Guide to car insurance in the United States
If you drive, own or lease a car, each of the 50 states requires you to either have car insurance or provide “proof of financial responsibility.” Proof of financial responsibility is usually met by having car insurance. Each state mandates specific types of insurance required – and there are lots of state to state differences. Some states have high liability limits required; other states require that you have liability and uninsured motorists’ coverage.
Not only does each state have its own insurance requirements, each state will also have its own laws about negligence if you are in an accident (contributory or comparative). Some states have a “no fault” rule for accidents with damages under a specific threshold set for each state.
Click on your state for the minimum coverage amounts and other helpful information about cars and insurance in your state:
Hawaii
- $20,000 for death or injury to one person;
- $40,000 for death or injury to two or more people;
- $10,000 for property damage to others; and
- $10,000 for Personal Injury Protection coverage for you, passengers in your car, or pedestrians
Visit state page for details and regulations
Illinois
- $20,000 for death or injury to one person;
- $40,000 for death or injury to two or more people; and
- $15,000 for property damage to others
- Important: You must also have uninsured/underinsured coverage in the same amounts as your bodily injury coverage
Visit state page for details and regulations
Maine
- $50,000 for death or injury to one person;
- $100,000 for death or injury to two or more people; and
- $25,000 for property damage to others;
- $50,000 for death or injury to one person and $100,000 for death or injury to two or more persons for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage plus $2,000 in med pay coverage.
Visit state page for details and regulations
