Commercial InsuranceCost

What US businesses pay for insurance, and why

Commercial auto insurance minimums by state, 2026

Every state sets a minimum auto liability limit that also applies to business vehicles, and the lowest are $15,000 per person in Louisiana and Pennsylvania against $50,000 in Alaska, Maine, North Carolina and Virginia (state statutes and agencies, in the table below). Interstate for-hire trucks of 10,001 lb or more must carry at least $750,000 under federal law (49 CFR 387.9). Business contracts usually ask for far more: Colorado's standard terms for state consultants require $1,000,000 per accident.

Checked against 14 sources Last reviewed How we check figures
Contents9 sections

Key takeaways

  • State minimums are written for any registered vehicle. California's DMV lists 30/60/15 for private passenger, commercial and fleet vehicles alike, and adds that other agencies may impose more⁠1.
  • Seven states changed limits for policies written or renewed in 2025 or 2026: California, North Carolina, Virginia, Utah, Massachusetts, Hawaii and New Jersey⁠1⁠3⁠4⁠5⁠6⁠7⁠8⁠9.
  • Florida and Hawaii show that a minimum can be unlike the others: Florida's registration security is $10,000 of personal injury protection plus $10,000 of property damage liability, and Hawaii adds $10,000 of PIP to its liability limits⁠5⁠13⁠14.
  • Weight, cargo and interstate travel change the floor. Florida sets $50,000, $100,000 or $300,000 per occurrence by weight class, and federal law sets $750,000 or more for heavy for-hire trucks⁠10⁠11.
  • The distance between a state minimum and a contract limit is large: $1,000,000 against California's $60,000 per accident is about 17 times (our calculation)⁠1⁠12.

Quick facts

Highest bodily injury minimumMichigan default 250/500/10; among fixed minimums North Carolina 50/100/50 ⁠3
Lowest bodily injury minimumLouisiana and Pennsylvania 15/30 (state table); Florida sets no separate bodily injury minimum for registration⁠13
Federal floor, for-hire nonhazardous freight$750,000, vehicles 10,001 lb or more⁠11
Newest increasesHawaii 40/80/20 and New Jersey 35/70/25, both from Jan. 1, 2026⁠5⁠6
Contract limit example$1,000,000 each accident, any auto (Colorado DOT)⁠12

How to read 30/60/15

States quote liability minimums as three numbers in thousands of dollars. In 30/60/15 the first is the most the policy must pay for bodily injury or death to one person, the second is the most it must pay for all injured people in one accident, and the third is the most for other people’s property. California’s DMV states exactly these three amounts: $30,000 for one person, $60,000 for more than one person and $15,000 for property damage⁠1.

Some states allow a single number instead. Utah accepts $90,000 combined for bodily injury and property damage in place of 30/65/25⁠9, and Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Kentucky also list combined-limit options in the table below.

A worked example, with assumed numbers (our calculation): a delivery van in a 30/60/15 state injures three people, with $200,000 in total medical and wage claims. The policy owes at most $60,000 for the three people, and no more than $30,000 to any one of them. The remaining $140,000 is claimed from the business and its owner. The minimum is a floor on what the policy must contain; it says nothing about what a crash costs.

