Best State Minimum Car Insurance

Car insurance can be expensive. You can save money on your insurance and stay on the right side of the law by buying a state minimum car insurance package. However, the minimum level of insurance you’ll need to have will depend on where you live.

In this article, we’ll help you learn more about car insurance minimums in each state. We’ll also introduce you to some of our favorite affordable car insurance providers offering state minimum coverage. 

Best Car Insurance for State Minimum Coverage:

State Minimum Car Insurance Requirements by State

Every state has its own minimum car insurance requirements. We’ll list out the minimum level of coverage you’ll need in each state. Here’s what you need to know about car insurance minimums. You can also view a guide here: Personal Auto Liability Insurance Requirements by State.

• Liability limits: You’ll usually see liability limits listed in a series of 3 numbers. The first number refers to the minimum level of bodily injury liability insurance you need per person. The second refers to the minimum level of bodily injury liability insurance you need per accident. The third refers to the minimum level of property damage liability insurance you need.

For example, if your state limit is 15/30/15, it means that you need $15,000 worth of bodily injury liability insurance per person, $30,000 worth of bodily injury liability insurance per accident and $15,000 worth of property damage liability insurance. We’ll explain what each protection covers in a later section.

• No-fault: If your state follows no-fault laws, it means that your insurance doesn’t consider who caused the accident when they decide whether you qualify for a payout. No-fault states also limit each driver’s ability to sue the other driver in the event of a crash.
• Bodily injury: Bodily injury liability insurance pays for the medical bills of anyone you injure in an accident. Bodily injury liability insurance won’t provide you with any form of compensation after an accident.
• Property damage liability insurance: Property damage liability insurance pays for repairs to another person’s property you damage during an accident, for example, another driver’s vehicle you collide with or a fence that’s damaged if your car skids off the road.

Your state may also have other insurance requirements, including:

• Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage: This protection helps pay for your medical bills and damage to your vehicle if you collide with a driver who was on the road with no insurance or with the minimum required insurance. If their minimum limits are not enough to make you whole, then your policy will kick in to pick up the rest.
• Personal injury protection: Personal injury protection pays for your medical bills and sometimes lost wages if you’re too injured to work after an accident.
• Medical bill payments: As the name suggests, this protection helps pay for your medical bills following an accident, regardless of the circumstances of the accident.

Best Auto Insurance Providers for State Minimum Coverage

Now that you understand the insurance you’ll need in your state, it’s time to choose a car insurance provider. Let’s take a look at a few insurance providers offering state minimum coverage.  

Best For

• Discounts

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1. Best Overall: Nationwide

Nationwide is one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S., with coverage available in nearly every part of the country. It allows you to sign up for state-minimum coverage online — just enter your ZIP code and a little bit of information on where you live and you can see what you’ll pay for insurance.

Nationwide also offers plenty of discounts that you can take advantage of to lower your insurance costs. You can save for bundling multiple insurance policies together, taking a defensive driving course, signing up for automatic premium deductions and even keeping your driving record clean. With service across the country, easy online quotes and plenty of discounts, Nationwide is our top insurance choice for drivers who need low levels of affordable coverage. 

Best For

• Drivers with consistently good driving habits

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2. Cheapest: Progressive

Many drivers look for state minimum car insurance because they need to insure their cars for as little money as possible. If you’re looking for the cheapest possible auto insurance, be sure to get a quote from Progressive. In our review, Progressive offered some of the most consistently affordable state minimum insurance rates across the country. In fact, Progressive claims that the average annual savings for drivers who switch to Progressive is about $796.

Like Nationwide, Progressive also offers an impressive range of discounts you can take advantage of to lower your premium even further. You can bundle your insurance together with your homeowners, business or life insurance, take advantage of good driver discounts or save by getting good grades if you’re a high school or college student. Consider Progressive if you’re looking for low-cost insurance.  

Read our full Progressive Auto Insurance Review.

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3. Best for Drivers With Accidents: The General

If you’ve been involved in an accident or you have a large number of points on your license, you may have trouble finding the car insurance you need to stay on the road safely. If you do find a company willing to insure you, you might be quoted rates that are much higher than you can afford.

The General is a low-cost car insurance company that accepts most drivers. It offers state minimum car insurance in most parts of the country, and it specializes in insuring drivers who have mistakes on their driving record. You can still get a policy with The General if you have an at-fault accident or even a DUI on your record. You can also get a quote for a policy and manage your claims online. 

Best For

• Active military members

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4. Best for Members of the Armed Forces: USAA

If you’ve served in the military or you’re a close family member of a veteran, you may be able to qualify for a special low-cost insurance policy through USAA. In our review, we found that USAA offered some of the most affordable state minimum insurance rates across the country. Like other insurance providers, you can also bundle your USAA policy together with your homeowners or life insurance as well.

Though not everyone will qualify for a policy through USAA, its low rates, discounts and easy online quote estimator makes it an excellent choice for military families. In addition to state minimum coverage, USAA also offers very affordable collision and comprehensive coverage options. 

Finding the Right Coverage For You

The specific price you’ll pay for state minimum car insurance will vary depending on your driving record, where you live, your age, your gender and much more. Finding the best car insurance for you starts with collecting quotes from a few competing car insurance providers.

Getting a quote for car insurance is easy — most insurance companies allow you to get a quote in as little as 30 seconds online. Collecting quotes and comparing your options allows you to sleep with the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re saving as much as possible on our insurance. 

Frequently Asked Questions