# Rhode Island car insurance: why it costs more, the UM rule and penalties for driving uninsured

> Rhode Island auto insurance guide: above-average costs, split or single-limit minimums, the uninsured motorist rule and penalties for driving uninsured.

Canonical page: https://statecover-guide.com/location/rhode-island/  
Last reviewed: October 28, 2026 by the StateCover Guide editorial team  
General information, not legal or insurance advice.

## Quick answer

Rhode Island car insurance costs more than the national average: the average expenditure was $1,539.65 a year in 2023, against $1,281 nationally. The legal minimum is liability of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage, or a single $75,000 limit. Uninsured motorist coverage comes with the policy at your liability limits and can be dropped only in narrow cases.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum liability | $25,000 / $50,000 bodily injury, $25,000 property damage |
| Single-limit alternative | $75,000 combined single limit |
| Fault system | At-fault |
| PIP | Not required |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | Required: equal to your bodily injury limits; can be lowered in writing (not below 25/50), or dropped only if you buy minimum coverage and sign an advisory notice |
| Underinsured motorist (UIM) | Included in uninsured motorist coverage (Rhode Island law treats underinsured drivers as uninsured) |
| Average expenditure (2023) | $1,539.65 a year vs $1,281 nationally |
| Combined average premium (2023) | $1,709.69 a year vs $1,438 nationally |
| Regulator | Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Insurance Division, 401-462-9520 |
| Motor vehicle agency | Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles |

## Why Rhode Island costs more than average

NAIC figures put Rhode Island above the national average on both of its cost measures for 2023. The average expenditure, which spreads liability, collision and comprehensive premiums across all insured vehicles, was $1,539.65. The combined average premium for a policy with all three coverages was $1,709.69, compared with $1,438 nationally.

The NAIC flags Rhode Island as mostly urban and cautions against comparing it directly with rural states. Within the state, your price still turns on your own profile:

- **Where the car is kept:** see [ZIP code](https://statecover-guide.com/costs/zip-code/).
- **Your record:** tickets and at-fault claims; see [driving record](https://statecover-guide.com/costs/driving-record/).
- **The car itself:** repair costs and theft risk; see [vehicle](https://statecover-guide.com/costs/vehicle/).
- **Coverage choices:** limits and deductibles; see [deductible](https://statecover-guide.com/saving/deductible/).

For a state-by-state comparison, read [most expensive states for car insurance](https://statecover-guide.com/blog/most-expensive-states-for-car-insurance/).

## Minimums: split limits or one combined limit

Rhode Island's Motor Vehicle Reparations Act accepts two ways to meet the minimum:

| Option | How it works |
|---|---|
| Split limits | $25,000 for one person's injuries, $50,000 for all injuries in one accident, $25,000 for property damage |
| Combined single limit | One $75,000 pool for all injuries and property damage in an accident |

A combined single limit is flexible: the whole amount can go to one badly injured person or to property damage. Split limits cap each category separately. See [combined single limit](https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/combined-single-limit/).

For example, if one person's medical bills from a crash you cause reach $40,000, split limits at the $25,000 per-person minimum leave everything above that amount unpaid by your insurer, while a $75,000 single limit could cover the full $40,000 as long as no other claims use up the pool.

## Rhode Island's uninsured motorist rule

Rhode Island makes it hard to go without uninsured motorist coverage:

1. **Default:** UM is included at your bodily injury liability limits.
2. **Lowering it:** you can choose lower UM limits in writing, but not below the $25,000 / $50,000 minimums.
3. **Dropping it:** allowed only if you buy minimum coverage and sign an advisory notice.
4. **Property damage part:** UM property damage can be rejected in writing.

State law also treats an underinsured driver as uninsured, so the same coverage applies when the at-fault driver has too little insurance. An estimated 12.4% of Rhode Island drivers were uninsured in 2023, below the national 15.4%. Our [uninsured motorist guide](https://statecover-guide.com/coverage/uninsured-motorist/) explains UM claims.

