How Much Auto Insurance Do I Need?

Navigating the different types of insurance, like life insurance or health insurance, has never been simple—auto insurance is no different. With so many car insurance options, determining how much coverage and what kind of auto insurance to purchase can be a bit of a challenge. 

Of course, you need auto insurance if you drive—it’s the law. But how much should go toward bodily injury liability or property damage liability or personal injury protection? Do you need basic coverage or extended coverage? What are the factors to consider when shopping around for car insurance?

First, you need to know the most common auto insurance terms and types of coverage your insurance policy can include. 

Types of Coverage 

• Collision coverage (COLL) – covers damage to your vehicle, either to replace or repair your car if it is damaged in an accident
• Comprehensive coverage– covers the cost of damages to your vehicle or to replace your car if it’s stolen or damaged by an incident other than a collision
• Uninsured motorist coverage – covers damages and/or medical expenses caused by a driver who doesn’t have car insurance
• Underinsured motorist coverage – covers damages and/or medical expenses caused by a driver who has coverage limits too low to cover your expenses hits you or your passenger
• Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UMBI) – can cover  medical expenses, lost wages, and injury-related expenses for you and your passengers if a driver who is not insured hits your car 
• Uninsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD)– can cover damages to your vehicle if someone without car insurance hits your car
• Personal injury protection (PIP) – can cover medical expenses, lost wages, substitute services, and funeral expenses regardless of which driver is at fault
• Bodily injury liability coverage (BI liability) – can cover injuries to another motorist if you are at fault for the accident 
• Gap insurance – covers the difference between the actual cash value of your car and the balance still owed on the car if your car is totaled, destroyed or stolen

Now that you understand the different types of auto insurance coverage, you need to consider these factors to determine how much car insurance coverage you need: your state minimum coverage requirement, the value of your assets including any debt, possible discounts you may receive based on your profession and membership to certain associations or based on minimal miles driven per year. 

Anthem Injury Lawyers is glad to share this car insurance information with you, and stands ready to benefit you with its extensive experience representing victims of auto accidents, drunk driving accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents and more. Contact us today for your Free Initial Consultation: call (702) 857-6000. 

For a free legal consultation, call (702) 857-6000

Minimum Car Insurance You Need

Each state has different minimum coverage requirements for car insurance so be sure to check with your insurance agent or research your state’s minimum car insurance required by law. 

Alabama 

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Alaska 

• $50,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Arizona

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

Arkansas

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

California

• $15,000 bodily injury/death liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury/death liability to more than one person
• $5,000 property damage liability per accident

Colorado

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident

Connecticut

• $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident

Delaware

• $15,000 bodily injury or death per person
• $25,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

Florida

• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $10,000 personal injury protection

Georgia

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Hawaii

• $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $10,000 personal injury protection

Idaho

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident

Illinois

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $20,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Indiana

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Iowa

• $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident

Kansas

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident

Kentucky

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $10,000 personal injury protection

Louisiana

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Maine

• $50,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $2,000 medical payments coverage

Maryland

• $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident

Massachusetts

• $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $5,000 property damage liability per accident
• $20,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $40,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $8,000 personal injury protection

Michigan

• $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

Minnesota

• $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $40,000 personal injury protection

Mississippi

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Missouri

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Montana

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $20,000 property damage liability per accident

Nebraska

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Nevada

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $20,000 property damage liability per accident

New Hampshire

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage
• $1,000 medical payments coverage

New Jersey

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $5,000 property damage liability per accident
• $15,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury

New Mexico

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

New York

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 liability for death per person
• $100,000 liability for death per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $50,000 personal injury protection
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

North Carolina

• $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $30,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $60,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident

North Dakota

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $30,000 personal injury protection

Ohio

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Oklahoma

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Oregon

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $20,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $15,000 personal injury protection

Pennsylvania

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $5,000 property damage liability per accident
• $5,000 medical benefits

Rhode Island

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

South Carolina

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage

South Dakota

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident

Tennessee

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident

Texas

• $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Utah

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $65,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident
• $3,000 personal injury protection

Virginia

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $20,000 property damage liability per accident

Vermont

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $100,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $10,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident

Washington

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

Washington D.C.

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $20,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $5,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident

West Virginia

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

Wisconsin

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Wyoming

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $20,000 property damage liability per accident 

It stands to reason that carrying the minimum auto insurance for your state may not be enough to protect you. Under the following section ‘Value Your Assets,’ we discuss how you may want to take this into consideration when buying auto insurance coverage. While we don’t sell auto insurance, it’s attention to detail like this by your attorneys, that can make all the difference if you are a victim in an auto accident. When you’ve been involved in a car accident, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Las Vegas personal injury law firm. Our attention to detail can be the difference in you receiving the positive outcome you want for your case. We offer free initial consultations. Call (702) 857-6000.

Value of your Assets

If you own a house, have significant savings or investments, then you might want to consider getting more insurance than the minimum state requirements. For instance, in the event of an accident that causes substantial damage to the other car or the other driver is in need of medical care and your auto policy can’t cover all the medical bills or car repairs, then you will be responsible for the difference. If you can’t pay that difference, your assets can be seized. If you don’t have any assets, then maybe the state minimum is enough. 

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Discounts

Different car insurance companies offer four types of discounts: driver safety, driver status, policy and vehicle. For example, if you have a solid driving record, or if you’re a good student, or you opt for auto-pay, or your car has an anti-theft device, you may be entitled to a discount. It is important to get different auto insurance quotes to see which companies reflect what discounts.

Although car insurance can be complicated and confusing, if you understand the terms and types of coverage, you can figure out the best car insurance policy for you or your family. 

Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now

Experienced Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyers

Even if you are a careful driver, car accidents are an unfortunate fact of life.

If you or a family member has been in a car accident, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you protect your rights.

If you are looking for a law firm with experienced car accident attorneys in the Las Vegas Area, contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today.  Our phone number is (702) 857-6000.  We offer Free Consultations.

Call or text (702) 857-6000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form