Key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Insurance required | Yes |
| Minimum liability | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident bodily injury, $15,000 property damage |
| Fault system | At-fault |
| Personal injury protection | Not required |
| Medical payments | Included at $5,000 unless rejected in writing |
| Uninsured motorist | Included unless rejected in writing |
| Underinsured motorist | Included unless rejected in writing |
| Collision deductibles insurers must offer | $100 or $250 |
| Average expenditure (2023) | $1,452.82 a year (US: $1,281) |
| Average premium with collision and comprehensive (2023) | $1,655.30 a year (US: $1,438) |
| Uninsured drivers (2023) | 19.7% (US: 15.4%) |
| Insurance regulator | Colorado Division of Insurance, 303-894-7499; 800-930-3745 (toll-free outside the Denver area) |
| Motor vehicle agency | Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles |
City guides in Colorado
- DenverColorado's required and default coverages, statewide theft trends and commuting data for Denver drivers.
Coverages Colorado adds unless you reject them
The only coverage Colorado law requires is liability. But two others are placed on your policy automatically, and they stay there unless you turn them down.
| Coverage | Colorado rule | What it pays |
|---|---|---|
| Medical payments (MedPay) | $5,000 included unless you reject it in writing, or in the same way you applied for the policy | Medical costs for you and your passengers after a crash, regardless of fault |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) | Included unless you reject it in writing | Your injury losses when a not-at-fault crash involves an uninsured, hit-and-run or underinsured driver |
| Liability | Required | Injuries and damage you cause to others |
A Colorado driver counts as underinsured when their liability coverage is not enough to pay the full amount you are legally entitled to recover. Before rejecting either coverage, compare what it costs with what your health insurance would pay; our guides to medical payments coverage and uninsured motorist coverage explain the differences.
The legal minimum in Colorado
Colorado's minimum liability limits are:
- $25,000 per person for bodily injury
- $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
- $15,000 for damage to another person's property
Liability coverage has limits beyond the dollar amounts. It does not cover intentional acts, and it does not cover vehicles you or a relative living with you own but have not insured on the policy. It never pays for damage to your own car; that needs collision and comprehensive coverage.
For example, if you cause a crash that damages a car and a fence for $25,000 in total and your property damage limit is $20,000, your insurer pays $20,000 and you could be asked to pay the other $5,000.
Who pays after a Colorado crash
Colorado once used a no-fault system, but that law expired and the state is now an at-fault state. The driver who causes a crash is responsible for the other people's injuries and damage, and personal injury protection is not required.
In practice, the default MedPay coverage gives you a first-party medical benefit that does not depend on fault, while the at-fault driver's liability insurance, or your own UM/UIM coverage, handles larger injury claims. If you are hurt by someone who carries only the minimum limits, UIM can make up the difference up to your own limits.
Uninsured drivers in Colorado
The Insurance Research Council estimates that 19.7% of Colorado drivers were uninsured in 2023, above the national estimate of 15.4%. That is one reason to think carefully before rejecting the UM/UIM coverage that comes with the policy. Our post on uninsured drivers by state puts the figure in context.
Colorado car insurance costs
| Measure (2023) | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Average expenditure per insured vehicle | $1,452.82 | $1,281 |
| Average premium with liability, collision and comprehensive | $1,655.30 | $1,438 |
Both Colorado figures are above the national average. The average expenditure is about $121 a month per insured vehicle. The Colorado Division of Insurance does not set rates: insurers file them based on their own loss and expense experience, and the Division reviews whether the filings are supported. Weather claims such as hail damage are covered by comprehensive coverage; see our post on hail, flood and hurricane damage.
Deductibles, repair shops and claims: other Colorado rules
The Colorado Division of Insurance highlights a few rules that affect how your coverage works day to day:
- Collision deductibles. Insurers must offer collision deductibles of $100 or $250. Higher deductibles are allowed and usually lower the premium; the deductible chooser shows the trade-off.
- Repair shops. You may choose any repair shop. An insurer can suggest preferred shops and guarantee their work, but it cannot make you use them.
- Diminished value. The Division says no Colorado insurance law currently addresses diminished value claims; see our diminished value guide.
- Claim timing. Colorado has no set legal deadlines for claim communications, but the Division can step in over unreasonable delays.
Speeding and impaired driving in Colorado's crash data
IIHS counted 689 crash deaths in Colorado in 2024.
| Crash measure (2024) | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Death rate by population | 11.6 per 100,000 people | 11.5 per 100,000 people |
| Death rate by miles driven | 1.25 per 100 million miles | 1.19 per 100 million miles |
| Share of deaths that were speeding-related | 34% | 29% |
| Estimated share of killed drivers who were alcohol-impaired | 34% | 31% |
| Share of deaths on rural roads | 34% | 41% |
Colorado's death rates are slightly above the national rates, and the speeding-related and alcohol-impaired shares are above the national shares too. Our guide to car insurance after a DUI explains how a conviction affects your coverage and price.
Compare nearby states: Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona, or open the state list.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to keep MedPay in Colorado?
No. Colorado policies include $5,000 of medical payments coverage by default, but you can reject it in writing or in the same way you applied for the policy.
What collision deductibles must Colorado insurers offer?
Insurers must offer $100 or $250 collision deductibles. You can choose a higher one to lower your premium.
Can I pick my own body shop in Colorado?
Yes. You can use any repair shop. Insurers may recommend preferred shops, and they pay reasonable market costs for repairs.
Is Colorado a no-fault state?
Not any more. Colorado's no-fault law expired, and the state now follows the at-fault system, with no PIP requirement.
How does Colorado car insurance compare with the national average?
It costs more on average: $1,452.82 per insured vehicle in 2023, against $1,281 nationally.
Sources
- Colorado Division of Insurance, Auto Insurance minimums, MedPay and UM/UIM defaults, deductibles, repair shops and claims rules
- Insurance Information Institute, Background on no-fault auto insurance Colorado's former no-fault law
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles registration agency
- NAIC, 2022/2023 Auto Insurance Database Report average expenditure and premium
- Insurance Information Institute, Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists uninsured driver estimates
- IIHS, Fatality Facts 2024: State by state crash deaths
- Insurance Research Council, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists: 2017–2023 (press release) as of February 20, 2025
Last reviewed by the StateCover Guide editorial team. See our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Tell us.