Do I Have to Have Car Insurance?

Minimum liability car insurance coverage is required in most states. Auto lenders will usually require full coverage if you lease or finance a car.
Written by Hillary Kobayashi
Edited by Sarah Gray
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Car insurance
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
Average Cost
25/50/25
Not required
Not required
$764
50/100/25
Not required
Not required
$1,340
25/50/15
Not required
Not required
$798
25/50/25
Not required
Not required
$733
15/30/5
Not required
Not required
$787
25/50/15
Not required
Not required
$723
25/50/25
25/50 UMBI
Not required
$1,178
25/50/10
Not required
15/30 PIP
$996
District of Columbia
25/50/10
25/50 UMBI
$5,000 UMPD
Not required
$929
$10,000 (PD only)
Not required
$10,000 PIP
$2,090
25/50/25
Not required
Not required
$1,253
20/40/10
Not required
$10,000 PIP
$981
25/50/15
Not required
Not required
$509
25/50/20
25/50 UMBI
Not required
$756
25/50/25
Not required
Not required
$509
20/40/15
Not required
Not required
$522
25/50/25
25/50 UMBI
PIP (structured limits)***
$662
25/50/25
Not required
$10,000 PIP†
$1,304
15/30/25
Not required
Not required
$1,255
50/100/25
50/100 UMBI
$2,000 MedPay
$488
30/60/15
30/60 UMBI
$15,000 UMPD
$2,500 PIP†
$1,090
25/40/5
20/40 UMBI
$8,000 PIP
$717
50/100/10
Not required
$0–unlimited PIP†
$1,414
30/60/10
25/50 UMBI
$40,000 PIP
$805
25/50/25
Not required
Not required
$712
25/50/25
25/50 UMBI
Not required
$785
25/50/20
Not required
Not required
$536
25/50/25
25/50 UMBI
Not required
$621
25/50/20
Not required
Not required
$753
25/50/25
25/50 UMBI
$25,000 UMPD
$1,000 MedPay
$511
25/50/25
Not required
$15,000 PIP
$1,120
25/50/10
Not required
Not required
$653
25/50/10
25/50 UMBI
$50,000 PIP
$1,459
30/60/25
30/30 UMBI
$25,000 UMPD
Not required
$511
25/50/25
25/50 UMBI
$30,000 PIP
$875
25/50/25
Not required
Not required
$590
25/50/25
Not required
Not required
$721
25/50/20
25/50 UMBI
$15,000 PIP
$840
15/30/5
Not required
$5,000 MedPay**
$635
25/50/25
Not required
Not required
$798
25/50/25
25/50 UMBI
$25,000 UMPD
Not required
$1,360
25/50/25
25/50 UMBI
Not required
$639
25/50/25
Not required
Not required
$713
30/60/25
Not required
Not required
$1,022
25/65/15
Not required
$3,000
$804
25/50/10
50/100 UMBI
$10,000 UMPD
Not required
$434
30/60/30
25/50 UMBI
$20,000 UMPD
Not required
$733
25/50/10
Not required
Not required
$777
25/50/25
25/50 UMBI
$25,000 UMPD
Not required
$704
25/50/10
25/50 UMPD
Not required
$506
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
$175
$199
$262
$299
$161
$193
$222
$245
$63
$149
$181
$183
$89
$100
$140
$203
$116
$160
$216
$227
$117
$167
$181
$194
$157
$158
$192
$198
$140
$164
$179
$197
$108
$169
$190
$210
$164
$182
$208
$213

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
$215
$105
$198
$85
$361
$80
$176
$127
$176
$69
$141
$87
$201
$74
$155
$61
$178
$79
$165
$70
$158
$44
$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

avatar
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.
avatar
Sarah Gray
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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.

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