When to Drop Collision Coverage, and How to Choose a Deductible
When to drop collision coverage: compare your car's value with the premium and deductible, understand comprehensive, and pick a deductible you can pay.
How much car insurance liability do I need?
Pick your state to see its minimum liability limits, then see limits sized to what you own. If you cause a serious crash, anything above your limits can become your problem.
Your comparison
Choose your state to compare its minimum with a suggested limit.
Educational estimate, not advice. State rules change; confirm with your state insurance department. Price depends on your driving record, vehicle and insurer. How we calculate this.
Compare scenarios
Save up to 3 versions of your inputs and compare them side by side.
What do numbers like 50/100/25 mean?
They are your liability limits in thousands of dollars: up to $50,000 for one injured person, $100,000 for all injuries in one crash, and $25,000 for property damage. Your insurer pays up to those amounts; above them, you can be personally responsible.
Why the state minimum is a floor, not a target
Minimums are set by law to make sure some money is available after a crash. They were not designed around what serious injuries or newer cars cost, and many have not changed in years.
How we size the suggestion
The more you own, the more a lawsuit could reach. We start at 100/300/100, step up to 250/500/100 when net worth passes $100,000, and point to an umbrella policy above $500,000.
How to use this calculator
- Choose your state. The tool shows your state's minimum bodily injury and property damage limits, with the official source.
- Enter your net worth. What you own minus what you owe; this sizes the suggested limits.
- Compare minimum and suggested limits. See the gap for each limit and what a serious crash could leave you owing.
- Check the state notes. Some states also require PIP or uninsured motorist coverage.
How this car insurance liability calculator works
Liability coverage pays for injuries and damage you cause to other people. Every state sets a minimum, and the NAIC warns that if a judgment is higher than your limit, you will have to pay the difference. This calculator puts your state’s minimum next to limits sized to what you own, so you can see the gap before a crash, not after.
Reading liability limits
Limits are written as three numbers in thousands of dollars: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident, and property damage. Texas, for example, requires 30/60/25: $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 for all injuries in one crash, and $25,000 for property damage.
The formula
Suggested limits = 100/300/100 when net worth is $100,000 or less
Suggested limits = 250/500/100 when net worth is over $100,000
Umbrella prompt when net worth is over $500,000
Per-person gap = suggested per-person limit − state minimum per-person limit
These thresholds are Coverlee’s starting points, chosen to match common recommendations; they are listed on our methodology page and stored in one data file so they can be reviewed.
Worked example: a Texas driver
A driver in Texas with $60,000 of net worth chooses their state.
| Limit | Texas minimum | Suggested | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury per person | $30,000 | $100,000 | $70,000 |
| Bodily injury per accident | $60,000 | $300,000 | $240,000 |
| Property damage | $25,000 | $100,000 | $75,000 |
If this driver caused a crash that injured one person with $55,000 of medical bills and lost wages, a minimum policy would pay $30,000, leaving $25,000 that could be claimed from the driver. At 100/300/100, the policy would pay it all. Our guide on whether state minimum car insurance is enough works through a full multi-vehicle example.
Recent changes to state minimums
Minimums change, and the state table on this page shows the date we checked each state’s official source. Recent increases include California (30/60/15 in 2025), Virginia (50/100/25 in 2025), Utah (30/65/25 in 2025), North Carolina (50/100/50 in July 2025), Massachusetts (25/50/30 in July 2025), New Jersey (35/70/25 in 2026) and Hawaii (40/80/20 in 2026).
What the result means
- The minimum is a legal floor. It was not designed around what serious injuries or newer cars cost.
- Higher limits often cost less than expected. Ask for quotes at your current limits and at the suggested ones.
- Match uninsured motorist coverage. It protects you when the other driver has too little; see the underinsured motorist calculator.
- Florida and New Hampshire differ. Florida requires PIP and property damage but not bodily injury liability for most drivers; New Hampshire does not require most drivers to buy insurance.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Buying the minimum because it is legal | Size limits to what you could lose |
| Lowering liability to afford collision | Liability protects your savings; review collision instead |
| Forgetting umbrella requirements | Umbrella insurers usually require higher underlying auto limits |
More auto tools
See whether an older car still needs collision with the drop full coverage calculator, compare deductibles with the insurance deductible calculator, and size extra protection with the umbrella insurance calculator.
