State Minimum Car Insurance Requirements (2026)

Every state except New Hampshire requires at least liability insurance, but minimums vary widely. Seven states updated their requirements in 2025 and 2026, including California's first increase since 1967.

See your state's minimum car insurance requirements below.

Written by Mark Fitzpatrick

Updated: May 11, 2026

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Minimum Car Insurance Requirements by State

All states except New Hampshire require drivers to carry liability car insurance, though some states allow other forms of financial responsibility as an alternative. State minimum requirements vary by state, with Florida requiring $10,000 in personal injury protection and $10,000 in property damage liability, with no bodily injury coverage required. Alaska, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina and Virginia sit at the opposite end: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident. The table below shows current minimum car insurance requirements for all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Minimum requirements are a legal floor, not a coverage recommendation. Most experts suggest at least 100/300/100 in liability to protect your assets after a serious accident. Use MoneyGeek to compare car insurance quotes for your state.


Florida	No BI required	$10,000	PIP: $10,000 (required)
Louisiana	$15,000 / $30,000	$25,000	—
Pennsylvania	$15,000 / $30,000	$5,000	MedPay: $5,000 (required); UM available
Iowa	$20,000 / $40,000	$15,000	—
Alabama	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	—
Arizona	$25,000 / $50,000	$15,000	—
Arkansas	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	—
Colorado	$25,000 / $50,000	$15,000	—
Connecticut	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	UM/UIM: $25,000/$50,000 (required)
Delaware	$25,000 / $50,000	$10,000	PIP: $15,000/$30,000
Georgia	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	—
Idaho	$25,000 / $50,000	$15,000	—
Illinois	$25,000 / $50,000	$20,000	UM/UIM: $25,000/$50,000 (required)
Indiana	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	UM: $25,000/$50,000 (required)
Kansas	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	PIP: $4,500 medical; UM: $25,000/$50,000
Kentucky	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	PIP: $10,000 (required)
Massachusetts	$25,000 / $50,000	$30,000	PIP: $8,000; UM: $25,000/$50,000
Mississippi	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	—
Missouri	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	UM: $25,000/$50,000 (required)
Montana	$25,000 / $50,000	$20,000	—
Nebraska	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	UM/UIM: $25,000/$50,000 (required)
Nevada	$25,000 / $50,000	$20,000	—
New Hampshire	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	Insurance optional but FR amounts apply
New Mexico	$25,000 / $50,000	$10,000	—
New York	$25,000 / $50,000	$10,000	PIP: $50,000; UM: $25,000/$50,000
North Dakota	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	PIP: $30,000; UM/UIM: $25,000/$50,000
Ohio	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	—
Oklahoma	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	—
Oregon	$25,000 / $50,000	$20,000	PIP: $15,000; UM: $25,000/$50,000
Rhode Island	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	—
South Carolina	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	UM: $25,000/$50,000 (required)
South Dakota	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	UM/UIM: $25,000/$50,000 (required)
Tennessee	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	—
Vermont	$25,000 / $50,000	$10,000	UM/UIM: $50,000/$100,000 (required)
Washington	$25,000 / $50,000	$10,000	—
West Virginia	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000	UM: $25,000/$50,000 (required)
Wisconsin	$25,000 / $50,000	$10,000	UM: $25,000/$50,000 (required)
Wyoming	$25,000 / $50,000	$20,000	—
Washington D.C.	$25,000 / $50,000	$10,000	UM: $25,000/$50,000 (required)
California	$30,000 / $60,000	$15,000	UM/UIM if purchased: $30,000/$60,000
Maryland	$30,000 / $60,000	$15,000	PIP: $2,500; UM: $30,000/$60,000
Minnesota	$30,000 / $60,000	$10,000	PIP: $40,000; UM/UIM: $25,000/$50,000
Texas	$30,000 / $60,000	$25,000	—
Utah	$30,000 / $65,000	$25,000	PIP: $3,000; UM/UIM if purchased: $30,000/$65,000
New Jersey	$35,000 / $70,000	$25,000	PIP: $15,000; UM/UIM: $35,000/$70,000
Hawaii	$40,000 / $80,000	$20,000	PIP: $10,000 (required)
Alaska	$50,000 / $100,000	$25,000	—
Maine	$50,000 / $100,000	$25,000	UM/UIM: $50,000/$100,000; MedPay: $2,000
Michigan	$50,000 / $100,000	$10,000	PIP: Required (various levels)
North Carolina	$50,000 / $100,000	$50,000	UM/UIM: $50,000/$100,000 (required)
Virginia	$50,000 / $100,000	$25,000	UM/UIM: $50,000/$100,000

