Minimum Car Insurance By State: Understanding YOUR State Minimum for Car Insurance
If you are looking for the lowest car insurance quotes possible, you can find that here with A Plus Insurance! Just be sure that at the very least, you have the liability limits required by your state.
- Does the State Minimum for Car Insurance Require Liability Coverage?
- Minimum Car Insurance By State: What to Ask Your Agent
- Minimum Car Insurance By State: Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
- Is Personal Injury Protection Part of the State Minimum for Car Insurance?
- Medical Payments and Minimum Car Insurance by State
Does the State Minimum for Car Insurance Require Liability Coverage?
YES! Nearly ALL states require you to have a minimum amount of liability insurance.
The only state the does not require drivers to have auto insurance is New Hampshire. But even then, it is still recommended to carry some form of auto insurance.
In any other state, if you are caught driving without liability insurance, you can experience very serious and EXPENSIVE consequences. And on top of that, they must meet your state’s requirements. If you are not sure if your car insurance coverage meets the minimum car insurance by state, please call us now and we will help you.
Minimum Car Insurance By State: What to Ask Your Agent
If you aren’t sure what the minimum car insurance by state is, ask your agent for help.
Be sure to ask them specifically:
- What is the state minimum liability?
- Does my state require PIP/Personal Injury protection or medical payments?
- Does my state require me to have uninsured motorist bodily injury and property damage coverage?
- If it is not required to have uninsured motorist coverage in my state, is my state known for having a high number of uninsured drivers?
Minimum Car Insurance By State: Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured Motorist coverage also known as UM, will provide coverage for you if you are in an accident with another person, who is at fault, and they DO NOT have insurance in place. Or if you were the victim of a hit and run.
Underinsured coverage, also known as UIM, protects you if the at fault driver does not have adequate liability limits on their insurance policy to cover your damages.
Many states will not require these to be on the policy, so you must ask for it to be added on. There are quite a few states who do require such coverage however, so be sure that it is on there!
Is Personal Injury Protection Part of the State Minimum for Car Insurance?
Sometime personal injury protection (also known as PIP) is required. This is known as “no fault insurance” and covers expenses like lost wages, medical bills, or even funeral costs.
It will pay out regardless of who is at fault.
Medical Payments and Minimum Car Insurance by State
Similar to PIP, medical payments cover medical expenses for yourself and the passengers in your vehicle, no matter who was at fault.
This will pay up to a certain monetary limit, set by yourself, that will be indicated on the policy.
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If you are curious for a more in depth look at why it’s important to know about auto insurance requirements for the state you live in…we have your answers here.
In summary, most States require different liability limits and coverages than others.
Some States that require lower liability limits, and do not require Uninsured Motorist, Medical payments, PIP, etc. overall average a cheaper cost of insurance in that State.
That is not to say that having those liability limits will be sufficient in the event of an accident.
Some of the State required limits are low, for example, 15/30/10. This only pays out $15,000 each person and $30,000 each accident for bodily injury, and $10,000 for property damage.
We all know, the majority of vehicles cost well over $10,000 so this limit is not enough to fully cover a vehicle if totaled. This may result in you being sued by the other party if your liability limits cannot properly cover the damages in an accident.
What can you do to protect yourself?
Look at increasing your liability limits a step or two above the minimum required. In most cases it is a matter of dollars and will make a huge difference.
Still unsure? Call our Insurance agents for free insurance quotes and advice. They are knowledgeable and want to make sure our customers are understanding their coverages, and looking at every possible scenario.