| States requiring BI liability | 49 + D.C. (New Hampshire allows alternatives to traditional insurance) |
| States with mandatory PIP (no-fault) | Approximately 12 (Varies; some states offer PIP as an optional add-on) |
| States requiring UM/UIM coverage | Approximately 20 (Several more states require insurers to offer it) |
| Most common minimum liability limit | 25/50/25 (Shared by the majority of US states) |
| Lowest property damage minimum | $5,000 (CA, NJ, PA) (State insurance commissioner filings) |
| Highest bodily injury minimum (per accident) | $100,000 (AK, ME) (State insurance commissioner filings) |
Why Minimum Requirements Exist and What They Cover
Every state in the US — with the narrow exception of New Hampshire (which allows drivers to post a financial bond instead) — requires drivers to carry some form of auto insurance or proof of financial responsibility. These minimums exist primarily to ensure that victims of at-fault accidents have a legally accessible source of compensation for injuries and property damage.
The most common mandated coverage type is bodily injury liability (BI), which pays for injuries you cause to others, and property damage liability (PD), which covers damage you cause to another person's vehicle or property. Together, these form the backbone of nearly every state's minimum requirement.
Beyond liability, some states add requirements for:
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP) — covers medical expenses for you and your passengers regardless of fault; required in "no-fault" states
- Medical Payments (MedPay) — similar to PIP but narrower in scope
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UM/UIM) — required in roughly half of all states
Before reading minimums state by state, it helps to understand how liability limits are expressed. A limit written as 25/50/25 means: $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per accident for all injuries combined, and $25,000 for property damage. For a plain-English breakdown of these terms, see Auto Insurance Terms Every Driver Should Understand.
Bodily Injury Liability (BI)
Coverage that pays for injuries sustained by other people when you are at fault in an accident. It does not cover your own injuries.
Property Damage Liability (PD)
Coverage that pays for damage you cause to another person's vehicle or property in an at-fault accident. It does not cover damage to your own vehicle.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
A no-fault coverage that pays medical expenses — and sometimes lost wages — for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of who caused it.
Split Limit
A liability structure expressed as three numbers (e.g., 25/50/25): the per-person BI limit, the per-accident BI limit, and the property damage limit, each in thousands of dollars.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
Coverage that protects you when the at-fault driver either has no insurance or carries limits too low to cover your losses.
Financial Responsibility Law
State statutes requiring drivers to demonstrate they can pay for damages they cause; most states satisfy this requirement through a minimum auto insurance policy.
State-by-State Minimum Requirements at a Glance
The table below summarizes the legally required minimums by state. Limits are expressed in the standard BI per person / BI per accident / PD format (in thousands of dollars), followed by any additional mandated coverages. State laws change periodically — always verify current requirements with your state's department of motor vehicles or insurance commissioner before purchasing a policy.
| States requiring BI liability | 49 + D.C. (New Hampshire allows alternatives to traditional insurance) |
| States with mandatory PIP (no-fault) | Approximately 12 (Varies; some states offer PIP as an optional add-on) |
| States requiring UM/UIM coverage | Approximately 20 (Several more states require insurers to offer it) |
| Most common minimum liability limit | 25/50/25 (Shared by the majority of US states) |
| Lowest property damage minimum | $5,000 (CA, NJ, PA) (State insurance commissioner filings) |
| Highest bodily injury minimum (per accident) | $100,000 (AK, ME) (State insurance commissioner filings) |
| State | Min. Liability (000s) | Additional Required Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 25/50/25 | — |
| Alaska | 50/100/25 | — |
| Arizona | 25/50/15 | — |
| Arkansas | 25/50/25 | — |
| California | 15/30/5 | — |
| Colorado | 25/50/15 | — |
| Connecticut | 25/50/25 | UM/UIM |
| Delaware | 25/50/10 | PIP |
| Florida | 10/20/10 | PIP ($10,000) |
| Georgia | 25/50/25 | — |
| Hawaii | 20/40/10 | PIP ($10,000) |
| Idaho | 25/50/15 | — |
| Illinois | 25/50/20 | UM/UIM |
| Indiana | 25/50/25 | — |
| Iowa | 20/40/15 | — |
| Kansas | 25/50/25 | PIP, UM/UIM |
| Kentucky | 25/50/25 | PIP ($10,000) |
| Louisiana | 15/30/25 | — |
| Maine | 50/100/25 | UM/UIM, MedPay |
| Maryland | 30/60/15 | PIP, UM/UIM |
| Massachusetts | 20/40/5 | PIP, UM |
| Michigan | 20/40/10 | PIP (unlimited default), PD |
| Minnesota | 30/60/10 | PIP, UM/UIM |
| Mississippi | 25/50/25 | — |
| Missouri | 25/50/25 | UM |
| Montana | 25/50/20 | — |
| Nebraska | 25/50/25 | UM/UIM |
| Nevada | 25/50/20 | — |
| New Hampshire | 25/50/25 | UM/UIM (if purchased) |
| New Jersey | 15/30/5 | PIP ($15,000) |
| New Mexico | 25/50/10 | — |
| New York | 25/50/10 | PIP ($50,000), UM |
| North Carolina | 30/60/25 | UM/UIM |
| North Dakota | 25/50/25 | PIP, UM/UIM |
| Ohio | 25/50/25 | — |
| Oklahoma | 25/50/25 | — |
| Oregon | 25/50/20 | PIP, UM |
| Pennsylvania | 15/30/5 | MedPay or PIP ($5,000) |
| Rhode Island | 25/50/25 | — |
| South Carolina | 25/50/25 | UM/UIM |
| South Dakota | 25/50/25 | UM/UIM |
| Tennessee | 25/50/15 | — |
| Texas | 30/60/25 | — |
| Utah | 25/65/15 | PIP ($3,000) |
| Vermont | 25/50/10 | UM/UIM |
| Virginia | 30/60/20 | UM/UIM |
| Washington | 25/50/10 | — |
| West Virginia | 25/50/25 | UM/UIM |
| Wisconsin | 25/50/10 | UM |
| Wyoming | 25/50/20 | — |
| Washington D.C. | 25/50/10 | UM/UIM, PIP |
Always Verify with Official State Sources
Minimum insurance requirements are set by state law and can change through legislative or regulatory action. The figures in this table reflect generally established requirements and are intended as a general reference only. Before purchasing or renewing a policy, confirm current minimums directly with your state's department of insurance or a licensed insurance agent. Requirements may also differ for commercial vehicles, rideshare drivers, or drivers with certain license types.
Why Minimums Alone May Not Be Enough
State minimums set a legal floor, not a financial safety net. A single serious accident can easily generate medical bills and property damage that far exceed what minimum limits pay — leaving the at-fault driver personally liable for the remainder.
Consider that California's property damage minimum is just $5,000 — an amount that may not cover bumper repairs on a newer vehicle, let alone a totaled car. Similarly, states without mandatory UM/UIM coverage leave drivers exposed if they're hit by someone with no insurance or inadequate limits. Learn how that gap works in Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage.
For a structured look at the financial trade-offs between carrying minimums versus broader protection, see Full Coverage vs. Minimum Coverage. And if you're new to auto insurance altogether, Car Insurance in the US: A Complete First-Timer's Walkthrough provides a useful starting point before you shop for a policy.
This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal or insurance advice. State insurance requirements change over time — always verify current minimums with your state's department of insurance or a licensed insurance professional before purchasing coverage.