Updated June 11, 2026
State minimum car insurance requirements are moving — fast. After decades of static limits, six states have raised their floors since January 2025, and more legislatures have increases on the table. If your policy renewed recently and the price jumped with no tickets or claims, a higher state minimum may be part of the reason.
This guide tracks every change and lists the current minimum liability requirements for all 50 states, verified as of June 2026.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
New Jersey — January 1, 2026
Minimum liability limits on standard policies rose from 25/50/25 to 35/70/25, completing a phased increase that began in 2023. Uninsured/underinsured motorist limits track the change. Policies renew at the new limits automatically.
Massachusetts — July 1, 2025
The property damage minimum jumped from $5,000 to $30,000 — the largest single increase in the country and the state's first change since 1988 — and bodily injury minimums rose to 25/50. Regulators projected minimum-coverage premiums would rise roughly a third.
North Carolina — July 1, 2025
Limits rose to 50/100/50, giving North Carolina the highest property damage minimum in the nation. The law also strengthened underinsured motorist recovery rules.
California — January 1, 2025
Minimums doubled from 15/30/5 to 30/60/15 — the first increase since 1967 — with a further increase already scheduled for 2035.
Virginia — January 1, 2025
Limits completed a phased rise to 50/100/25. Virginia also eliminated its unusual option to drive uninsured by paying a $500 fee (July 2024), making coverage genuinely mandatory for the first time.
Utah — January 1, 2025
Limits rose to 30/65/25, lifting both the per-person bodily injury and property damage floors. Utah remains a no-fault state requiring $3,000 of personal injury protection.
Why states are raising minimums
The math stopped working. Average new-car prices, repair costs (sensors, cameras, aluminum panels), and medical costs have all roughly doubled or more since most minimums were set — many in the 1970s and 80s. A $5,000 or $10,000 property damage limit doesn't cover half of a totaled commuter car, which pushes costs onto not-at-fault drivers and their insurers. Raising the floor shifts that cost back to the at-fault side, at the price of higher minimum premiums.
Minimum car insurance requirements by state (2026)
Limits are shown as bodily injury per person / bodily injury per accident / property damage, in thousands. Click any state for the full guide.
| State | Minimum liability | Other required coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 25/50/25 | — |
| Alaska | 50/100/25 | — |
| Arizona | 25/50/15 | — |
| Arkansas | 25/50/25 | — |
| California | 30/60/15 | Raised Jan 2025 |
| Colorado | 25/50/15 | — |
| Connecticut | 25/50/25 | UM/UIM |
| Delaware | 25/50/10 | PIP |
| Florida | No BI required | $10k PIP + $10k PD |
| Georgia | 25/50/25 | — |
| Hawaii | 20/40/10 | PIP |
| Idaho | 25/50/15 | — |
| Illinois | 25/50/20 | UM |
| Indiana | 25/50/25 | — |
| Iowa | 20/40/15 | — |
| Kansas | 25/50/25 | PIP, UM/UIM |
| Kentucky | 25/50/25 | PIP (choice no-fault) |
| Louisiana | 15/30/25 | — |
| Maine | 50/100/25 | UM/UIM, MedPay |
| Maryland | 30/60/15 | UM/UIM |
| Massachusetts | 25/50/30 | PIP, UM — PD raised Jul 2025 |
| Michigan | 50/100/10 | PIP, PPI |
| Minnesota | 30/60/10 | PIP, UM/UIM |
| Mississippi | 25/50/25 | — |
| Missouri | 25/50/25 | UM |
| Montana | 25/50/20 | — |
| Nebraska | 25/50/25 | UM/UIM |
| Nevada | 25/50/20 | — |
| New Hampshire | 25/50/25 | Insurance optional; limits apply if purchased |
| New Jersey | 35/70/25 | PIP, UM/UIM — raised Jan 2026 |
| New Mexico | 25/50/10 | — |
| New York | 25/50/10 | PIP, UM |
| North Carolina | 50/100/50 | UM/UIM — raised Jul 2025 |
| North Dakota | 25/50/25 | PIP, UM/UIM |
| Ohio | 25/50/25 | — |
| Oklahoma | 25/50/25 | — |
| Oregon | 25/50/20 | PIP, UM |
| Pennsylvania | 15/30/5 | First-party medical benefits |
| Rhode Island | 25/50/25 | — |
| South Carolina | 25/50/25 | UM (incl. UMPD) |
| South Dakota | 25/50/25 | UM/UIM |
| Tennessee | 25/50/25 | — |
| Texas | 30/60/25 | — |
| Utah | 30/65/25 | PIP — raised Jan 2025 |
| Vermont | 25/50/10 | UM/UIM, UMPD |
| Virginia | 50/100/25 | UM/UIM — raised Jan 2025 |
| Washington | 25/50/10 | — |
| West Virginia | 25/50/25 | UM (incl. UMPD) |
| Wisconsin | 25/50/10 | UM |
| Wyoming | 25/50/20 | — |
Sources: state insurance departments, compiled June 2026. Requirements change — verify with your state's insurance department before purchasing.
What this means for your next quote
If you carry minimum coverage in a state that raised its limits, your renewal already reflects the new floor — there's no opting out. That makes renewal time the right moment to comparison shop: every carrier repriced the same mandate differently, and the spread between insurers widens after a market-wide change. If you carry more than the minimum already, the changes don't directly affect you, but the premium pressure they create market-wide is one more reason an annual comparison pays.
QuoteAgents routes your quote request to a dedicated licensed agent — not a lead marketplace. Compare your state's new requirements without the spam-call flood.
Frequently asked questions
Which states raised their minimum car insurance requirements recently?
New Jersey raised limits to 35/70/25 on January 1, 2026. In 2025, Massachusetts raised property damage from $5,000 to $30,000 (July 1), North Carolina moved to 50/100/50 (July 1), and California (30/60/15), Virginia (50/100/25), and Utah (30/65/25) all increased on January 1.
What do the numbers like 25/50/25 mean?
They're thousands of dollars: bodily injury liability per person / bodily injury per accident / property damage per accident. So 25/50/25 means $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 total per crash, and $25,000 for damage you cause to others' property.
Is state minimum coverage enough?
Legally yes, practically often not. A single totaled new car exceeds most property damage minimums, and one serious injury exceeds most bodily injury minimums — leaving you personally liable for the difference. Higher limits usually cost less than people expect; quote both before deciding.