Key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Jurisdictions that require liability insurance | 49 states and the District of Columbia |
| States with no-fault laws | 12 |
| States with a choice no-fault law | 3 |
| Drivers who were uninsured (2023) | 15.4% |
| What the lookup shows | Liability minimums, fault system, PIP, MedPay, UM/UIM, regulator and DMV links |
Look up your state's minimum car insurance
Minimum car insurance requirements by state
Liability minimums are shown as bodily injury per person / per accident / property damage, in thousands of dollars. Florida and Michigan work differently, as noted in their rows.
| State | Minimum coverage | Fault system | PIP | Uninsured motorist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Must be included unless the named insured rejects it |
| Alaska | 50/100/25 | At-fault | Not required | Must be offered in writing; can be rejected by signature |
| Arizona | 25/50/15 | At-fault | Not required | Must be offered in writing on an approved form; optional |
| Arkansas | 25/50/25 | At-fault (add-on PIP) | Must be offered; can be rejected in writing | Included unless you sign a rejection |
| California | 30/60/15 | At-fault | Not required | Must be offered; can be rejected by signing a waiver |
| Colorado | 25/50/15 | At-fault | Not required | Included unless rejected in writing |
| Connecticut | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Required: $25,000/$50,000 |
| Delaware | 25/50/10 | At-fault (add-on PIP) | Required: $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident | Included unless rejected in writing |
| District of Columbia | 25/50/10 | At-fault (add-on PIP) | Must be offered; optional | Required: $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury and $5,000 property damage |
| Florida | $10,000 PIP + $10,000 property damage | No-fault | Required: $10,000 | Included at bodily injury limits unless rejected in writing on an approved form |
| Georgia | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Optional |
| Hawaii | 40/80/20 | No-fault | Required: $10,000 | Must be offered at liability limits; can be rejected in writing |
| Idaho | 25/50/15 | At-fault | Not required | Included unless rejected in writing |
| Illinois | 25/50/20 | At-fault | Not required | Required: $25,000/$50,000 |
| Indiana | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Included unless rejected in writing (minimum $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage) |
| Iowa | 20/40/15 | At-fault | Not required | Included unless rejected in writing |
| Kansas | 25/50/25 | No-fault | Required: $4,500 medical, $4,500 rehabilitation, up to $900 a month disability for one year, $25 a day substitution, $2,000 funeral, plus survivors benefits | Required at least $25,000/$50,000; only limits above the minimum can be rejected in writing |
| Kentucky | 25/50/25 | Choice no-fault | Required: $10,000 per person (basic reparation benefits) | Included unless rejected in writing |
| Louisiana | 15/30/25 | At-fault | Not required | Included at bodily injury limits unless rejected, lowered or limited to economic-only on the Commissioner's form |
| Maine | 50/100/25 | At-fault | Not required | Required: $50,000/$100,000 |
| Maryland | 30/60/15 | At-fault (add-on PIP) | Must be offered (at least $2,500); can be waived or limited | Required: $30,000/$60,000 bodily injury and $15,000 property damage |
| Massachusetts | 25/50/30 | No-fault | Required: $8,000 per person | Required at least at the compulsory bodily injury limits |
| Michigan | 50/100/10 (default 250/500/10) | No-fault | Required: choose a PIP medical level (unlimited by default; $500,000; $250,000; $50,000 for Medicaid enrollees; opt-out for Medicare enrollees) | Optional |
| Minnesota | 30/60/10 | No-fault | Required: $40,000 per person ($20,000 medical and $20,000 income loss and other non-medical benefits) | Required: $25,000/$50,000 |
| Mississippi | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Optional |
| Missouri | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Required: $25,000/$50,000 |
| Montana | 25/50/20 | At-fault | Not required | Included at the bodily injury minimums ($25,000/$50,000) unless you reject it by signing a form |
| Nebraska | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Required: $25,000/$50,000 |
| Nevada | 25/50/20 | At-fault | Not required | Must be offered at your bodily injury limits; optional |
| New Hampshire | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Required if you buy a policy: limits equal to your liability coverage |
| New Jersey | 35/70/25 | Choice no-fault | Required: $15,000 per person per accident (up to $250,000 for certain injuries) | Required in a Standard Policy: at least $35,000/$70,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage |
| New Mexico | 25/50/10 | At-fault | Not required | Must be included at the state minimums or higher; the named insured can reject it |
| New York | 25/50/10 | No-fault | Required: $50,000 per person (basic no-fault) | Required: same as the bodily injury minimums ($25,000/$50,000), for accidents in New York |
| North Carolina | 50/100/50 | At-fault | Not required | Required: equal to your bodily injury limits unless you choose otherwise (never below the liability minimums); includes property damage |
| North Dakota | 25/50/25 | No-fault | Required: $30,000 per person (basic no-fault) | Required: $25,000/$50,000 |
| Ohio | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Optional: insurers may offer it; you can choose a lower amount or decline it |
| Oklahoma | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Optional: not part of the required minimum; can be added to a policy |
| Oregon | 25/50/20 | At-fault (add-on PIP) | Required: $15,000 per person for medical expenses | Required: equal to your bodily injury limits unless you elect lower limits in writing (not below $25,000/$50,000) |
| Pennsylvania | 15/30/5 | Choice no-fault | Required: first-party medical benefits of $5,000 | Must be offered; optional (can be rejected on a separate signed form) |
| Rhode Island | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | 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 |
