(this is a reposting of an original article found here from Mercury Auto Insurance Group. All information, images, and other forms of data in this post are from Mercury)
Be sure you are carrying adequate coverage
Most states require liability insurance to operate a motor vehicle. You may be subject to fines and the state may revoke your license and registration if you don’t have adequate auto insurance coverage.
Fines and penalties for driving without insurance can be avoided by buying insurance that meets the minimum coverage limits required by your state. However, this minimum insurance coverage may not be enough to ensure that you, your family and your assets are fully protected.
In California, drivers must carry liability insurance of $15,000 for injury/death to one person, $30,000 for injury/death to more than one person and $5,000 for damage to property (15/30/5).1 Your insurance company will only pay up to these limits if you are found to be liable in an accident, which means you would be responsible for any costs over and above these limits.
Mercury Insurance offers a variety of coverage options that will allow you to customize an auto insurance policy to meet your needs. Some coverage options you may want to consider include collision, liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury, uninsured motorist property damage, rental car and medical payments coverage.
Insurance can be very complicated, so it’s important to get help from a professional. Mercury has a hug network of local agents, so you can find an agent in your area who will be happy to help with your insurance needs.
In the table below, the first two numbers refer to bodily injury liability limits, while the third number refers to the property damage liability limit:
- First number: Bodily injury liability maximum for one person injured in an accident.
- Second number: Bodily injury liability maximum for all injuries in one accident.
- Third number: Property damage liability maximum for one accident.
For example, if you live in California, the minimum liability limits are $15,000 for injury liability for one person, $30,000 for all injuries and $5,000 for property damage in an accident.
State by state insurance minimum requirements in thousands2:
- Alaska: 50/100/25
- Alabama: 20/40/10
- Arkansas: 25/50/15
- Arizona: 15/30/10
- California: 15/30/5
- Colorado: 25/50/15
- Connecticut: 20/40/10
- Delaware: 15/30/5
- Florida: 10/20/10
- Georgia: 15/30/10
- Hawaii: 20/40/10
- Idaho: 20/50/15
- Illinois: 20/40/15
- Indiana: 25/50/10
- Iowa: 20/40/15
- Kansas: 25/50/10
- Kentucky: 25/50/10
- Louisiana: 10/20/10
- Maine: 50/100/25
- Maryland: 20/40/10
- Massachusetts: 20/40/5
- Michigan: 20/40/10
- Minnesota: 30/60/10
- Mississippi: 25/50/25
- Missouri: 25/50/10
- Montana: 25/50/10
- Nebraska: 25/50/25
- New Hampshire: 25/50/25
- New Jersey: 15/30/5
- New Mexico: 25/50/10
- Nevada: 15/30/10
- New York: 25/50/10
- North Carolina: 30/60/25
- North Dakota: 25/50/25
- Ohio: 12.5/25/7.5
- Oklahoma: 10/20/10
- Oregon: 25/50/10
- Pennsylvania: 15/30/5
- Rhode Island: 25/50/25
- South Carolina: 25/50/25
- South Dakota: 25/50/25
- Tennessee: 25/50/10
- Texas: 30/60/25
- Utah: 25/65/15
- Virginia: 25/50/20
- Vermont: 25/50/10
- Washington: 25/50/10
- Wisconsin: 25/50/10
- West Virginia: 20/40/10
- Wyoming: 25/50/20
1 www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffvr18.htm#minliareq
2 www.dmv.org/insurance/insurance-state-requirements.php