is legally required in almost every state. Most car lenders will also make you purchase full-coverage car insurance if you finance or lease a vehicle. Driving without insurance can result in expensive fines, license suspension, and thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs in the event of an accident.

You’re legally required to have car insurance in most states

Minimum

liability coverage

is mandatory in all states except

New Hampshire

(although you will still need to provide proof of financial responsibility in this state). Some states also require additional coverage. Driving without the minimum car insurance requirements in your state is illegal.

Required basic minimum liability coverage

Minimum liability car insurance falls into two categories:

Bodily injury liability (BI)

: If you’re at fault in a car accident that injures another party, BI will help cover their medical expenses up to your policy limits.

Property damage liability (PD)

: If you’re at fault in an accident that damages another party’s vehicle or other property, PD will help cover their expenses up to your policy limits.

Each state requires you to carry a minimum amount of BI and PD. Insurance requirements vary by state, but most states require liability limits of at least 25/50/25—that’s $25,000 bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 property damage liability.

Required additional coverages

Some state auto insurance mandates go beyond basic liability insurance and require drivers to purchase the following types of car insurance coverage:

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM):

If you’re hit by an uninsured motorist or someone who has insufficient liability coverage, uninsured motorist coverage kicks in. Many states only require uninsured motorist coverage for bodily injury, but some states require property damage insurance as well.

Personal injury protection (PIP):

No-fault states require drivers to purchase PIP, which helps pay for medical bills for you and your passengers after an accident. It covers funerals, rehabilitation expenses, and lost wages up to your policy limits.

Medical payments coverage (MedPay):

MedPay is similar to PIP, but PIP is more comprehensive. It’s required for all drivers in Maine. New Hampshire also requires MedPay for drivers who purchase car insurance.

Here’s a breakdown of the minimum car insurance requirements in each state, and their average annual cost:

State	Liability	UM/UIM	PIP / MedPay	Average Cost
Alabama	25/50/25	Not required	Not required	$764
Alaska	50/100/25	Not required	Not required	$1,340
Arizona	25/50/15	Not required	Not required	$798
Arkansas	25/50/25	Not required	Not required	$733
California	15/30/5	Not required	Not required	$787
Colorado	25/50/15	Not required	Not required	$723
Connecticut	25/50/25	25/50 UMBI	Not required	$1,178
Delaware	25/50/10	Not required	15/30 PIP	$996
District of Columbia	25/50/10	25/50 UMBI $5,000 UMPD	Not required	$929
Florida	$10,000 (PD only)	Not required	$10,000 PIP	$2,090
Georgia	25/50/25	Not required	Not required	$1,253
Hawaii	20/40/10	Not required	$10,000 PIP	$981
Idaho	25/50/15	Not required	Not required	$509
Illinois	25/50/20	25/50 UMBI	Not required	$756
Indiana	25/50/25	Not required	Not required	$509
Iowa	20/40/15	Not required	Not required	$522
Kansas	25/50/25	25/50 UMBI	PIP (structured limits)***	$662
Kentucky	25/50/25	Not required	$10,000 PIP†	$1,304
Louisiana	15/30/25	Not required	Not required	$1,255
Maine	50/100/25	50/100 UMBI	$2,000 MedPay	$488
Maryland	30/60/15	30/60 UMBI $15,000 UMPD	$2,500 PIP†	$1,090
Massachusetts	25/40/5	20/40 UMBI	$8,000 PIP	$717
Michigan	50/100/10	Not required	$0–unlimited PIP†	$1,414
Minnesota	30/60/10	25/50 UMBI	$40,000 PIP	$805
Mississippi	25/50/25	Not required	Not required	$712
Missouri	25/50/25	25/50 UMBI	Not required	$785
Montana	25/50/20	Not required	Not required	$536
Nebraska	25/50/25	25/50 UMBI	Not required	$621
Nevada	25/50/20	Not required	Not required	$753
New Hampshire *	25/50/25	25/50 UMBI $25,000 UMPD	$1,000 MedPay	$511
New Jersey	25/50/25	Not required	$15,000 PIP	$1,120
New Mexico	25/50/10	Not required	Not required	$653
New York	25/50/10	25/50 UMBI	$50,000 PIP	$1,459
North Carolina	30/60/25	30/30 UMBI $25,000 UMPD	Not required	$511
North Dakota	25/50/25	25/50 UMBI	$30,000 PIP	$875
Ohio	25/50/25	Not required	Not required	$590
Oklahoma	25/50/25	Not required	Not required	$721
Oregon	25/50/20	25/50 UMBI	$15,000 PIP	$840
Pennsylvania	15/30/5	Not required	$5,000 MedPay**	$635
Rhode Island	25/50/25	Not required	Not required	$798
South Carolina	25/50/25	25/50 UMBI $25,000 UMPD	Not required	$1,360
South Dakota	25/50/25	25/50 UMBI	Not required	$639
Tennessee	25/50/25	Not required	Not required	$713
Texas	30/60/25	Not required	Not required	$1,022
Utah	25/65/15	Not required	$3,000	$804
Vermont	25/50/10	50/100 UMBI $10,000 UMPD	Not required	$434
Virginia	30/60/30	25/50 UMBI $20,000 UMPD	Not required	$733
Washington	25/50/10	Not required	Not required	$777
West Virginia	25/50/25	25/50 UMBI $25,000 UMPD	Not required	$704
Wisconsin	25/50/10	25/50 UMPD	Not required	$506
Wyoming	25/50/20	25/50 UMBI	Not required	$342