Table: limits in all 51 jurisdictions

Minimum auto liability limits by state (bodily injury per person / per accident / property damage, in $1,000s)
Alabama25/50/25Security limits after an accident under Ala. Code 32-7-6: $25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more persons, $25,000 for property damage. We found no 2025-2026 change.
Alaska50/100/25AS 28.22.101 requires a motor vehicle liability policy to carry $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage at the same limits.
Arizona25/50/15For policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2020: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, $15,000 for property damage. Earlier limits of 15/30/10 still apply to holders of self-insurance certificates. No personal injury protection requirement appears in the statute. No change since 2020 was found in the current statute text.
Arkansas25/50/25Arkansas Code 27-22-104 sets minimum liability at $25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more persons in one accident and $25,000 for property damage in one accident. No 2025-2026 change was found.
California30/60/15Raised from 15/30/5 for policies issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2025 (SB 1107). The DMV applies the same minimums to private passenger, commercial and fleet vehicles. The statute adds $20,000/$40,000/$10,000 (to 50/100/25) for policies issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2035.
Colorado25/50/15Division of Insurance minimum of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $15,000 for property damage. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is included unless rejected in writing.
Connecticut25/50/25Section 14-112(a) sets $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury or death and $25,000 for property damage. Policies must carry at least those limits, and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage at not less than the same bodily-injury limits.
Delaware25/50/10Personal injury protection (PIP) is also mandatory: $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident, covering medical bills, lost earnings and funeral costs up to $5,000. Section 2118 also requires $10,000 of coverage per accident for damage to property other than vehicles. The Delaware Code still set these minimums when we checked on October 13, 2026.
District of Columbia25/50/10Private passenger floors in § 31-2406 are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $10,000 property damage. Law 26-155 raises them to 50/100/20 as of October 1, 2027. Insurers must also include uninsured-motorist coverage of $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury and $5,000 property damage. § 31-2406 states these minimums without a separate commercial-vehicle figure.
FloridaNo BI required; $10,000 PIP + $10,000 PDNo-fault state: $10,000 personal injury protection and $10,000 property damage liability are required to register a four-wheel vehicle, and bodily injury liability is not required for most vehicles. Taxis need 125/250/50. Commercial motor vehicles need $50,000 combined per occurrence at 26,000 to under 35,000 lb, $100,000 at 35,000 to under 44,000 lb and $300,000 at 44,000 lb or more, and vehicles under 49 CFR part 387 must meet the federal minimums. No change to these minimums appears in the 2026 Florida Statutes.
Georgia25/50/25No PIP or no-fault requirement. Owners and lessees must keep continuous Georgia liability coverage on every vehicle with an active registration; a lapse brings fines and possible registration suspension. No change to the minimums in 2025-2026.
Hawaii40/80/20Raised from 20/40/10 for new and renewal policies effective on or after Jan. 1, 2026. No-fault state: at least $10,000 of personal injury protection is also required. The Insurance Division's FAQ describes the change for personal auto policies.
Idaho25/50/15Owners of vehicles registered and operated in Idaho must keep liability insurance in force continuously. The statute sets only liability minimums ($25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, $15,000 property damage) and does not require PIP or no-fault coverage. No change for 2025 or 2026.
Illinois25/50/20Minimum liability limits are $25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more persons and $20,000 for property damage per crash, in effect for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2015. We found no change in the current statute text.
Indiana25/50/25Required minimums are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage.
Iowa20/40/15Iowa's definition of proof of financial responsibility is $20,000 for one person's injury or death, $40,000 for two or more people in one accident and $15,000 for property damage. Drivers must have financial liability coverage in effect and carry proof in the vehicle. No PIP requirement applies. The 2026 Iowa Code text keeps these limits.
Kansas25/50/25Kansas is a no-fault state: every policy must also include personal injury protection, with at least $4,500 for medical care, $4,500 for rehabilitation, disability benefits up to at least $900 a month for one year, $2,000 for funeral costs and $25 a day for replacement services. The liability section was last amended effective Jan. 1, 2017; no 2025-2026 change.
Kentucky25/50/25Split limits of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury plus $25,000 property damage, or a single limit of $60,000 per accident. Kentucky is a no-fault state: basic reparation benefits (PIP) are also required, up to $10,000 per person per accident, and motorcycles need only the liability coverages. The statute's current text is effective June 29, 2017; its property-damage minimum of $25,000 applies to policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2018, and the text shows no later change.
Louisiana15/30/25Tort state: R.S. 32:900 sets $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage, with no personal injury protection requirement. Motor carriers with vehicles over 20,000 up to 50,000 lb need 25/50/25, and over 50,000 lb need $300,000 combined single limit (or $100,000 per person with $300,000 per occurrence) plus $25,000 property damage. No change to the 15/30/25 minimums appears in the statute text as of 2026-10-13.
Maine50/100/25Registered vehicles need $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident bodily injury, $25,000 property damage, $2,000 medical payments and $500 towing and storage. The medical payments requirement does not apply to a policy insuring more than 4 motor vehicles, which matters for fleets. No 2025-2026 change was found in the statute.
Maryland30/60/15Security must cover up to $30,000 for one person and $60,000 for two or more people in bodily injury, plus $15,000 for property of others. Personal injury protection of at least $2,500 is included unless the first named insured makes an affirmative written waiver. The statute text shows no 2025-2026 change.
Massachusetts25/50/30Policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025 must provide bodily injury liability of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident and property damage liability of at least $30,000 per accident. Massachusetts is also a PIP state: personal injury protection of at least $8,000 per person is part of the compulsory coverage.
Michigan250/500/10Default since July 2, 2020 is $250,000 per person, $500,000 per accident for bodily injury and $10,000 property damage. The buyer may choose lower bodily injury limits, not below $50,000/$100,000, on a director-issued form. Michigan is no-fault: PIP medical limits are $250,000, $500,000 or unlimited, with $50,000 only for Medicaid enrollees meeting the statute's conditions. In-state property damage is paid through property protection insurance, capped at $1,000,000 per accident.
Minnesota30/60/10No-fault state. Every policy must also include personal injury protection (basic economic loss) of at least $40,000 per person, $20,000 of it for medical expenses, plus separate uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, each at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. No change to these minimums in 2025-2026.
Mississippi25/50/25Unchanged since Jan. 1, 2006. Tort state with no PIP requirement. Failing to keep proof of insurance carries an initial $1,000 penalty and a one-year suspension of driving privileges or until proof is shown.
Missouri25/50/25Unchanged in 2025-2026 (the RSMo 303.190 text in force since July 1, 2019). Uninsured motorist coverage must be included at no less than the bodily-injury limits, except that for commercial motor vehicles and employers with fleets of five or more passenger vehicles the insurer need only offer it (RSMo 379.203); no PIP requirement. Interstate motor carriers also need the federal FMCSA minimums.