Minimum requirements can vary by policy type, driver status and state-specific rules. Some coverages, including PIP, UM and UIM, are waivable or subject to special election rules in certain states. This applies in particular to Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Utah and Virginia. Check your state's insurance department or DMV before buying minimum-only coverage.

Florida is the outlier with no required bodily injury coverage, just $10,000 each in PIP and property damage. That leaves you personally liable for medical costs above $10,000 if you cause a serious injury. Alaska, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina and Virginia require $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident, closer to what most experts recommend. Most states land around 25/50/25, which sounds adequate until you consider that a single hospital stay can exceed $50,000.

A choropleth map of the United States showing minimum bodily injury liability requirements by state.

Requirements sourced from state insurance department filings and verified as of May 2026. MoneyGeek monitors state DOI updates on a rolling basis.

State Minimum Car Insurance Requirements Explained

State minimum car insurance requirements include different types of coverage and amounts of coverage depending on where you live. Here are the different types of coverages needed to meet state minimum auto insurance needs:

Minimum Liability insurance

Your state's minimum liability insurance covers damage and injuries you cause to others in an accident up to a max amount per person and per accident. It's split into two parts. Bodily injury liability pays for the other person's medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Property damage liability pays to repair or replace the other person's vehicle and property.

What do the numbers mean? State minimum car insurance is listed as three numbers: bodily injury per person / bodily injury per accident / property damage. For example, $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 means your insurance pays up to $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 total per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Your state's minimum liability car insurance amount might not be enough to protect your assets.

Some states let you choose between full tort and limited tort options, which affects your right to sue for pain and suffering after an accident. Your choice also impacts your premium.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) minimum requirements

Your state's minimum level of UM/UIM protects you when you're hit by a driver with no insurance or insufficient coverage up to a max amount. Uninsured motorist coverage covers damage to you when the at-fault driver has no insurance at all. Underinsured motorist coverage applies when the at-fault driver's coverage isn't enough to pay for your injuries and damages. Coverage limits usually match your state's liability requirements but can vary and this coverage is required in 22 states.

Personal injury protection (PIP) minimum requirements

Personal injury protection covers your own medical expenses and lost wages after an accident, regardless of who caused it, amount to a maximum amount. Benefits include medical costs, rehabilitation expenses, a percentage of lost wages, and essential services like childcare and housekeeping.This is required in 12 no-fault states: Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota and Utah.

Medical payments coverage (MedPay) requirements

Medical payments coverage covers medical and funeral expenses from car accidents, regardless of fault. Unlike personal injury protection, it has lower limits ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 and doesn't cover lost wages or other benefits. It supplements your health insurance and is required only in Maine, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

No-Fault vs. At-Fault States: Impact on Minimum Car Insurance Requirements

Your state uses either a no-fault or at-fault insurance system, which determines what minimum coverage you must have. In no-fault states, each driver's insurance pays for their own medical expenses and lost wages after an accident, regardless of who caused it. This is why 12 no-fault states require personal injury protection (PIP) as part of state minimums. In at-fault states, the driver responsible for the accident pays for everyone's injuries and damages through liability insurance. Property damage liability is always determined by fault in every state, meaning the at-fault driver's insurance pays to repair or replace the other driver's vehicle and property.

No-Fault States: Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota and Utah.

What's NOT Included in State Minimum Car Insurance?

No state requires collision and comprehensive (full coverage) that covers your vehicle in the case of an at-fault accident or damage from weather or theft. Most drivers need full coverage because they want to also protect their own car, not just coverage damage and medical expenses of other drivers. If you finance or lease your car you will need full coverage and potentially gap insurance.

