Auto Insurance
Georgia Minimum Car Insurance Requirements, Penalties and Other Auto Insurance Laws
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What Is the Minimum Car Insurance Requirement in Georgia?
How much car insurance you need in Georgia should follow the minimum liability coverage the state requires. This includes:
- $25,000 in bodily injury per person
- $50,000 in bodily injury per accident
- $25,000 in property damage per accident
Note that insurers can refer to these values in shorter forms, such as 25/50/25. While these limits are the legally required minimums, more coverage can be added as needed or desired.
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What Does This Minimum Coverage Mean?
Like most states, car insurance is required in Georgia. Drivers must have 25/50/25 in liability coverage, which pays for injuries caused to a third party and any damages to their property. For bodily injury coverage, drivers must have a minimum limit of $25,000 per person and $50,000 for all persons involved in an accident. For property damage, a policy must have at least a $25,000 limit.
Take note that the state’s minimum requirements may not be enough to cover you in an accident. Consider getting additional coverage to increase your protection.
How Much Does the Minimum Car Insurance Cost in Georgia?
Car insurance premiums in Georgia are determined based on a number of factors. Your age, ZIP code, driving history, credit score and more are considered by insurers, with some factors being more heavily weighed compared to others. Cost can also vary based on the insurance company of your choosing.
USAA offers the cheapest auto insurance in Georgia at an average of $493 per year. However, their services can only be purchased by those in military families. The next cheapest option, and the most widely available, is GEICO, with policies costing an average of $722 per year.
These prices are only estimates based on rates for an average Georgia driver and should not be used to compare insurance prices.
Rates in Georgia were gathered based on the state’s minimum liability requirement of 25/50/25. MoneyGeek also used a driver’s profile of a 40-year-old Georgia resident with a 2010 Toyota Camry and a good driving record and credit score.
If you're instead looking for a policy that balances quality with affordability, MoneyGeek also ranked the top car insurance companies in Georgia.
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What Is the Minimum Car Insurance Requirement in Georgia While Leasing a Car?
Apart from Georgia’s minimum liability requirements, drivers that lease their cars may have to consider their leasing company’s rules on car insurance. Typically, financial leasing companies have higher requirements, mandating full coverage insurance with at least 100/300/50 liability limits. Ask your financial leasing company what their minimum requirements are since this can vary from company to company.
The minimum liability limits in Georgia may not be enough to protect you from financial repercussions if you get into an accident. This is why how much car insurance you need should depend on your personal factors, such as your driving history and financial stability, along with external factors, such as how many uninsured drivers there are in the state.
In Georgia, 12.4% of drivers are uninsured. This puts you at risk if you get into an accident with one of them and you have no full coverage insurance. That said, MoneyGeek generally recommends having full coverage insurance with at least 50/100/50 in liability limits.
Penalties for Driving Without Car Insurance in Georgia
In Georgia, car insurance laws mandate that drivers need to have a minimum amount of liability insurance before they can drive around the area. Without this, the state can impose fines and penalties.
By law, the Georgia Department of Revenue has the right to impose the following consequences to drivers without car insurance:
- Suspend or revoke the vehicle registration and license of the driver
- Fine the driver or vehicle owner $25 for any lapses in coverage while the vehicle is registered
- Fine the driver or vehicle owner up to $160 on top of the $25 fine if the lapse of coverage fine is not paid without 60 days
- Refuse to reinstate vehicle registration or renew it if fines have not been paid or the vehicle continues to be uninsured
Frequently Asked Questions About Car Insurance in Georgia
Understanding car insurance in Georgia can be difficult since there are a number of laws and requirements to remember. Below, MoneyGeek answered a few frequently asked questions about car insurance in Georgia.
In Georgia, car insurance laws state that all drivers need car insurance before they can operate their personal vehicles. The minimum liability limit that drivers must have in their policies is 25/50/25, which can help protect against the costs from a third party involved in an accident.
Georgia requires that drivers provide proof of insurance when registering their vehicle. Without it, the car will not be registered by the state.
Drivers in Georgia are required to have a car insurance policy with minimum liability limits of 25/50/25. This means having $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person with a $50,000 limit per accident and $25,000 in property damage coverage.
Like in most states, car insurance in Georgia typically follows the vehicle rather than the driver. This means that if a driver’s relative or friend borrows their car and gets into an accident, the insurance coverage will still kick in.
Purchasing car insurance in Georgia without a license can be difficult, but it is not impossible. Having no license means you have little to no driving history, which is a factor that most insurers consider. You are likely to get turned away or have higher premiums due to not having a license.
Georgia is an at-fault state. This means that the state requires that someone is held responsible when an accident occurs.
No, the state of Georgia does not require drivers to have personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. This type of coverage can protect a driver and their passengers in the event of an accident and can pay for any medical bills, loss of income and other accident-related consequences.
Uninsured motorist insurance is not required in Georgia. However, it is highly recommended that drivers get this as it can insure them in the event that they get into an accident with an uninsured driver who is at fault.
Georgia allows drivers to benefit from diminished value compensation. Otherwise known as a diminution of value, this is the difference in a vehicle’s value before and after an accident. Drivers can recover this loss in Georgia through diminished value compensation.
The requirements for car insurance in Georgia do not change after a DUI. However, getting a policy may be more difficult as having a DUI classifies you as high risk. Insurers are likely to turn you away or give you higher premiums as a result.
CARCO inspections are not required in Georgia. This is when photos are taken to document a vehicle’s condition before insurance is purchased to protect both the driver and the insurer.
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sources
- CARCO. "CARCO FAQs." Accessed July 9, 2021.
- Department of Revenue. "Acceptable Proof of Insurance." Accessed July 9, 2021.
- Insurance Information Institute. "2020 Insurance Factbook." Accessed July 11, 2021.
- Insurance Information Institute. "Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists." Accessed July 11, 2021.
- Kelly Blue Book. "Penalties for Driving Without Car Insurance by State." Accessed July 11, 2021.
- Office of Commissioner Insurance and Fire Safety. "Auto Insurance." Accessed July 11, 2021.