Montana25/50/20MCA 61-6-103 sets minimum liability limits of $25,000 for one person's bodily injury or death, $50,000 for two or more persons and $20,000 for property damage per accident. The 2025 code text we read contains no PIP requirement, and we found no change to these limits in 2025-2026. We did not research separate limits for trucks or for-hire vehicles.
Nebraska25/50/25Nebraska's liability limits are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. Owners must hold a current automobile liability policy or proof of financial responsibility for any vehicle required to be registered. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is required in the policy at $25,000/$50,000 minimum limits. There is no PIP requirement. Commercial-vehicle and federal motor carrier limits are not covered here; see the federal minimums table.
Nevada25/50/20Every vehicle registered or required to be registered in Nevada, except mopeds, must carry the minimum liability limits shown.
New Hampshire25/50/25Auto insurance is not compulsory in New Hampshire. Drivers must instead be able to show they can meet financial-responsibility requirements after an at-fault accident. Any policy that is bought must carry at least 25/50/25 liability and uninsured-motorist coverage at the same limits. Policies covering a private passenger car must also include at least $1,000 of medical payments coverage, except commercial policies insuring more than 4 autos and garage or trucking policies (RSA 264:16). The Department's guide lists no PIP or no-fault requirement; the medical-payments statute was last amended in 2018.
New Jersey35/70/25Under P.L.2022, c.87, minimums were 25/50/25 on policies issued or renewed from January 1, 2023, and rose to $35,000 per person and $70,000 per accident for new and renewal policies on or after January 1, 2026; property damage stays at $25,000. The Act does not apply to the basic automobile policy under N.J.S.A. 39:6A-3.1. The Department asked commercial auto insurers that write minimum-limit coverage to file rates for the new minimums by January 30, 2026.
New Mexico25/50/10Minimum liability is $25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more persons and $10,000 property damage per accident.
New York25/50/10Most vehicles need $25,000 bodily injury and $50,000 death per person, $50,000 bodily injury and $100,000 death for two or more people, and $10,000 property damage. Basic No-Fault (PIP) of $50,000 and uninsured motorists coverage are also required under DFS guidance. The policy must be New York-issued, as DMV does not accept out-of-state insurance. Commercial and for-hire vehicle limits can differ and are not covered here.
North Carolina50/100/50Minimum liability is $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury and $50,000 for property damage, for policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025 (raised from 30/60/25 and delayed from January 1, 2025). Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage must equal your highest bodily injury liability limit, capped at $1 million, and can't go below the required liability minimum. Policies applying solely to commercial motor vehicles or fleets need not include it. North Carolina has no personal injury protection requirement.
North Dakota25/50/25Owners must continuously carry security for basic no-fault benefits and liability coverage under NDCC 26.1-41-02. Liability limits are $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage under NDCC 39-16.1-11. Basic no-fault benefits are capped at $30,000 per person per accident.
Ohio25/50/25Section 4509.51 sets only liability limits: $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more persons and $25,000 for property damage per accident. The section has been current since December 22, 2013.
Oklahoma25/50/25Every owner of a vehicle registered in Oklahoma must keep security for liability for bodily injury, death and property damage, and the Insurance Department states the minimum as $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $25,000 property damage. Oklahoma is not a no-fault state and we found no PIP requirement. We did not research separate commercial or for-hire minimums.
Oregon25/50/20Minimums under ORS 806.070: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident for two or more persons, and $20,000 property damage per accident.
Pennsylvania15/30/5Also required: $5,000 of first-party medical benefits. A $35,000 combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage satisfies the liability minimums. We found no 2025-2026 change on the Insurance Department page.
Rhode Island25/50/25 or $75,000 CSLAn owner's liability policy under chapter 31-47 carries limits of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage, or $75,000 combined single limit. The statute section opened has no separate commercial-vehicle minimums.
South Carolina25/50/25Each motor vehicle must carry $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident and $25,000 property damage liability. Uninsured motorist coverage must be offered at no less than those limits plus $25,000 for the insured's property, which may carry a $200 exclusion. South Carolina is not a no-fault state and requires no PIP. The limits have applied to policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2007, and no change appears in the current Code. We did not find separate commercial-vehicle minimums in this chapter.
South Dakota25/50/25Owner's liability policy limits: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, $25,000 for property damage. Policies delivered in the state must also include uninsured and hit-and-run motorist coverage equal to the bodily injury limits, capped at 100/300 unless the insured asks for more.
Tennessee25/50/25Liability of $25,000 per person for injury or death, $50,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage. A vehicle with a commercial license plate must be covered by a commercial auto policy.
Texas30/60/25Minimum financial responsibility limits since Jan. 1, 2011 are $30,000 per person and $60,000 per collision for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. An auto liability policy must include personal injury protection and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage unless the named insured rejects it in writing. No 2025-2026 change to the limits was found.
Utah30/65/25 or $90,000 CSLApplies to policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025; the earlier minimums were 25/65/15 or $80,000 combined. Self-insured private rental fleets keep the older limits. Personal injury protection of at least $3,000 per person is also required. Commercial-vehicle and trucking minimums were not checked.
Vermont25/50/10Owners of registered vehicles must carry liability of at least $25,000 per person, $50,000 per crash for two or more people, and $10,000 property damage, or file $115,000 of self-insurance evidence with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. The fine for no coverage is up to $500. The statute shows no 2025-2026 change to these limits.
Virginia50/100/25Minimum liability for policies effective on or after January 1, 2025 is $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident and $25,000 property damage, up from 30/60/20 for 2022 through 2024. Since July 1, 2024 the uninsured motor vehicle fee option is gone and every registered vehicle must be insured. Uninsured owners lose driving and registration privileges and must pay a $600 non-compliance fee and file an SR-22 for three years to be reinstated. Self-insurance and surety bonds are special options for owners of business vehicles.
Washington25/50/10Minimum liability for registered vehicles: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, $10,000 for property damage. No 2025-2026 change was found in the statute. Not-carrying-proof is a traffic infraction.
West Virginia25/50/25Proof of financial responsibility since January 1, 2016: $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $50,000 per accident for two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage.
Wisconsin25/50/10Section 344.33 sets the minimum at $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $10,000 for property damage. Liability policies must also include uninsured motorist coverage of at least $25,000/$50,000 and medical payments of at least $1,000 per person, which the named insured may reject in writing. No 2025-2026 change was found.
Wyoming25/50/20Drivers must carry liability insurance of at least 25,000/50,000/20,000: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident and $20,000 property damage per accident, as WYDOT states and as W.S. 31-9-405(b) provides. Driving without required liability coverage is a misdemeanor under W.S. 31-4-103, punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a $500 to $1,500 fine, or both. Commercial-vehicle and federal minimums are not covered here.

