Every US state except New Hampshire requires at least liability insurance to register and drive a vehicle. Most states use a 25/50/25 format: $25,000 per-person bodily injury, $50,000 per-accident bodily injury, $25,000 property damage — though many have updated limits in 2025–2026. New Jersey raised its limit to 35/70/25 in 2026. California moved to 30/60/15 in 2025. North Carolina and Virginia now require 50/100/50 and 50/100/25 respectively — among the highest in the country. Florida is an outlier: it requires no bodily injury liability at all — only $10,000 PIP and $10,000 property damage. Minimums are the legal floor; most financial advisers recommend at least 100/300/100 for real-world protection.
Selected state minimum limits (2026)
| State | Bodily injury (per person/accident) | Property damage | Additional required coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $30,000 / $60,000 | $15,000 | None beyond liability |
| Florida | None required | $10,000 | $10,000 PIP required |
| New Jersey (from 2026) | $35,000 / $70,000 | $25,000 | PIP required |
| New York | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | PIP + uninsured motorist |
| North Carolina | $50,000 / $100,000 | $50,000 | Uninsured motorist (matching limits) |
| Texas | $30,000 / $60,000 | $25,000 | None beyond liability |
| Virginia | $50,000 / $100,000 | $25,000 | Uninsured/underinsured motorist |
| New Hampshire | No mandate | — | Financial responsibility proof required after accident |
How to read liability limits
State minimums are expressed as three numbers separated by slashes — for example, 25/50/25. The first is the maximum your insurer will pay for one person's bodily injuries in an accident you caused. The second is the cap for all bodily injuries in a single accident. The third is the maximum for property damage. All figures are in thousands of dollars.
These are the amounts your insurer pays to the other party — not to you. Your own medical bills and vehicle damage after an at-fault accident are covered only if you have added the appropriate coverages (MedPay, PIP, collision) to your policy.
Recent changes: 2025 and 2026 updates
Several states have raised minimum limits in recent years, often for the first time in decades:
- California (2025): increased from 15/30/5 — a limit set in 1967 — to 30/60/15. A second increase to 50/100/25 is scheduled for 2035.
- North Carolina (2025): raised from 30/60/25 to 50/100/50.
- Utah (2025): moved to 30/65/25.
- Virginia (2025): raised to 50/100/25.
- New Jersey (2026): raised bodily injury limits to 35/70/25.
If you last reviewed your policy before 2025, check whether your coverage limits still reflect a now-outdated state minimum — your insurer may have auto-adjusted you to the new legal minimum rather than maintaining your previously chosen limits.
States with unusual coverage structures
Most states follow the three-number liability format, but a handful have different requirements:
- Florida: operates as a no-fault state requiring Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage of $10,000 and $10,000 property damage liability but no mandatory bodily injury liability at all. This is a genuine outlier — most other no-fault states still require some bodily injury liability.
- Michigan: was historically the most complex no-fault system, with unlimited PIP as the baseline. Recent reforms introduced tiered PIP options. Minimum liability requirements are 50/100/10.
- New Hampshire: the only state with no mandatory insurance law. However, if you cause an accident and cannot pay damages, your licence will be suspended until you demonstrate financial responsibility — the practical result is that virtually all NH drivers carry insurance.
- Virginia: introduced a mandatory insurance requirement in 2024, replacing the previous option to pay an uninsured motorist fee instead.
Why minimums are often not enough
State minimums are set at a political floor, not a financial reality floor. Medical costs after a serious accident routinely reach six figures. A 25/50/25 policy means you are personally liable for anything above $25,000 for one person's injuries — a figure a single overnight hospital stay can exceed. The standard recommendation among insurance professionals is to carry at least 100/300/100 in liability, and to consider an umbrella policy if your net worth is substantial.
Around 13% of US drivers are uninsured (Insurance Research Council estimate). If an uninsured driver hits you, your own liability cover does not help — you need uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your own policy. Many states require UM coverage; others make it optional but strongly advisable. It is typically inexpensive to add and one of the highest-value optional coverages available.
How to research your own state's current requirements
State minimums do change — as 2025–2026 demonstrates. The most reliable sources are:
- Your state's official DMV or department of insurance website (search '[state name] car insurance minimum requirements').
- The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) at content.naic.org.
- Your insurer's website for state-specific policy pages.
- Bankrate, NerdWallet, and moneygeek.com publish annually updated state-by-state tables with sources linked to official data.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to update my policy when my state raises its minimums?
Can I buy a policy with lower than state minimum limits?
What if I am involved in an accident in a different state where minimums are higher?
Does New Hampshire require anything at all?
What is the difference between liability and full coverage?
Sources & further reading
- Bankrate — Minimum Car Insurance Coverage Requirements by State
- NerdWallet — Minimum Car Insurance Requirements by State (2026)
- insurance.com — 2026 State Minimum Requirement Changes
Figures, prices and policy details were current at the last-updated date above. Automotive pricing, incentives and regulations change frequently — verify time-sensitive details with the linked primary sources. Read our editorial policy and fact-checking standards.
