Of course, you know you need auto insurance if you have a car but not every state’s auto insurance is equal. States vary by rates and minimum requirements, each state mandating regulations based on the state’s insurance commissioner and state laws. As such, you’ll find rates and insurance coverage vary by state.
What Is the State Minimum Coverage in Each State
Every state has a minimum coverage requirement for liability insurance. There will be three separate portions to this requirement: the bodily injury per person, per accident; total bodily injury per accident for all passengers; property damage per liability accident. It may be depicted on your declarations page as $15,000/$30,000/$5,000 or something similar reflecting the state’s standards.
Take a look at how the basic state coverage auto insurance varies.
| State | Coverage |
| Alabama | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Alaska | $50,000/$100,000/$25,000 |
| Arizona | $25,000/$50,000/$15,000 |
| Arkansas | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| California | $15,000/$30,000/$5,000 |
| Colorado | $25,000/$50,000/$15,000 |
| Connecticut* | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Delaware | $25,000/$50,000/$10,000 |
| Florida** | $10,000 property damage/$10,000 person injury protection |
| Georgia | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Hawaii*** | $20,000/$40,000/$10,000 |
| Idaho | $25,000/$50,000/$15,000 |
| Illinois* | $25,000/$50,000/$20,000 |
| Indiana | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Iowa | $20,000/$40,000/$15,000 |
| Kansas*/*** | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Kentucky*** | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Louisiana | $15,000/$30,000/$25,000 |
| Maine*/**** | $50,000/$100,000/$25,000 |
| Maryland | $30,000/$60,000/$15,000 |
| Massachusetts*/*** | $20,000/$40,000/$5,000 |
| Michigan*** | $50,000/$100,000/$10,000 |
| Minnesota*/*** | $30,000/$60,000/$10,000 |
| Mississippi | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Missouri* | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Montana | $25,000/$50,000/$20,000 |
| Nebraska* | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Nevada | $25,000/$50,000/$20,000 |
| New Hampshire*/**** | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| New Jersey* | $15,000/$30,000/$5,000 |
| New Mexico | $25,000/$50,000/$10,000 |
| New York*/***** | $25,000/$50,000/$10,000 |
| North Carolina* | $30,000/$60,000/$25,000 |
| North Dakota*/*** | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Ohio | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Oklahoma | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Oregon*/*** | $25,000/$50,000/$20,000 |
| Pennsylvania**** | $15,000/$30,000/$5,000 |
| Rhode Island | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| South Carolina* | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| South Dakota* | $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Tennessee | $25,000/$50,000/$15,000 |
| Texas | $30,000/$60,000/$25,000 |
| Utah | $25,000/$65,000/$15,000 |
| Virginia | $25,000/$50,000/$20,000 |
| Vermont* | $25,000/$50,000/$10,000 |
| Washington | $25,000/$50,000/$10,000 |
| Washington, D.C.* | $25,000/$50,000/$10,000 |
| West Virginia* | $20,000/$50,000/$25,000 |
| Wisconsin* | $25,000/$50,000/$10,000 |
| Wyoming | $25,000/$50,000/$20,000 |
*also requires uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
**unique coverage requirements in this no-fault state
***also requires personal injury protection as a no-fault state
****also requires medical payments coverage
*****required liability for death protection
If you want more comprehensive coverage than the state minimums, you’ll pay more.
State Base Rates Vary
Not only does each state have its own requirements for coverage, but they also have their own base rates. Places like Florida, New York, and Louisiana are considered the most expensive states for auto insurance while Maine, Ohio, and Wisconsin are considered the cheapest.
Certain factors within the state will affect rates, namely risks. If you live in an area where there is a lot of traffic thus accidents, you’ll likely see higher rates. Also, high crime areas suggest more cars will get stolen or vandalized, driving insurance rates up.
Personal Factors Affecting Insurance Rates
It’s not just the state that affects your rate. There are personal factors that affect how much you’ll spend on auto insurance.
The following factors can positively or negatively impact your rate:
- Credit score: Some states such as Florida use credit score to partially determine risk. The lower your credit score, the higher your rate can be.
- Car type: Some cars have more risk than others. A low-risk car may have safety features that reduce the impact of accidents reducing premiums. Other cars may be theft risks and have higher rates.
- Age and driving experience: Younger drivers tend to pay more than older drivers. At the same time, you may pay higher rates if you are older but just got licensed and don’t have the driving experience to match your age.
- Gender: Younger men tend to pay more than younger women because they often take more risks. At the same time, older women statistically get into more accidents and see higher rates.
- ZIP code: Even within states, some areas are considered statistically higher risk zones than others and this is often based on ZIP codes.
- Driving record: If you have tickets and at-fault accidents on your driving record, you are considered a higher risk than someone with a clean driving record. You’ll pay more premiums as a result.
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