North Dakota Auto Insurance Guide

Whether you’re heading up to Grand Forks for a UND Fighting Sioux game, kayaking the Sheyenne River, fishing for perch at Devil’s Lake, following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, or doing business in Bismarck, North Dakota has miles of beautiful scenery and rugged landscapes. From Bottineau to Ellendale, Beach to Fargo and all points in between, sightseeing or commuting, car insurance is crucial to being a responsible ND driver.

 

Auto Insurance Resources for ND State Residents

As of 2010, there were over 475,000 licensed drivers and nearly 800,000 registered vehicles in the Peace Garden State. The Insurance Research Council estimates that 5% of North Dakota drivers are uninsured. The North Dakota Department of Transportation Car Crash Summary for 2008 reported 16,387 traffic crashes that year; 4,247 involved injuries; 97 were fatal. The majority of fatal crashed (86.6%) occurred in rural areas; 12.5% involved out-of-state drivers. The most crashes happened at or around 5 p.m.; the highest number occurred in December on Fridays. Over 3,600 of the crashes involved collisions with deer. Out-of-state drivers, deer and inclement weather are good reasons to make sure you have enough car insurance while living and driving in the Peace Garden State.

 

North Dakota State Minimum Car Insurance

North Dakota state law requires you to carry a minimum amount of car insurance or face severe penalties. The Peace Garden State is one of just 12 states with a one of a No-Fault system, meaning your insurance will pay your injury claims up to a specified limit, regardless of who caused the accident. Under a no-fault system, you lose some of your rights to sue. While North Dakota does not require you to carry 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:

• $25,000 bodily injury per person per accident
• $50,000 bodily injury for all persons per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability
• $25,000/$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury
• $30,000 personal injury protection

 

North Dakota Car Insurance Laws

North Dakota law requires that you carry proof of North Dakota auto insurance in your vehicle and produce it if a law enforcement officer asks to see it. Driving without car insurance is a misdemeanor and carries a mandatory fine of at least $150 for a first offense, plus suspension of your driver’s license and vehicle registration until you can show proof of insurance. At that point, you will also have to pay reinstatement fees.

If you commit a second or subsequent offense within 18 months, the fine is $300 and another 6 to 12 points on your driving record. You will also have to keep an SR-22 proof of insurance form of file with the North Dakota DMV for up to 3 years. Failure to do so will mean immediate suspension of your driver’s license.

If you are in an accident, regardless of fault, and don’t have the minimum North Dakota car insurance, you will be fined and may be held liable for injuries and damages. You will also receive 14 points of your driving record, which will result in an immediate suspension of your driver’s license.

 

Regulating Agency and References

North Dakota Insurance Department
This agency is responsible for regulating vehicle insurance policies sold in North Dakota. For more information, visit their website at www.nd.gov/ndins/about/

North Dakota Department of Transportation
This is the agency responsible for licensing drivers and registering vehicles. You can learn more about North Dakota auto insurance requirements, penalties and related information at www.dot.nd.gov/

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 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 www.iii.org/

 

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