Montana car insurance guide

Montana's low premiums and high-risk roads

Montana presents an unusual pairing. On cost, it looks easy: NAIC data put the average amount spent per insured vehicle at $975.02 in 2023, below the national average of $1,281, and the average premium with collision and comprehensive was $1,183.66, below the U.S. figure of $1,438. Only 7.2% of drivers were uninsured, well under the national rate of 15.4%.

The road safety numbers point the other way. IIHS counted 206 crash deaths in 2024:

Every one of these is above the national figure. Serious crashes are where low liability limits run out, so the gap between a cheap minimum policy and a sturdier one matters more here than the averages suggest.

Minimum coverage and the uninsured motorist form

The legal minimum is liability only: $25,000 for one person's injuries, $50,000 for everyone injured in one crash and $20,000 for property damage. Montana's insurance commissioner says every driver must carry it.

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage works differently. State law puts it in every policy at the bodily injury minimums, and the commissioner's office says your agent must provide it unless you sign a form saying you do not want it. Before signing that form, think about who pays your medical bills if a driver without insurance hits you. Our uninsured motorist guide covers what it pays.

Whether Montana requires insurers to offer underinsured motorist or medical payments coverage could not be confirmed on an official state page, so ask the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (Office of the Montana State Auditor) or a licensed agent. The commissioner also warns that buying coverage after a loss has already happened, so-called insurance after the fact, is illegal in Montana.

Fault and comparative negligence in Montana

Montana is an at-fault state, and it uses a modified comparative negligence rule. Under state law, your own share of fault does not stop you from recovering damages as long as it is not greater than the other side's, but your award is reduced by your percentage of fault.

For example, if a jury finds your damages are $10,000 and you were 20 percent at fault, you could recover $8,000 from the other driver. If you were found more at fault than the other driver, you would recover nothing from them. Insurance adjusters apply the same logic in settlement offers, so it pays to document the scene carefully. The after a crash guide lists what to collect.

How Montana verifies insurance, and the fines

The Montana Insurance Verification System (MTIVS) combines state registration records with data from insurers that write policies in Montana. Officers can use it during traffic stops and crash investigations, and you can check your own vehicle's status online.

Driving without insurance is a crime with penalties that grow with each conviction:

Repeat offenders can also lose their driver's license when the uninsured vehicle belongs to them or their family. A conviction tied to impaired driving brings its own consequences; see car insurance after a DUI.

Rural driving, wildlife and coverage choices

With most crash deaths on rural roads, long highway stretches and wildlife are a big part of Montana driving. Collisions with deer and other animals are usually paid under comprehensive coverage, not collision, so a liability-only policy pays nothing for that damage to your own car. Storm damage such as hail is usually a comprehensive claim as well. The hitting a deer article walks through what to do.

If you are moving from a neighboring state, compare Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota, or see all state guides.