Can I Drive Legally Without Insurance?
NO! Almost every state requires you to have auto liability insurance. All states also have financial responsibility laws. This means that even in a state that does not require liability insurance, you need to have sufficient assets to pay claims if you cause an accident. If you don't have enough assets, you must purchase at least the state minimum amount of insurance. But insurance exists to protect your assets. Trying to see how little you can get by with can be very shortsighted and dangerous. If you've financed your car, your lender may require comprehensive and collision insurance as part of the loan agreement.
Below is an example of the state minimum limits for auto liability insurance. The first number refers to liability limits for bodily injury for any one person, the second to limits for all persons injured, and the third refers to property damage liability limits. For example, 20/40/10 means coverage up to $40,000 for all persons injured in an accident, subject to a limit of $20,000 for one individual and $10,000 coverage for property damage.
State - Insurance required - Minimum liability limits (1)
- Alabama - BI & PD Liab - 20/40/10
- Alaska - BI & PD Liab - 50/100/25
- Arizona - BI & PD Liab - 15/30/10
- Arkansas - BI & PD Liab, PIP - 25/50/25
- California - BI & PD Liab - 15/30/5 (2)
- Colorado - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/15
- Connecticut - BI & PD Liab, UM, UIM - 20/40/10
- Delaware - BI & PD Liab, PIP - 15/30/10
- D.C. - BI & PD Liab, UM - 25/50/10
- Florida - PD Liab, PIP - 10/20/10 (3)
- Georgia - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/25
- Hawaii - BI & PD Liab, PIP - 20/40/10
- Idaho - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/15
- Illinois - BI & PD Liab, UM - 20/40/15
- Indiana - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/10
- Iowa - BI & PD Liab - 20/40/15
- Kansas - BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM - 25/50/10
- Kentucky - BI & PD Liab, PIP - 25/50/10
- Louisiana - BI & PD Liab - 10/20/10
- Maine - BI & PD Liab, UM, UIM - 50/100/25 (4)
- Maryland - BI & PD Liab, PIP (5), UM - 20/40/15
- Massachusetts - BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM - 20/40/5
- Michigan - BI & PD Liab, PIP - 20/40/10
- Minnesota - BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM, UIM - 30/60/10
- Mississippi - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/25
- Missouri - BI & PD Liab, UM - 25/50/10
- Montana - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/10
- Nebraska - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/25
- Nevada - BI & PD Liab - 15/30/10
- New Hampshire - FR only, UM - 25/50/25
- New Jersey - BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM - 15/30/5 (6)
- New Mexico - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/10
- New York - BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM - 25/50/10 (7)
- North Carolina - BI & PD Liab - 30/60/25
- North Dakota - BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM - 25/50/25
- Ohio - BI & PD Liab - 12.5/25/7.5
- Oklahoma - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/25
- Oregon - BI & PD Liab, PIP, UM - 25/50/10
- Pennsylvania - BI & PD Liab, PIP - 15/30/5
- Rhode Island - BI & PD Liab, UM - 25/50/25 (3)
- South Carolina - BI & PD Liab, UM - 25/50/25
- South Dakota - BI & PD Liab, UM - 25/50/25
- Tennessee - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/10 (3)
- Texas - BI & PD Liab - 20/40/15*
- Utah - BI & PD Liab, PIP - 25/50/15 (3)
- Vermont - BI & PD Liab, UM, UIM - 25/50/10
- Virginia - BI & PD Liab, UM - 25/50/20
- Washington - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/10
- West Virginia - BI & PD Liab, UM - 20/40/10
- Wisconsin - FR only, UM - 25/50/10
- Wyoming - BI & PD Liab - 25/50/20
(1) The first two numbers refer to bodily injury liability limits and the third number to property liability. For example, 20/40/10 means coverage up to $40,000 for all persons injured in an accident, subject to a limit of $20,000 for one individual, and $10,000 coverage for property damage.
(2) Low-cost policy limits for low-income drivers in the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan are 10/20/3.
(3) Instead of policy limits, policyholders can satisfy the requirement with a combined single limit policy. Amounts vary by state.
(4) In addition, policyholders must also carry at least $1,000 for medical payments.
(5) May be waived for the policyholder but is compulsory for passengers.
(6) Basic policy (optional) limits are 10/10/5. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage not available under the basic policy but uninsured motorist coverage is required under the standard policy.
(7) In addition, policyholders must have 50/100 for wrongful death coverage.
*Minimum coverage requirements will increase to 25/50/25 on April 1, 2008 and to 30/60/30 on January 1, 2011.
Source: Property Casualty Insurers Association of America; state departments of insurance.