Sources
- Auto insurance guide — Texas Department of Insurance, accessed
- Auto Insurance — National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), accessed
- Everything Auto Insurance (2026) — New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, accessed
- Auto Minimum Limits FAQs — Hawaii Insurance Division, accessed
Minimum liability limits in every state
| State | Bodily injury (person / accident) | Property damage | Also required / notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | — | Alabama Department of Insurance |
| Alaska | $50,000 / $100,000 | $25,000 | — | Alaska Division of Insurance |
| Arizona | $25,000 / $50,000 | $15,000 | — | Arizona Department of Transportation, MVD |
| Arkansas | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | — | Arkansas Insurance Department |
| California | $30,000 / $60,000 | $15,000 | Raised from 15/30/5 for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025. | California Department of Insurance |
| Colorado | $25,000 / $50,000 | $15,000 | — | Colorado Division of Insurance |
| Connecticut | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is also required. | Connecticut Insurance Department |
| Delaware | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | Personal injury protection (PIP) of $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident is also required. | Delaware Department of Insurance |
| District of Columbia | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | Uninsured motorist coverage is also required. | DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking |
| Florida | Not required | $10,000 | Florida requires $10,000 personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 property damage liability. Bodily injury liability is not required for most drivers, but can be required after certain crashes or violations. | Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles |
| Georgia | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | — | Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire |
| Hawaii | $40,000 / $80,000 | $20,000 | Raised from 20/40/10 for new and renewal policies on or after January 1, 2026. $10,000 PIP is also required. | Hawaii Insurance Division |
| Idaho | $25,000 / $50,000 | $15,000 | — | Idaho Department of Insurance |
| Illinois | $25,000 / $50,000 | $20,000 | Uninsured motorist coverage (25/50) is also required. | Illinois Department of Insurance |
| Indiana | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | — | Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles |
| Iowa | $20,000 / $40,000 | $15,000 | — | Iowa Insurance Division |
| Kansas | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | PIP and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage are also required. | Kansas Insurance Department |
| Kentucky | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | $10,000 PIP is required unless you reject it in writing. A $75,000 combined single limit can be used instead of split limits. | Kentucky Department of Insurance |
| Louisiana | $15,000 / $30,000 | $25,000 | — | Louisiana Department of Insurance |
| Maine | $50,000 / $100,000 | $25,000 | Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (50/100) and $2,000 medical payments coverage are also required. | Maine Bureau of Insurance |
| Maryland | $30,000 / $60,000 | $15,000 | Uninsured motorist coverage and $2,500 PIP (which can be waived) are also required. | Maryland Insurance Administration |
| Massachusetts | $25,000 / $50,000 | $30,000 | Raised from 20/40/5 for policies written or renewed on or after July 1, 2025. $8,000 PIP and uninsured motorist coverage (25/50) are also required. | Massachusetts Division of Insurance |
| Michigan | $50,000 / $100,000 | $10,000 | Default bodily injury limits are 250/500; you can choose 50/100 in writing. The $10,000 figure is property damage liability for crashes in other states; in Michigan, property protection insurance (PPI) of $1 million and PIP are also required. | Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services |
| Minnesota | $30,000 / $60,000 | $10,000 | No-fault PIP ($40,000: $20,000 medical and $20,000 non-medical) and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (25/50) are also required. | Minnesota Department of Commerce |
| Mississippi | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | — | Mississippi Insurance Department |
| Missouri | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | Uninsured motorist coverage (25/50) is also required. | Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance |
| Montana | $25,000 / $50,000 | $20,000 | — | Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance |
| Nebraska | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (25/50) is also required. | Nebraska Department of Insurance |
| Nevada | $25,000 / $50,000 | $20,000 | — | Nevada Division of Insurance |
| New Hampshire | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | Most drivers are not required to buy auto insurance, but you must be able to pay for damage you cause. If you do buy a policy, it must include at least these limits plus uninsured motorist and $1,000 medical payments coverage. | New Hampshire Insurance Department |
| New Jersey | $35,000 / $70,000 | $25,000 | Standard Policy minimums rose to 35/70/25 for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. PIP ($15,000) is also required. A low-cost Basic Policy with much less protection is also allowed. | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance |
| New Mexico | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | — | New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance |
| New York | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | Limits rise to $50,000/$100,000 for death. No-fault PIP ($50,000) and uninsured motorist coverage (25/50) are also required. | New York State Department of Motor Vehicles |
