State-by-state minimum liability requirements for personal auto insurance

In all but two states (Iowa and New Hampshire), drivers are required to buy a minimum amount of auto liability insurance — the most basic type of car insurance available. Auto liability insurance helps protect you in case you harm another person or property while driving your car.

Alaska and Maine mandate the most amount of liability coverage: a payout of up to $50,000 for one person in an accident, up to $100,000 for two people in an accident and up to $25,000 for property damage. In insurance lingo, that’s 50/100/25.

States with the lowest liability requirements for auto insurance are:

• California, New Jersey and Pennsylvania — 15/30/5.
• Florida — 10/20/10.
• Massachusetts — 8/16/5.
• Ohio — 12.5/25/7.5.

State-by-state minimum liability requirements for personal auto insurance

Information current as of April 2011; research by Kevin Lyons

Alabama – 25/50/25

Alaska – 50/100/25

Arizona – 15/30/10

Arkansas – 25/50/25

California – 15/30/5

Colorado – 25/50/15

Connecticut – 20/40/10

Delaware – 15/30/10

District of Columbia – 25/50/10

Florida – 10/20/10

Georgia – 25/50/25

Hawaii – 20/40/10

Idaho – 25/50/15

Iowa – 20/40/15 (if optional auto insurance is purchased)

Illinois – 20/40/15

Indiana – 25/50/10

Kansas – 25/50/10

Kentucky – 25/50/10

Louisiana – 15/30/25

Maine – 50/100/25

Maryland – 30/60/15

Massachusetts – 8/16/5

Michigan – 20/40/10

Minnesota – 30/60/10

Mississippi – 25/50/25

Missouri – 25/50/10

Montana – 25/50/10

Nebraska – 25/50/25

Nevada – 15/30/10

New Hampshire – 25/50/25 (if optional auto insurance is purchased)

New Mexico – 25/50/10

New Jersey – 15/30/5

New York – 25/50/10

North Dakota – 25/50/25

North Carolina – 30/60/25

Ohio – 12,500/25,000/7,500

Oklahoma – 25/50/25

Oregon – 25/50/20

Pennsylvania – 15/30/5

Rhode Island – 25/50/75

South Carolina – 25/50/25

South Dakota – 25/50/25

Tennessee – 25/50/15

Texas – 30/60/25

Utah – 25/65/15

Vermont – 25/50/10

Virginia – 25/50/20

Washington – 25/50/10

Wisconsin – 25/50/10

West Virginia – 10/20/40

Wyoming – 25/50/20