Is insurance required by law in all states?

Asked by: Mable Cremin  |  Last update: April 17, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (33 votes)

Car insurance is required by law in all states, except in New Hampshire and Virginia. In New Hampshire, drivers are only required to show proof of their financial capability to cover for injuries and damages for accidents that they cause.

What states do not require insurance?

New Hampshire and Virginia are the only states that do not require auto insurance. However, if you choose not to purchase car insurance in these states, you would still be held liable for any property damage or bodily injury caused by their vehicle.

What states are mandatory car insurance?

Every state, except for Virginia and remote parts of Alaska, requires drivers to have a minimum amount of liability car insurance in order to drive legally.

Do all states regulate insurance?

All U.S. insurers are subject to regulation in their state of domicile and in the other states where they are licensed to sell insurance. Insurers who fail to comply with regulatory requirements are subject to license suspension or revocation, and states may exact fines for regulatory violations.

Do you need car insurance in other states?

Your car insurance policy generally will cover you when you drive your car out of state. If you are on vacation, for example, or are passing through another state on a road trip, you won't need to get a separate car insurance policy.

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33 related questions found

Which state can you drive without car insurance?

New Hampshire is the only state that doesn't mandate car insurance. However, drivers who choose not to buy car insurance must prove they have sufficient funds to meet the state's financial responsibility requirements (PDF) in the event they cause an accident.

Can my car be registered in one state and insured in another state?

Registering a vehicle in one state while holding an insurance policy in another is not permitted for most drivers. This restriction is due to variations in traffic laws and minimum insurance coverage requirements. Attempting to insure a vehicle in a state where you don't live might be insurance fraud.

Is insurance required by law in every state?

Car insurance is required by law in all states, except in New Hampshire and Virginia. In New Hampshire, drivers are only required to show proof of their financial capability to cover for injuries and damages for accidents that they cause.

What is twisting in insurance?

Twisting is also called external replacement and is the practice of inducing a person to drop existing insurance to buy similar coverage with another producer or company. Replacing existing life insurance with a new life insurance policy based upon incomplete or incorrect representation is called twisting.

Who enforces a states insurance law?

CDI enforces the insurance laws of California and has authority over how insurers and licensees conduct business in California. License fees, assessments, and Proposition 103 recoupment fees are the primary sources of funding for CDI.

When did car insurance become mandatory by state?

SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld the 1984 state mandatory auto insurance law requiring motorists stopped for traffic violations to prove they have liability coverage or eventually face losing their licenses.

What states are fault states?

States With At-Fault Car Insurance
  • Alabama.
  • Alaska.
  • Arizona.
  • Arkansas.
  • California.
  • Colorado.
  • Connecticut.
  • Delaware.

Does insurance cover all 50 states?

No matter where you live, your standard car insurance policy will typically cover you in all 50 states and Canada. Your policy won't cover international travel outside of Canada.

Why is car insurance mandatory?

Why is it illegal to drive without insurance? Lawmakers in most states have made it illegal to drive without insurance to protect constituents from the high costs of covering medical expenses or property damage. These laws also serve as a deterrent.

What does churning mean in insurance?

Churning is the practice of an insurer replacing existing coverage with a new policy based on misrepresentations. (coverage with Carrier A is replaced with coverage from Carrier A).

What is dread insurance?

Critical illness insurance, otherwise known as critical illness cover or a dread disease policy, is an insurance product in which the insurer is contracted to typically make a lump sum cash payment if the policyholder is diagnosed with one of the specific illnesses on a predetermined list as part of an insurance policy ...

What is bouncing insurance?

Learning from past events to inform new solutions.

It was at this stage that “Bounce Insurance” was born. When a major earthquake occurs that triggers our policy, we provide our customers with an cash payment within days of being notified of the quake by their nearest GeoNet sensor, helping to fast-track recovery.

What states is it illegal to not have insurance?

New Jersey, California, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia require their residents to have health insurance coverage or face penalties. Vermont recommends that residents have coverage, but there's no noncompliance penalty.

What does 15/30/10 mean in insurance?

If your limits are 15/30/10, this means: No more than $15,000 would be paid per person for Bodily Injury. No more than $30,000 would be paid per accident for Bodily Injury. No more than $10,000 would be paid per accident for Property Damage.

Which state does not require car insurance?

New Hampshire and Virginia are the only two states that don't require car insurance. That said, there is no one country-wide rule when it comes to how much car insurance you have to have. Each state has a different minimum amount of car insurance that drivers must obtain in order to legally drive on public roads.

Can someone put a car in your name without you knowing?

Yes, it's possible for someone to steal your identity and buy a car in your name.

Is it illegal to have car insurance from another state?

You can't live in one state and have insurance in another

In general, you need to buy car insurance in the state where you live. So you should transfer your car insurance and registration if you move to a new state. It's typically illegal to live in one state and register your car in another.

How does insurance work if you are out of state?

Whenever you cross state lines, your car insurance will immediately reflect the state minimum liability limits of that state if they are higher. If they are lower, you will maintain your current liability limits that you carry on your policy.