Limits that apply to vehicles registered in the state. Interstate trucks and buses must also meet the federal FMCSA minimums.

These limits are set for registration or financial responsibility. They are not rate data, and they say nothing about price. Business vehicles are rated by class, radius and use, as described in /coverage/commercial-auto/. Where a note in the table says commercial-vehicle rules were not checked, the figure is the general limit only.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

Seven states raised limits on policies issued or renewed on the dates below.

  • California. 30/60/15 from January 1, 2025 under SB 1107⁠2. The DMV applies this to private passenger, commercial and fleet vehicles⁠1.
  • North Carolina. 50/100/50 for new and renewal policies on or after July 1, 2025⁠3. This is the highest property damage minimum in the table.
  • Virginia. 50/100/25 for policies effective on or after January 1, 2025, against 30/60/20 for 2022 through 2024⁠4.
  • Utah. 30/65/25, or $90,000 combined, for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025; the earlier text was 25/65/15 or $80,000⁠9.
  • Massachusetts. 25/50 bodily injury and $30,000 property damage for policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025⁠7⁠8.
  • Hawaii. 40/80/20 for new and renewal policies on or after January 1, 2026⁠5. The Insurance Division’s FAQ describes this for personal auto policies; we did not find a statement on whether business policies are treated differently.
  • New Jersey. $35,000 per person and $70,000 per accident from January 1, 2026, with property damage staying at $25,000⁠6. The Department asked commercial auto insurers that write minimum-limit coverage to file rates for the new limits by January 30, 2026⁠6. The Act does not reach the basic automobile policy⁠6.

