Nashville car insurance: Tennessee's rules, uninsured drivers and road risk

What Tennessee requires on a Nashville policy

Tennessee uses the at-fault system. If you cause a crash, your liability coverage pays the other people's injury and property claims up to your limits, and you can be sued for anything above them. The state does not require personal injury protection, so your own medical bills after a crash fall to health insurance, optional medical payments coverage or a claim against the other driver.

One detail trips people up. Tennessee's property damage minimum is $25,000, but some older tables still show a lower figure. The state's insurance department and Department of Revenue both list the current amount.

What we could not confirm: uninsured motorist rules

Many states require insurers to include uninsured motorist coverage unless you reject it in writing. We could not confirm Tennessee's current rule from the statute or a state agency page, so this guide does not describe it. Before you sign a policy, ask the insurer or agent whether uninsured motorist coverage is included and what you need to sign to decline it, or contact the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance at 615-741-2241. With 21.3% of Tennessee drivers estimated to be uninsured, it is a choice to make on purpose. Our uninsured motorist coverage guide explains how it works, and the Tennessee guide covers the state's other rules.

Driving in Nashville

Nashville-Davidson had 721,074 residents in 2025. Commuters spend an average of 24.7 minutes getting to work, and only 6.6% of households go without a vehicle, so most residents rely on a car.

Tennessee's crash death rate is well above the national rate of 11.5 per 100,000 people. The state recorded 1,197 crash deaths in 2024: 16.6 per 100,000 people and 1.52 per 100 million miles, according to IIHS. Rural roads accounted for 40% of those deaths. Crash rates feed straight into liability and collision prices.

Metro Nashville runs a Vision Zero program, led by its transportation department with the mayor's office, with the goal of eliminating deaths and serious injuries on Metro roads.

How location and theft affect Nashville prices

Insurers start every quote from the territory where the car is garaged, using the claims filed there. The NAIC notes that urban areas see more claims than rural ones and that repair costs run higher in populated areas. Read how ZIP codes affect car insurance for more.

Theft is the other local factor. Tennessee had 6,270 fewer vehicle thefts in NICB's latest figures, a drop of 31%. NICB's top-metro list for that year does not include the Nashville area. A stolen car is paid only under comprehensive coverage, after your deductible.

Ways to pay less in Nashville

• Compare quotes for the same coverage. Insurers weigh factors differently; see shopping at renewal.
• Protect your record. Tickets and at-fault crashes can raise prices at renewal; see driving record and car insurance.
• Choose deductibles you could pay. Higher deductibles lower premiums for collision and comprehensive.
• Ask about discounts. Bundling, safe-driver and payment discounts are covered in our discounts guide.