If you're wondering what minimum coverage costs in your state, see our cheapest liability-only car insurance guide for rates by state. You can also use the car insurance calculator to get an estimate based on your profile.

State Minimum Car Insurance Changes for 2025 and 2026

MoneyGeek tracked legislative changes across all 50 states for 2025 and 2026. Seven states increased their minimums, more changes than in the prior ten years combined. If you live in one of these states, check your current policy or renewal documents to confirm your coverage meets the new limits.

2025 State Minimum Car Insurance Changes

California (Effective January 1): Increased minimum liability requirements from $15,000/$30,000/$5,000 to $30,000/$60,000/$15,000. This was California's first minimum liability increase since 1967. When uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is purchased, the minimum limits are $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident, matching the new liability limits.
Massachusetts (Effective July 1): Increased minimum liability requirements from $20,000/$40,000/$5,000 to $25,000/$50,000/$30,000. This was the first increase since 1988. The changes apply to all new and renewing policies on or after that date. Personal injury protection remained at $8,000.
North Carolina (Effective July 1): Increased minimum liability from $30,000/$60,000/$25,000 to $50,000/$100,000/$50,000. All new and renewed policies must now include both uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage at matching limits: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident. UIM coverage was previously optional.
Utah (Effective January 1): Increased minimum liability requirements from $25,000/$65,000/$15,000 to $30,000/$65,000/$25,000. Personal injury protection of $3,000 is required.
Virginia (Effective January 1): Increased minimum liability from $30,000/$60,000/$20,000 to $50,000/$100,000/$25,000. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is now required at $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.

2026 State Minimum Car Insurance Changes

Hawaii (Effective January 1): Increased minimum liability from $20,000/$40,000/$10,000 to $40,000/$80,000/$20,000. Personal injury protection of $10,000 remains required.
New Jersey (Effective January 1): Increased standard policy minimum liability from $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 to $35,000/$70,000/$25,000. Property damage liability remained $25,000.

Minimum Car Insurance Requirements: FAQ

What happens if you only have minimum coverage in an accident?

If you cause a serious accident with damages exceeding your policy limits, you're personally liable for the difference. For example, if damages reach $100,000 but you only have $25,000 in coverage, you owe $75,000 out of pocket. The other party can sue you, potentially resulting in wage garnishment or asset seizure. Minimum coverage also doesn't include comprehensive or collision, so your own vehicle repairs won't be covered.

What if I only have minimum coverage and get hit by an uninsured driver?

Your coverage depends on your state’s rules for uninsured motorist protection. In states where this coverage is required, your policy pays for injuries and vehicle damage up to your limits. If it’s not required and you didn’t add it to your policy, you’ll need to cover your own medical bills and repair costs or take legal action against the uninsured driver to recover expenses.

Suing an uninsured driver is an option, but they may have no assets to pay a judgment. UM coverage, for example, costs less than $100 annually and protects against one of the more costly scenarios on the road.

What's the difference between state minimum and full coverage?

State minimum includes only required liability insurance, covering other driver's damages, and mandatory coverage like PIP or uninsured motorist protection. Full coverage adds comprehensive and collision to protect your car.

Is minimum car insurance enough?

For most drivers, no. State minimums are designed for legal compliance, not asset protection. If you cause a serious accident and damages exceed your limits, you're personally liable for the difference. Then the other party can sue for wages, savings or property. Most experts recommend at least 100/300/100 liability coverage. If your car is financed or leased, your lender requires full coverage regardless of what your state mandates. MoneyGeek's guide to how much car insurance you need covers coverage recommendations by driver profile.

Minimum Car Insurance Coverage: Related Articles

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for almost a decade, first with LendingTree and now with MoneyGeek, conducting original research on hundreds of insurance companies and millions of insurance rates for insurance shoppers.

He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek, breaking down complex topics so people can have confidence in their purchase. Like all MoneyGeek analysts, Mark collects and analyzes independent cost and consumer experience data on insurance companies to provide objective recommendations in our content that are independent of any of MoneyGeek's insurance company partnerships.

His insights on products ranging from car, home and renters insurance to health and life insurance have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among others.

Mark holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He started his career working in financial risk management at State Street before transitioning to the analysis of the personal insurance market. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

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