Minimum legal requirements for car insurance vary by the state in which you live. Of almost nationwide importance is auto liability insurance, which is required virtually everywhere. For drivers, it is very important to know the legal minimums allowed for liability insurance, especially as they increase from time to time. Granted, auto insurance companies ought to be on top of these things and should never sell a non compliant policy. But at the same time, it is just good to be organized and to know what is required of you. This includes liability insurance as well as anything else that a state might mandate.
In many states, the only legally required form of auto coverage is liability. But this is not true everywhere, particularly in our twelve no fault states, which have additional requirements right off the top just because of their no fault designation. Some states of no fault and tort variety have requirements for uninsured and sometimes also underinsured motorist coverage. Between all of these elements and the others we might choose to complement them, drivers have many choices on ways to customize their policy. But it all starts with meeting those minimum legal requirements that the different states set forth.
Liability Insurance Requirements
As noted above, liability insurance is the most widely mandated form of car insurance nationwide. And there is very good reason for this. Drivers who are protected by this policy type get a great shield of protection when they pay the premium. That shield is basically a guard against getting sued. If you have good insurance, your coverage will normally handle the claims of any victims who might suffer injury or property loss in an accident caused by you.
Liability coverage is cheap, meaning we have no excuse for skimping on it. If anything, drivers ought to invest everything they can to strengthen this area beyond the minimum legal requirements, which vary from state to state. We can find more information online if interested in learning more about certain states' guidelines.
No Fault States
There are twelve no fault states in the Union. Each of these states has its own way of administering no fault auto insurance law, so there is no single way to describe the minimum legal requirements for this form of coverage. But it is a safe generalization to mention the importance of personal injury protection (PIP), which is also called no fault, to these policies. Drivers in these states rely on that protection to take care of them when they get injured in car accidents, so it is easy to see why it is so important to have solid, up to date PIP coverage as a driver in a no fault or no fault choice state.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorist insurance is another area of protection that sometimes comes in as a requirement for all motorists, in no fault and tort states. Sometimes it is also accompanied by optional or mandatory underinsured coverage. The specifics of these policies and their minimum legal requirements can and do vary, but it is important to note that some states offer bodily injury and property damage uninsured coverage, while others only mandate one or the other.
Compare Quotes on Required Coverage
Drivers who are trying to build the perfect policy really need to dig in and find out about the requirements for coverage in their home states. Once you do this, you can get some free quotes on policies meeting the minimum legal requirements where you live using our free quote form above and save on a compliant and protective policy.
