Minnesota drivers must carry liability insurance with limits of 30/60/10, plus personal injury protection and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
requirements follow a 30/60/10 pattern for liability insurance, along with personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM).
Car insurance requirements in Minnesota
Minnesota law requires all drivers to carry proof of
helps pay for medical expenses, lost wages, funeral costs, and other expenses you incur as a result of an accident-related injury, regardless of who was at fault. This is sometimes called no-fault coverage.
helps pay for medical expenses after an accident caused by an uninsured driver. This coverage kicks in after you’ve exhausted your PIP benefits.
Underinsured motorist protection helps pay for medical costs left over after exhausting the liability coverage of the at-fault driver in an accident and your own PIP.
, drivers must carry personal injury protection (PIP)—also known as no-fault insurance or Basic Economic Loss Benefits. If you’re injured in an accident, you can file a PIP claim within six months of that accident. PIP coverage will help pay for things like:
Medical expenses—including doctor and hospital bills, extended care, rehabilitation services, and prescription medications
Lost wages—85% of your present and future income, up to a maximum of $500 a week
Replacement services—costs of having to hire help as a result of the accident, like housekeeping or childcare—up to $200 a week
Funeral expenses—up to $5,000
Survivors loss benefits—loss of income for the spouse and dependents of someone who died in a car accident (up to $500 a week for economic loss and $200 a week for replacement services)
The state’s minimum PIP limit is $40,000, which is broken into $20,000 for medical expenses and $20,000 for non-medical expenses. You can purchase higher limits of PIP if you’d like additional protection.
Although you’ll file against your own insurance provider for no-fault benefits, you can still make a claim against the other driver’s insurance if:
The other driver was found to be at fault for the accident
Your expenses exceed your PIP limits
Is minimum coverage the most cost-effective option?
When you’re shopping for Minnesota auto insurance, you’ll find the lowest rates by choosing the minimum required coverage for your state. But
Minnesota’s state minimum insurance will not pay for your own vehicle damages
Liability insurance only covers physical damages to another driver’s vehicle in an accident where you’re at fault. If you want your own vehicle repairs to be covered after an accident, natural disaster, theft, or vandalism, you’ll need to add collision and comprehensive coverage to your policy.
The minimum amount of coverage may not pay for all of the other party’s expenses
According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), the average bodily injury liability claim in 2021 was $22,734, and the average property damage claim was $5,314. While Minnesota’s minimum liability limits will cover an average accident, you may not have sufficient coverage after a serious accident, which could leave you open to a costly lawsuit.
You’ll be better protected if you go beyond the state coverage requirements
Consider raising your liability limits, increasing your PIP, and adding collision and comprehensive coverage. While the additional coverage will raise your car insurance rates, it could offset tens of thousands of dollars in costs after an accident.
Remember: Car insurance premiums are highly individualized since car insurance companies use factors like age, location, driving record, and more to
I recommend carrying enough coverage to protect your current and future assets—at least $100,000/$300,000 of liability coverage, but you may need more coverage depending on your financial situation.
Comprehensive and collision coverage—or physical damage protection—are not required in Minnesota, but if you lease or finance your vehicle, your lienholder will require you to carry both.
If you don’t purchase this coverage, your lender can purchase it on your behalf—known as force-placed insurance—and add the cost to your car payments. This is usually more expensive than purchasing standard insurance on your own, and the coverage will be limited
Average cost of car insurance in Minnesota
As of September 2023, the average minimum liability car insurance policy in Minnesota costs $125 per month and $1,499 per year. The average full-coverage car insurance policy costs $171 per month and $2,056 per year.
Remember: Car insurance premiums are highly individualized since car insurance companies use factors like age, location, driving record, and more to
: Pays for damages to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another car or an object, or a single-car accident where your car rolls, flips, or falls.
: Helps pay for the difference between your loan amount and the actual cash value (ACV) of your vehicle if your financed car is totaled before you pay it off
: If your car is damaged in a claimable accident, this will help pay for alternate transportation (up to your per-day maximum and within the specified time frame).
Note that some types of optional coverage, including collision and comprehensive, will require a deductible. You can generally
What are the minimum requirements for car insurance in Minnesota?
In the state of Minnesota, drivers must carry $30,000/$60,000 in bodily injury liability per person/accident, $10,000 property damage liability per accident, $40,000 personal injury protection per accident, and $25,000/$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM).
Is it illegal to drive without car insurance in Minnesota?
Yes, according to Minnesota state law, you must have car insurance to legally drive, and you must carry proof of insurance with you at all times when you’re driving.
Can you use digital proof of insurance in Minnesota?
Yes, digital ID cards are considered acceptable proofs of insurance in Minnesota.
Can I get insurance in Minnesota if I don’t have a car?
Yes—talk to an insurance agent about purchasing non-owner insurance, which is a coverage option that provides liability insurance to drivers who don’t have a car.
Does car insurance follow the driver or the car in Minnesota?
Car insurance generally follows the car in Minnesota and most other states, but your policy may still cover you if you’re driving another person’s car.