| South Carolina | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Required: $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage |
| South Dakota | 25/50/25 | At-fault (add-on PIP) | Must be offered: supplemental first-party benefits (medical expenses, disability income, accidental death); optional to buy | Required: equal to your bodily injury limits (insurer need not exceed $100,000/$300,000 unless you ask) |
| Tennessee | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | — |
| Texas | 30/60/25 | At-fault (add-on PIP) | Included in every policy unless you reject it in writing (required amount: $2,500 per person) | Must be included (combined UM/UIM) unless you reject it in writing |
| Utah | 30/65/25 | No-fault | Required: $3,000 per person | Included at your liability limits unless you reject it or choose lower limits in writing (not below the bodily injury minimums) |
| Vermont | 25/50/10 | At-fault | Not required | Required: at least $50,000/$100,000 bodily injury, plus property damage up to $10,000 ($150 deductible) |
| Virginia | 50/100/25 | At-fault | Not required; optional medical expense and income loss benefits are available | Required: equal to your liability limits unless you reject the extra amount (never below the state liability minimums) |
| Washington | 25/50/10 | At-fault (add-on PIP) | Must be offered; can be rejected in writing (basic PIP pays up to $10,000 per person for medical costs) | Included at your liability limits unless rejected in writing (Washington's underinsured motorist coverage also covers uninsured and hit-and-run drivers) |
| West Virginia | 25/50/25 | At-fault | Not required | Required: at least the state minimum limits ($25,000/$50,000 bodily injury, $25,000 property damage) |
| Wisconsin | 25/50/10 | At-fault | Not required | Required: $25,000/$50,000 |
| Wyoming | 25/50/20 | At-fault | Not required | Must be included at $25,000/$50,000 unless the named insured rejects it |
How to read minimum liability limits
States write liability minimums as three numbers, such as 25/50/25. They are in thousands of dollars:
- The first number is the most the policy pays for injuries to one person in a crash you cause.
- The second is the most it pays for all injuries in that crash.
- The third is the most it pays for damage to other people's property, such as their car.
For example, with 25/50/25 limits, if you cause a crash that injures two people and wrecks a car, the policy pays up to $25,000 for each injured person, no more than $50,000 for both together, and up to $25,000 for the car. Anything above those amounts can become your personal debt. A few states also let drivers meet the law with a single combined limit that covers injuries and property together.
Minimum coverage is a floor, not a recommendation
State minimums were set to make sure every driver carries some protection for others. They were not designed to protect your own savings or your own car. Liability coverage never pays to fix your car or treat your own injuries; for that you need collision, comprehensive, PIP or medical payments, and uninsured motorist coverage. Read how liability insurance works and what full coverage means before you settle on the minimum.
At-fault, no-fault and choice no-fault states
In most states the driver who causes a crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage. In the 12 no-fault states, each driver's own personal injury protection pays their medical bills first, whoever caused the crash, and the right to sue is limited unless injuries are serious. In the 3 choice no-fault states, drivers can choose between a no-fault policy and a traditional one. See personal injury protection for how PIP works.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist rules
Some states require uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, others require insurers to offer it and let you reject it in writing, and some leave it entirely optional. With 15.4% of drivers uninsured in 2023, it protects you when the other driver cannot pay. See uninsured motorist coverage.
When the rules change
States update their minimums from time to time, and a new law usually applies to policies issued or renewed after its effective date. The lookup notes recent changes where we found them. If you are moving, the rules of your new state apply once you register the car there; see car insurance for new residents.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum car insurance required by law?
It depends on the state. Almost every state requires bodily injury and property damage liability, and some also require PIP or uninsured motorist coverage. Use the lookup above for your state's exact limits.
Which state does not require car insurance?
New Hampshire does not require a policy, but drivers must be able to pay for damage they cause, and anyone who buys insurance there must meet the state's minimum limits.
Is state minimum coverage enough?
Often it is not. Minimum limits can be used up quickly by one serious injury, and minimum liability does nothing for your own car. Higher limits usually cost much less than adding collision coverage.
What does 25/50/25 mean on car insurance?
It means $25,000 for injuries to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one crash and $25,000 for property damage.
What happens if I drive without the required insurance?
Penalties vary by state and can include fines, license or registration suspension and having to file an SR-22. See SR-22 insurance.
Do I need to buy a new policy when I move to another state?
Usually yes, or at least update your policy to meet the new state's rules once you register your car there. Ask your insurer whether it is licensed in your new state.
Sources
- Insurance Information Institute, Background on: No-fault auto insurance no-fault, choice no-fault and add-on systems
- New Hampshire Insurance Department, Automobile Insurance Consumer Frequently Asked Questions New Hampshire's financial responsibility rules
- NAIC, Insurance Departments contact details for every state insurance department
- 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.