* Required for drivers who choose to use car insurance to prove financial responsibility ** Referred to as First Party Benefit in Pennsylvania *** Kansas custom PIP limits include: * $4,500/person for medical expenses * $900/month for one year for disability/loss of income * $25/day for in-home service for one year * $2,000 for funeral, burial, or cremation expenses * $4,500 for rehabilitation expenses † PIP required for drivers who choose no-fault coverage in choice-fault states

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Is state-minimum coverage enough?

Unfortunately, in most cases, carrying just your state’s required minimum insurance limits could leave you financially vulnerable after a serious car accident.

Most insurance agents recommend you purchase significantly more than the state minimum coverage limits—ideally, 100/300/100, but 50/100/50 is also a useful and affordable choice.

Jerry’s experts analyzed thousands of real customers’ car insurance policies to calculate how much it costs on average to increase liability limits. Here’s what they found from some of the nation’s top providers:

Provider	15/30/15	25/50/25	50/100/50	100/300/100
AAA	$175	$199	$262	$299
Allstate	$161	$193	$222	$245
Kemper Preferred	$63	$149	$181	$183
MAPFRE	$89	$100	$140	$203
National General	$116	$160	$216	$227
Nationwide	$117	$167	$181	$194
Progressive	$157	$158	$192	$198
Safeco	$140	$164	$179	$197
State Auto	$108	$169	$190	$210
Travelers	$164	$182	$208	$213

Learn more:

How much car insurance do you need?

Required coverage for financed and leased vehicles

Most auto lenders require drivers to purchase

full-coverage insurance

when they buy or lease a new vehicle. Full-coverage insurance includes basic liability insurance with increased limits in addition to:

Comprehensive coverage

: Comprehensive insurance pays out if your vehicle is damaged under certain circumstances, like in a natural disaster, theft, or vandalism incident.

Collision coverage

: Collision insurance pays out if your vehicle is damaged in a collision with a vehicle or object.

Full coverage costs will vary depending on factors like your vehicle’s make and model, your driving record, and sometimes even your credit score. But according to our experts’ analysis, here’s how much you can expect to pay on average for full coverage from some of the top insurance companies:

Car insurance company	Full coverage	Minimum liability coverage
AAA	$215	$105
Allstate	$198	$85
Farmers	$361	$80
GEICO	$176	$127
Kemper/Infinity	$176	$69
Liberty Mutual	$141	$87
National General	$201	$74
Nationwide	$155	$61
Progressive	$178	$79
Safeco	$165	$70
State Farm	$158	$44
Travelers	$141	$59

Penalties for driving without car insurance

While penalties for

driving without car insurance

vary by state, here’s what you could expect if you can’t provide

proof of insurance

Up to $5,000 in fines—even for a single offense

Driver’s license suspension for up to three years

SR-22

requirement for 3–5 years in most states

Registration suspension in some states

Up to 1 year in jail

Vehicle impoundment: Optional in some states but mandatory for repeat offenders in

North Dakota

If you have violations or

coverage lapses

on your driving record, you’ll likely have to pay higher premiums once you get your license back.

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FAQ

Is it illegal to drive without car insurance?

Yes. All states except New Hampshire and Virginia require all drivers to purchase automobile insurance. If you drive without insurance coverage, you’re breaking state law.

Do I need car insurance to buy a new car?

You don’t need to have insurance to buy a new car, but you’ll need a car insurance policy in place before you drive your car.

How can I find out about my state's insurance laws?

To learn about your state’s minimum requirements for insurance and minimum limits, you can contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Meet our experts

Hillary Kobayashi

Hillary Kobayashi is an insurance writer and editor specializing in insurance and finance topics. Hillary’s mission is to use her knowledge and love of education to help car owners better understand how they can save time and money on car ownership. The articles Hillary has published for Jerry span topics from state-specific bill of sale requirements to SR-22 insurance information.

Prior to joining Jerry, Hillary spent over ten years in education at Pacific University and the University of Oregon.

Sarah Gray

Licensed Insurance Agent — Expert Insurance Writer and Editor

Sarah Gray is an insurance writer with nearly a decade of experience in publishing and writing. Sarah specializes in writing articles that educate car owners and buyers on the full scope of car ownership—from shopping for and buying a new car to scrapping one that’s breathed its last and everything in between. Sarah has authored over 1,500 articles for Jerry on topics ranging from first-time buyer programs to how to get a salvage title for a totaled car.

Prior to joining Jerry, Sarah was a full-time professor of English literature and composition with multiple academic writing publications.