Minimum Car Insurance Requirements by State
Car insurance requirements vary from one state to the next. Today, we’ll cover the minimum insurance requirements of each state for a private vehicle to be driven on the road legally.
Before we begin, it’s important to note that you might have more complex auto insurance needs that aren’t covered by state minimums, especially if there is a lienholder (bank) involved, if you have considerable assets to protect, or if you make a car payment. We’ll tackle those topics near the end of this piece.
2021 Car Insurance Requirements by State
Please note, these car insurance requirements are provided to the best of our knowledge and are accurate as of 2021. We don’t speak for your state’s DMV, however. State laws change from time to time, so double check with your car insurance agent or state DMV if you need the minimum level of auto insurance.
| State | Requirements |
| Alabama | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Alaska | · $50,000 bodily injury liability per person · $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Arizona | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $15,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Arkansas | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| California | · $15,000 bodily injury liability per person · $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $5,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Colorado | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $15,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Connecticut | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident |
| Delaware | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $10,000 property damage liability per accident · $15,000 personal injury protection per person · $30,000 personal injury protection per accident |
| Florida | · $10,000 property damage liability per accident · $10,000 personal injury protection |
| Georgia | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Hawaii | · $20,000 bodily injury liability per person · $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $10,000 property damage liability per accident · $10,000 personal injury protection |
| Idaho | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $15,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Illinois | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $20,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident |
| Indiana | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Iowa | · $20,000 bodily injury liability per person · $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $15,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Kansas | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident · Personal injury protection including $4,500 in medical expenses, up to $900 per month for a year for disability or loss of income, $25 per day for in-home services, $2,000 for funeral burial or cremation costs, and $4,500 for rehabilitation · Survivors’ benefits including up to $900 per month for a year for disability or loss of income and $25 per day for in-home services |
| Kentucky | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Louisiana | · $15,000 bodily injury liability per person · $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Maine | · $50,000 bodily injury liability per person · $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $100,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $2,000 medical payments coverage |
| Maryland | · $30,000 bodily injury liability per person · $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $15,000 property damage liability per accident · $30,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $60,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident · $15,000 uninsured/underinsured property damage coverage per accident |
| Massachusetts | · $20,000 bodily injury liability per person · $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $5,000 property damage liability per accident · $20,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person · $40,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident · $8,000 personal injury protection |
| Michigan | · $50,000 bodily injury liability per person · $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $10,000 property damage liability per accident outside Michigan · $1 million property protection within Michigan · $250,000* personal injury protection · *Lower limits are available for some Medicare / Medicaid recipients |
| Minnesota | · $30,000 bodily injury liability per person · $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $10,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident · $40,000 personal injury protection |
| Mississippi | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Missouri | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident |
| Montana | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $20,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Nebraska | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident |
| Nevada | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $20,000 property damage liability per accident |
| New Hampshire | Auto insurance is not mandatory in NH if you can provide proof of financial responsibility, but otherwise, these are the minimum state requirements:
· $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident · $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage · $1,000 medical payments coverage |
| New Jersey | · $5,000 property damage liability per accident · $15,000 personal injury protection |
| New Mexico | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $10,000 property damage liability per accident |
| New York | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $50,000 liability for death per person · $100,000 liability for death per accident · $10,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per accident · $50,000 personal injury protection |
| North Carolina | · $30,000 bodily injury liability per person · $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $30,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person · $60,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident |
| North Dakota | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident · $30,000 personal injury protection |
| Ohio | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Oklahoma | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Oregon | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $20,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident · $15,000 personal injury protection |
| Pennsylvania | · $15,000 bodily injury liability per person · $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $5,000 property damage liability per accident · $5,000 medical benefits |
| Rhode Island | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| South Carolina | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage |
| South Dakota | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident |
| Tennessee | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $15,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Texas | · $30,000 bodily injury liability per person · $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Utah | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person $65,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident $3,000 personal injury protection |
| Vermont | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $10,000 property damage liability per accident · $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $100,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident · $10,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident |
| Virginia | These are the minimum car insurance requirements if a driver purchases optional car insurance. Drivers who don’t purchase insurance must pay a $500 fee. Many drivers find it makes more sense to protect themselves financially with auto insurance.
· $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $20,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident · $20,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident |
| Washington | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $10,000 property damage liability per accident |
| Washington DC | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $10,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident · $5,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident |
| West Virginia | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $25,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage |
| Wisconsin | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $10,000 property damage liability per accident · $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person · $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident |
| Wyoming | · $25,000 bodily injury liability per person · $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident · $20,000 property damage liability per accident |
As you see, the minimum car insurance requirements vary greatly. One thing remains consistent throughout the nation though, these are all liability limits meant to financially protect the driver. In other words, these coverages will pay for some damage you cause to other people or their property. None of these coverages protect your property.
Why Lienholders Don’t Accept State Minimum Car Insurance
Minimum car insurance requirements protect you from being sued if you’re at fault in an accident. They don’t cover damage to your vehicle. And in 2021, when the average new car costs $39,000, that leaves car owners with a significant risk. That’s why most banks will require that you carry full coverage car insurance with a deductible of $1,000 or less.
That way, if the new car is stolen or totaled in a wreck, the bank doesn’t lose all their money.
But State Minimums Don’t Provide Much Protection
If you have considerable assets to protect, you should consider buying a more comprehensive auto insurance policy with much higher liability limits, and maybe an additional umbrella policy on top of that! In New Jersey, for instance, the $5,000 damage liability of a state minimum policy won’t go very far if you total someone else’s new-but-average $39,000 car. You’ll be on the hook for the remaining $34,000.
Still, car insurance minimum requirements help everyone on the road. You can drive confidently, knowing that other drivers have the means to pay for some of the property damage or injuries they cause.
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