| North Carolina | $50,000 / $100,000 | $50,000 | Raised from 30/60/25 for policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is also required. | North Carolina Department of Insurance |
| North Dakota | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | No-fault PIP ($30,000) and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (25/50) are also required. | North Dakota Insurance Department |
| Ohio | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | — | Ohio Department of Insurance |
| Oklahoma | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | — | Oklahoma Insurance Department |
| Oregon | $25,000 / $50,000 | $20,000 | PIP ($15,000) and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (25/50) are also required. | Oregon Division of Financial Regulation |
| Pennsylvania | $15,000 / $30,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 first-party medical benefits are also required. | Pennsylvania Insurance Department |
| Rhode Island | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | A $75,000 combined single limit can be used instead. | Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation |
| South Carolina | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | Uninsured motorist coverage (25/50/25) is also required. | South Carolina Department of Insurance |
| South Dakota | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (25/50) is also required. | South Dakota Division of Insurance |
| Tennessee | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | A $65,000 combined single limit can be used instead. | Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance |
| Texas | $30,000 / $60,000 | $25,000 | — | Texas Department of Insurance |
| Utah | $30,000 / $65,000 | $25,000 | Raised from 25/65/15 on January 1, 2025. PIP ($3,000) is also required. | Utah Insurance Department |
| Vermont | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (50/100/10) is also required. | Vermont Department of Financial Regulation |
| Virginia | $50,000 / $100,000 | $25,000 | Raised from 30/60/20 for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage at the same limits is also required. | Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Washington | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | — | Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner |
| West Virginia | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | Uninsured motorist coverage (25/50/25) is also required. | West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner |
| Wisconsin | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | Uninsured motorist coverage (25/50) and $1,000 medical payments coverage are also required. | Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance |
| Wyoming | $25,000 / $50,000 | $20,000 | — | Wyoming Department of Insurance |
Related guides
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Uninsured Motorist Coverage: Do You Need It, and How Much?
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays you when the other driver has no insurance or too little. What it covers and how much to buy.
Is State Minimum Car Insurance Enough? Liability Limits Explained
Is state minimum car insurance enough? What limits like 25/50/25 mean, the minimum in every state, and how to choose liability that protects you.
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How much umbrella insurance do you need? Compare your net worth and future income at risk with your auto and home liability limits, in $1 million steps.
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Drop full coverage calculator
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Underinsured motorist calculator
If the at-fault driver's insurance runs out, how much would your underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage pay? Compare excess and reducing state rules.
Questions people ask
How much car insurance liability should I have?
More than the state minimum if you have anything to protect. A common starting point is 100/300/100, with higher limits or an umbrella policy as your net worth grows. The right limit is one that covers a serious crash without reaching your savings.
Is state minimum car insurance enough?
It meets the law, but it often is not enough to cover a serious injury or a newer vehicle. Anything above your limits can be claimed from you personally.
What does 25/50/25 mean?
It means $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 of property damage liability. Those are the most your insurer will pay for others' losses in one crash.
Does liability insurance cover my own car or injuries?
No. Liability pays for other people's injuries and property. Your own car is covered by collision and comprehensive, and your own injuries by health insurance, medical payments, PIP or uninsured motorist coverage, depending on your state.
Do I need uninsured motorist coverage?
Some states require it, and it is worth considering everywhere. It pays for your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little.
How much more do higher liability limits cost?
It varies by insurer, state and driver, but raising limits often costs less than people expect because the first dollars of coverage are the most expensive. Ask for quotes at two or three limit levels to compare.
When do I need an umbrella policy?
Consider one when your net worth is larger than your liability limits, or if you have higher risks such as a teen driver. Umbrella policies usually require minimum limits on your auto and home policies.
How current is the state minimum table?
Each state shows the date we checked it and links to its official source. States change minimums from time to time, so confirm with your state insurance department before you buy.