For a business, an increase mostly matters at the bottom of the market: a vehicle already insured at $1,000,000 gains nothing, while one at the old minimum must buy more. We found no regulator figure for the premium effect of any of these changes.

No-fault and PIP states

Personal injury protection (PIP) pays your own occupants’ medical bills regardless of fault, on top of liability. The state notes in the table show which states require it. Two examples from the sources above: Hawaii requires at least $10,000 of PIP alongside its 40/80/20 limits⁠5, and Florida requires $10,000 of PIP⁠14 and $10,000 of property damage liability, which a $30,000 combined bodily injury and property damage policy can also satisfy⁠13; the statute sets no separate bodily injury minimum for registration. Massachusetts is a different design: PIP sits inside its compulsory coverage⁠7.

If you run drivers across state lines, the policy has to satisfy the state of registration for each vehicle, so a fleet registered in several states can carry different minimums and PIP rules on each unit.

Heavier trucks: state and federal floors

Federal financial-responsibility rules apply to for-hire interstate carriers, and for some cargo to intrastate carriers too. The table below is from 49 CFR 387.9 and the passenger-carrier rule, as of the eCFR update of October 8, 2026⁠11.

Federal minimum liability insurance for motor carriers (49 CFR Part 387)
Carrier and vehicleWhat it carriesMinimum
For-hire, interstate/foreign, GVWR 10,001+ lbsProperty (nonhazardous)$750,000
For-hire and private, interstate/foreign/intrastate, GVWR 10,001+ lbsBulk hazardous substances in cargo tanks/portable tanks/hopper vehicles; bulk Div 1.1-1.3 explosives; bulk Div 2.3 Hazard Zone A; bulk Div 6.1 PG I Hazard Zone A; bulk Div 2.1/2.2; highway route controlled quantities of Class 7$5,000,000
For-hire and private, interstate/foreign any quantity, or intrastate bulk only, GVWR 10,001+ lbsOil (49 CFR 172.101); hazardous waste, hazardous materials or substances not in lines 2 or 4$1,000,000
For-hire and private, interstate/foreign, GVWR under 10,001 lbsBulk Div 1.1-1.3; bulk Div 2.3 Hazard Zone A; bulk Div 6.1 PG I Hazard Zone A; highway route controlled quantities of Class 7$5,000,000
Seating capacity 16+ including driverPassengers$5,000,000
Seating capacity 15 or fewer including driverPassengers$1,500,000

eCFR up to date as of 2026-10-08; 387.9 last amended 91 FR 45660, July 21, 2026. 49 CFR 387.9, 387.33T.

Few states publish their own weight-based tiers. Florida does: for commercial motor vehicles, 627.7415 requires $50,000 per occurrence at 26,000 lb to under 35,000 lb, $100,000 at 35,000 lb to under 44,000 lb and $300,000 at 44,000 lb or more, and it requires vehicles subject to 49 CFR 387 subparts A and B to carry the federal minimum⁠10. Violation is a noncriminal traffic infraction⁠10. We did not verify weight-based tiers in other states, and they are not in the table above. See /coverage/trucking/ for how carriers price these limits.

Why contracts ask for $1,000,000

A state minimum protects the public after a crash; a contract protects the customer, landlord or project owner. The Colorado Department of Transportation’s standard terms for consultants require automobile liability covering any auto (including owned, hired and non-owned autos), with a minimum of $1,000,000 each accident combined single limit, and require the State to be named as additional insured⁠12. That is a single agency’s requirement, and other agencies and private buyers set their own numbers. We did not find a regulator or rating bureau that states why $1,000,000 recurs, so read it as common practice rather than a rule.

The gap is the practical point. Against California’s $60,000 per accident, $1,000,000 is 16.7 times as much (1,000,000 / 60,000, our calculation); against Virginia’s $100,000 it is 10 times. Meeting the contract with a minimum-limit policy is impossible. The limit usually comes from the primary auto policy, or from a primary policy plus an excess layer, described in /coverage/commercial-umbrella/. The “any auto” wording in the Colorado terms also reaches vehicles you do not own, which is the exposure covered in /coverage/hired-and-non-owned-auto/.

Questions we could not close

  • Whether Hawaii’s January 2026 limits apply identically to commercial policies.
  • Weight-based or for-hire intrastate minimums in states other than Florida.
  • Premium effects of the 2025-2026 increases; no regulator has published one that we found.

Sources

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  14. 14

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