## Penalties for driving without insurance

Operating a registered vehicle without the required coverage is penalized under state law, with stiffer penalties for each repeat offense:

| Offense | Fine | Suspension |
|---|---|---|
| First | $100 to $500 | up to 3 months |
| Second | $500 | 6 months |
| Third or later | $1,000 | up to 1 year |

To get driving and registration privileges back, you must file and keep proof of financial security and pay a reinstatement fee of $30. Drivers who are turned down in the regular market can call the Rhode Island Automobile Insurance Plan at 401-946-2600. See [lapse in coverage](https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/lapse-in-coverage/).

## Safe roads, with one exception

Rhode Island's crash death rate was 4.7 per 100,000 people in 2024, well below the national 11.5 per 100,000 people, and 0.68 per 100 million miles by distance driven (national: 1.19 per 100 million miles). Only 13% of deaths occurred on rural roads, compared with 41% nationally.

Alcohol is the exception. An estimated 48% of drivers killed were at or above the legal alcohol limit, far above the national 31%, and speeding was involved in 31% of deaths (national: 29%). A drunk-driving conviction also changes what you pay; see [car insurance after a DUI](https://statecover-guide.com/drivers/after-a-dui/).

## FAQ

### Is Rhode Island a no-fault state?

No. Rhode Island is an at-fault state and does not require PIP. The driver who causes a crash is responsible, and their liability insurance pays the other side's injuries and damage.

### Can I drop uninsured motorist coverage in Rhode Island?

Only if you buy minimum coverage and sign the state's advisory notice. Otherwise you can lower UM in writing, but not below $25,000 / $50,000. The UM property damage part can be rejected in writing.

### Is a combined single limit better than split limits?

A $75,000 single limit lets the full amount go wherever the damage is, which helps when one person is badly hurt. Split limits cap each category. Price and how the limits fit your risks decide which suits you.

### What happens for a first offense of driving uninsured in Rhode Island?

A fine of $100 to $500 and a suspension of up to 3 months. You then need to file proof of financial security and pay the reinstatement fee.

### Who regulates car insurance in Rhode Island?

The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Insurance Division, reachable at 401-462-9520, handles consumer questions and complaints. If you are moving between states, compare the rules in [Massachusetts](https://statecover-guide.com/location/massachusetts/) and [Connecticut](https://statecover-guide.com/location/connecticut/).

## Sources

- [Rhode Island General Laws, Section 31-47-2](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-47/31-47-2.htm) — minimum liability and combined single limit
- [Rhode Island General Laws, Section 31-47-9](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-47/31-47-9.htm) — penalties for driving uninsured
- [Rhode Island General Laws, Section 27-7-2.1](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE27/27-7/27-7-2.1.htm) — uninsured motorist coverage rules
- [Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Insurance consumers](https://dbr.ri.gov/insurance/consumers) — regulator and Automobile Insurance Plan contacts
- [NAIC, Auto Insurance Database Report](https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/publication-aut-pb-auto-insurance-database.pdf) — average expenditure and premium
- [IIHS-HLDI, Fatality Facts: state by state](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state) — crash death statistics
- [Insurance Information Institute, Background on: No-fault auto insurance](https://www.iii.org/article/background-on-no-fault-auto-insurance), as of October 28, 2026
- [Insurance Information Institute, Background on: Compulsory auto/uninsured motorists (financial responsibility limits by state table)](https://www.iii.org/article/background-on-compulsory-auto-uninsured-motorists), as of October 28, 2026
- [Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles](https://dmv.ri.gov/), as of October 28, 2026
- [Insurance Information Institute, Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists](https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists), as of October 28, 2026
- [NAIC, 2022/2023 Auto Insurance Database Report](https://content.naic.org/article/naic-releases-20222023-auto-insurance-database-report), as of February 13, 2026
- [Insurance Research Council, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists: 2017–2023 (press release)](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250220231032/en), as of February 20, 2025