How Much Car Insurance Coverage Do I Need?

How Much Car Insurance Coverage Do I Really Need?

You may wonder what type of car insurance you need. Almost every state in the U. S. (and Washington, D.C.) requires a driver to have some form of automobile insurance coverage in order to drive on public roads.

But the specific types of coverage and required levels vary from state to state. We will define the different types of coverages and then provide insight into what each jurisdiction requires. You should be aware that many of these types of coverage have different requirements for both individuals and accidents.

The following list defines the five commonly required types of automobile insurance coverage:

Bodily injury liability coverage

If you are involved in an accident with another driver or pedestrian, and you are found to be at fault, bodily injury liability coverage can help you pay for the medical expenses of the other person. Additionally, this coverage may help you pay for legal fees in the event that the other person sues you for damages.

Property damage liability coverage

Property damage liability coverage is designed to provide financial protection in the event that you cause damage to someone else’s property. For example, if you cause damage to another vehicle, your property damage liability coverage could help pay for the cost of repairing that vehicle.

Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can help provide financial protection if you are involved in an accident with a driver who is uninsured or underinsured and cannot pay for your losses. This coverage can help you pay for medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses that you may incur as a result of the accident.

Personal injury protection coverage

Personal injury protection is a type of insurance coverage that is required in some states with no-fault laws. PIP coverage can help pay for medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and related expenses, regardless of who caused the accident. In some states where fault is considered, PIP coverage can also be purchased as an optional coverage.

Medical payments coverage

Medical payments coverage is a type of insurance coverage that can help pay for your medical expenses following an accident. This coverage is generally considered optional and is available in many states. However, only two states require that drivers carry medical payments coverage.

The amount of car insurance coverage that you need is entirely up to you (unless it is required by the state).

Automotive Insurance Requirements By State

Below is a list of automotive insurance by state:

Alabama

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

Alaska

$50,000 bodily injury liability per person
$100,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
(Insurance is not required in areas where registration is not required)

Arizona

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$15,000 property damage liability per accident

Arkansas

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

California

$15,000 bodily injury liability per person
$30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$5,000 property damage liability per accident

Colorado

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$15,000 property damage liability per accident

Connecticut

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident

Delaware

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$10,000 property damage liability per accident
$15,000 personal injury protection per person
$30,000 personal injury protection per accident

Florida

$10,000 property damage liability per accident
$10,000 personal injury protection

Georgia

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

Hawaii

$20,000 bodily injury liability per person
$40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$10,000 property damage liability per accident
$10,000 personal injury protection

Idaho

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$15,000 property damage liability per accident

Illinois

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$20,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Indiana

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

Iowa

$20,000 bodily injury liability per person
$40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$15,000 property damage liability per accident

Kansas

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
$4,500 personal injury protection for medical expenses
$900 per month for one year for disability/loss of income
$25 per day for in-home services
$2,000 for funeral, burial or cremation expense
$4,500 for rehabilitation expense
$900 per month up to one year for disability/loss of income survivor benefits
In-home services up to $25 per day for one year 

Kentucky

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

Louisiana

$15,000 bodily injury liability per person
$30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

Maine

$50,000 bodily injury liability per person
$100,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$100,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
$2,000 medical payments coverage

Maryland

$30,000 bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$15,000 property damage liability per accident
$30,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$60,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
$15,000 uninsured/underinsured property damage coverage per accident

Massachusetts

$20,000 bodily injury liability per person
$40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$5,000 property damage liability per accident
$20,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
$40,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
$8,000 personal injury protection

Michigan

$50,000 bodily injury liability per person
$100,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$10,000 property damage liability per accident outside Michigan
$1 million property protection within Michigan
$250,000 personal injury protection

Minnesota

$30,000 bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$10,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
$40,000 personal injury protection

Mississippi

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

Missouri

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Montana

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$20,000 property damage liability per accident

Nebraska

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident

Nevada

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$20,000 property damage liability per accident

New Hampshire

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
$25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage
$1,000 medical payments coverage

New Jersey

$5,000 property damage liability per accident
$15,000 personal injury protection

New Mexico

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$10,000 property damage liability per accident

New York

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$50,000 liability for death per person
$100,000 liability for death per accident
$10,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per accident
$50,000 personal injury protection

North Carolina

$30,000 bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$30,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
$60,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident

North Dakota

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
$30,000 personal injury protection

Ohio

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

Oklahoma

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

Oregon

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$20,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
$15,000 personal injury protection

Pennsylvania

$15,000 bodily injury liability per person
$30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$5,000 property damage liability per accident

Rhode Island

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

South Carolina

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage

South Dakota

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident

Tennessee

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$15,000 property damage liability per accident

Texas

$30,000 bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident

Utah

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$65,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$15,000 property damage liability per accident
$3,000 personal injury protection

Vermont

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$10,000 property damage liability per accident
$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$100,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
$10,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident

Virginia

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$20,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
$20,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident
(Optionally, a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee can be paid to the Department of Motor Vehicles which does not provide any insurance; it only allows someone to drive an uninsured vehicle at their own risk)

Washington

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$10,000 property damage liability per accident

Washington, D.C.

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$10,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
$5,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident

West Virginia

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$25,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage

Wisconsin

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$10,000 property damage liability per accident
$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Wyoming

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
$20,000 property damage liability per accident

Max Cash Gets You The Best Deal On Car Insurance!

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By Jordan Radcliff

Jordan is a writer for Max Cash who covers a wide range of topics, including personal loans, credit scores, and side hustles.