Nevada Auto Insurance Guide

Whether you’re doing business in Carson City, skiing at Lake Tahoe, boating on Lake Mead, visiting Las Vegas or rock hunting in the outback around Austin, there’s plenty of open road and natural beauty in the Silver State. From McDermitt to Henderson, Sparks to Ely, Winnemucca to Tonopah, sightseeing or commuting, car insurance is crucial to being a responsible Nevada driver.

 

Auto Insurance Resources for NV State Residents

As of 2010, there were over 1,487,899 licensed driver in the Silver State. The Insurance Research Council estimates that 15% of Nevada drivers are uninsured. The Nevada Department of Transportation’s most current statistics on traffic collisions reported a total of 62,225 car crashes in 2006; 40,962 (65.9%) involved property damage only; 20,876 (333.5%) resulted in injuries; and 387 (0.6%) resulted in a total of 432 fatalities. Alcohol, drugs and driver inattention were the leading causes. Drivers ages 26 to 35 accounted for the highest number of crashes. Uninsured, distracted and drug-impaired drivers are good reasons to make sure you have enough car insurance while living and driving in the Silver State.

 

Nevada State Minimum Car Insurance

Nevada state law requires you to carry a minimum amount of car insurance or face severe penalties. The Silver State has a tort-based system. That means if you cause an accident, you can be sued. While Nevada does not require you to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, additional personal liability or Collision and Comprehensive, if you own property or other valuable assets, you would be wise to supplement the minimum requires shown below:

• $15,000 bodily injury per person per accident
• $30,000 bodily injury for all persons per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability

 

Nevada Car Insurance Laws

Nevada law requires that you carry proof of Nevada auto insurance in your vehicle and produce it if a law enforcement officer asks to see it. Driving without car insurance in Nevada (or allowing someone else to drive your uninsured vehicle) is a misdemeanor and carries a fine of $600 to $1,000. This can be reduced to $100 for a first offense if you get adequate Nevada liability insurance by your court appearance.

You cannot register or renew registration on a vehicle in Nevada without proof of the minimum liability insurance coverage. Your insurance company is required to notify the Nevada DMV if your policy is canceled or lapses. You will then be contacted by the DMV and asked to provide proof of coverage. Failure to respond to that request will result in an automatic suspension of your registration. If you’re stopped with a suspended registration, your license plates will be removed and your vehicle may be impounded. Reinstating a suspended registration costs $250, although this can be reduced to $50 if you can prove that you didn’t drive your car while your insurance was not in effect.

 

Regulating Agency and References

Nevada Division of Insurance
This agency is responsible for regulating vehicle insurance policies sold in Nevada. For more information, visit their website at www.doi.state.nv.us

Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles
This is the agency responsible for licensing drivers and registering vehicles. You can learn more about Nevada auto insurance requirements, penalties and related information at www.dmvstat.com

National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
This is an organization of insurance regulators from the 50 states, District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories. NAIC provides a forum for the development of uniform policies when appropriate. NAIC members are elected or appointed state government officials who regulate the conduct of insurance companies and agents in their respective states or territories. Visit NAIC at http://www.naic.org

Insurance Information Institute (III)
This organization’s mission is to improve public understanding of insurance – what it is and how it works. Visit III at http://www.iii.org/

 

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