What Are the Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Your State?

Every state has its own minimum car insurance requirements, including the amount of liability coverage drivers must carry to operate a vehicle legally. Some states also require Personal Injury Protection (PIP) or uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, while others require only liability insurance.¹

Meeting your state's minimum insurance requirement keeps you legal, but it doesn't necessarily provide enough financial protection after a serious accident. As you compare policies through Luva, it's worth looking beyond the legal minimum to see how much additional liability coverage fits your budget.

New Hampshire doesn't require drivers to purchase auto insurance. However, drivers must still demonstrate financial responsibility after certain accidents and remain personally responsible for damages they cause.³

Minimum car insurance is the lowest amount of insurance your state requires you to carry to drive a vehicle legally. As the table above shows, most states require bodily injury liability and property damage liability insurance, while some also require PIP or UM/UIM coverage.¹

Liability limits are usually written as three numbers, such as 30/60/25. Those numbers mean:

• $30,000 for bodily injury liability per person

• $60,000 for bodily injury liability per accident

• $25,000 for property damage liability per accident¹

These limits are a legal minimum—not a recommendation. If you cause an accident that results in damages exceeding your policy limits, you may be responsible for paying the remaining costs out of pocket.²

For many drivers, the answer is no. While minimum coverage satisfies your state's legal requirements, it may not provide enough protection if you're involved in a serious accident. Medical expenses, vehicle repairs, and legal judgments can quickly exceed minimum liability limits.²

When deciding how much coverage to buy, consider your income, savings, home equity, and other assets. Many drivers find that increasing liability limits costs less than expected. Comparing quotes through Luva can help you determine whether higher coverage fits your budget.

State minimum insurance requirements vary, but they generally include one or more of the following coverages. Refer to the table above to see which coverages your state requires.¹

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

Nearly every state requires bodily injury liability and property damage liability insurance.

Bodily injury liability helps pay for another person's medical bills, lost wages, and legal expenses if you're responsible for an accident. Property damage liability helps pay for damage you cause to another person's vehicle or other property.¹

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays for your medical expenses regardless of who caused the accident. Depending on the state, it may also cover lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and certain essential services.¹

States requiring PIP are:

• Delaware

• Florida

• Hawaii

• Kansas

• Kentucky

• Maryland

• Massachusetts

• Michigan

• Minnesota

• New Jersey

• New York

• North Dakota

• Oregon

• Pennsylvania

• Utah³

Florida and Michigan have unique no-fault insurance systems. Florida requires PIP and property damage liability, while Michigan requires PIP but offers multiple medical benefit options.³

Medical Payments (MedPay)

Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage helps pay medical expenses for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of who was at fault. Unlike PIP, MedPay generally doesn't cover lost wages, rehabilitation, or other non-medical expenses.¹

States that require MedPay include:

• Maine

• New Hampshire (if you choose to carry auto insurance)

• Pennsylvania³

In most other states, MedPay is optional, but many insurers offer it as an affordable add-on that can help cover deductibles, copays, ambulance rides, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses after an accident.²

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

According to the Insurance Research Council, about one in seven U.S. drivers is uninsured, making UM/UIM coverage valuable even where it isn't required.⁴ UM/UIM coverage helps pay for injuries—and in some states, vehicle damage—if you're hit by a driver with little or no insurance.¹

States requiring UM/UIM are:

• Connecticut

• Illinois

• Kansas

• Maine

• Maryland

• Massachusetts

• Minnesota

• Missouri

• Nebraska

• New Jersey

• New York

• North Carolina

• North Dakota

• Oregon

• South Carolina

• South Dakota

• Vermont

• Virginia

• West Virginia

• Wisconsin³

Comprehensive and Collision

No state requires comprehensive or collision insurance as part of its minimum legal requirements. However, lenders typically require both coverages if you finance or lease your vehicle.

The main difference between a no-fault state and an at-fault state is which insurance policy pays for medical expenses after an accident.

In a no-fault state, your own insurance typically pays for your injuries first through Personal Injury Protection (PIP), regardless of who caused the crash.¹

In an at-fault state, the driver who caused the accident is generally responsible for paying for the other party's injuries and property damage through their liability insurance. Injured drivers may file a claim against the at-fault driver's insurance company.¹

No-fault laws were designed to speed up claims and reduce lawsuits, but they don't eliminate liability insurance requirements. Drivers in no-fault states must still carry the coverages required by their state's insurance laws.²

Driving without your state's required minimum insurance can result in serious legal and financial consequences. Penalties vary by state but commonly include:³

• Fines and court costs

• Driver's license suspension

• Vehicle registration suspension

• Vehicle impoundment

• SR-22 or other proof-of-insurance filing requirements

• Higher insurance premiums after coverage is reinstated

If you're involved in an accident without the required insurance, you could also be held personally responsible for medical bills, property damage, legal expenses, and court judgments that exceed your ability to pay.¹

If you're shopping for affordable coverage, comparing quotes through Luva can help you find a policy that meets your state's minimum requirements while also allowing you to compare higher liability limits and optional coverages.