical damage such as vehicle damage and damage to road fixtures. So, if you hit a telephone pole or road sign, you’re covered. State minimums range from $5,000 to $25,000.
Each insurer has its own way of calculating rates. That's why it's so vital to compare quotes from multiple companies when shopping for insurance. Doing so is the only way to guarantee that you’re getting the best possible rates.
Is state minimum insurance enough?
Many states’ minimum insurance levels are low, in some cases irresponsibly so. Typically, this is because they haven’t been updated in decades. While medical costs and vehicle prices have dramatically increased, state minimum liability coverage often hasn’t kept pace. Raising the auto insurance costs of all drivers in a state by increasing the liability insurance minimums is not a good way to get re-elected. So, this phenomenon is probably not going away anytime soon.
That means that it’s important to buy more than the bare minimum liability coverage if you want to be protected. For example, some states only require $5,000 Property Damage Liability. But, most cars are worth much more than that and many car crashes cause far more than $15,000 in damages. The same goes for Bodily Injury Liability requirements. It’s worth it to pay a bit more for higher coverage, rather than finding out after an accident that your insurance coverage isn’t enough.
It might sound like a lot, but insurance companies recommend 100/300/100 for most drivers. That means $100,000 and $300,000 in BIL and $100,000 for PIL. Especially with today’s expensive legal and medical costs, paying a little extra for much more protection is a smart decision. It’s one that could save you a huge headache and a lot of cash down the road.
QuoteWizard will connect you with licensed insurance experts who can help you find the best rates on the right coverage for you.
Minimum Liability Car Insurance Levels by State
| State | BIL/BIL/PDL |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 25/50/25 |
| Alaska | 50/100/25 |
| Arizona | 15/30/10 |
| Arkansas | 25/50/25 |
| California | 15/30/5 |
| Colorado | 25/50/15 |
| Connecticut | 20/40/10 |
| Delaware | 15/30/10 |
| District of Columbia | 25/50/10 |
| Florida | 10/20/10 |
| Georgia | 25/50/25 |
| Hawaii | 20/40/10 |
| Idaho | 25/50/15 |
| Illinois | 25/50/20 |
| Indiana | 25/50/10 |
| Iowa | 20/40/15 |
| Kansas | 25/50/10 |
| Kentucky | 25/50/10 |
| Louisiana | 10/20/10 |
| Maine | 50/100/25 |
| Maryland | 20/40/15 |
| Massachusetts | 20/40/5 |
| Michigan | 20/40/10 |
| Minnesota | 30/60/10 |
| Mississippi | 25/50/25 |
| Missouri | 25/50/10 |
| Montana | 25/50/10 |
| Nebraska | 25/50/25 |
| Nevada | 15/30/10 |
| New Hampshire | 25/50/25 |
| New Jersey | 15/30/5 |
| New Mexico | 25/50/10 |
| New York | 25/50/10 |
| North Carolina | 30/60/25 |
| North Dakota | 25/50/25 |
| Ohio | 25/50/25 |
| Oklahoma | 25/50/25 |
| Oregon | 25/50/10 |
| Pennsylvania | 15/30/5 |
| Rhode Island | 25/50/25 |
| South Carolina | 25/50/25 |
| South Dakota | 25/50/25 |
| Tennessee | 25/50/15 |
| Texas | 30/60/25 |
| Utah | 25/65/15 |
| Vermont | 25/50/10 |
| Virginia | 25/50/20 |
| Washington | 25/50/10 |
| West Virginia | 20/40/10 |
| Wisconsin | 25/50/10 |
| Wyoming | 25/50/20 |
Click here to get a free quote and compare liability auto insurance from top companies and agents to find an affordable policy.
References:
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