Arkansas Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements (2024)

Car insurance is necessary for some different reasons. It protects you from the liability you could pay if someone is injured in an accident that is due to your negligence.

It helps you to have some security regarding your legal and financial situation and protects you from potential lawsuits.

Remember that auto insurance law is dependent upon the laws and regulations that are mandated by the state in which you live.

In the state of Arkansas, all drivers are required to carry current vehicle insurance. There are no exceptions to this rule and Arkansans must also take a record of their car insurance proof in the car with them at all times.

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How to Read Car Insurance Requirements

It’s important to understand how to know the requirements in your state or residence. Knowing where to go for information is one of the most important things to do. You can bookmark this site on car insurance regulations to find out more about the requirements in your state.

There are many different types of coverage for auto insurance. But the ones listed below are the main types of insurance that you should be concerned with.

• Bodily Injury Liability – Bodily injury liability is auto coverage that covers any type of bodily injury or death that you cause due to negligence when on the highway.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP) / Medical Payments – Personal injury protection (PIP) is meant to cover medical payments, lost wages, and rental car costs due to the fact that you are out of work or transportation due to an accident that was not your fault. It also is meant to cover your medical or other expenses in a “no-fault” state where the person at fault may not be liable for damages.
• Property Damage Liability – Property damage liability covers damage to the property such as a vehicle or any kind that was damaged due to the driver who caused the damage. This type of insurance keeps you from having to pay for this high expense out of your own pocket.
• Collision – Remember that liability insurance is all that is required in the state of Arkansas. But you still need coverage for your vehicle to repair collisions that the other party does not pay for. In the case of an accident that was your fault, for example, you would be required to use your insurance to pay for the damages. You must carry collision insurance to do this.
• Comprehensive – This type of insurance has nothing to do with car accidents. Instead, it is meant to cover other incidents such as “acts of nature,” car theft, or accidents that don’t involve a car collision. Arkansas does not require this coverage, but it is important.
• Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage – Arkansas is a “fault” state. This means that the person at fault will pay the liability damages to the injured party. In Arkansas, if someone hits you and damages your vehicle which is not insured or underinsured, you would have to pay for the costs. But, if you have this type of coverage, your insurance will pay for it in this situation.

Arkansas Minimum Insurance Requirements

If you need to know the basic insurance requirements in the state of Arkansas, the following minimums are required:

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

Special Laws or Exceptions in Arkansas

There are no special laws or exemptions for auto insurance in Arkansas except when there is an unusual circumstance that requires unlicensed and uninsured drivers to drive in an emergency situation only.

For example, if you live in Arkansas and you had your license suspended and cannot get insurance due to a DUI or other circumstance, a local judge may grant you a temporary right to drive a particular distance for emergencies in a life-threatening situation.

Underaged drivers may qualify for similar exceptions for driving to school or work only when no other viable means of transportation are available. Standard insurance laws are waived in these cases.

Financial Responsibility Laws

There is no financial responsibility legislation in the state of Arkansas. These types of laws are reserved for states such as New Hampshire where they do not require drivers to carry insurance.

Instead, they need proof of financial responsibility to show they can afford to pay for an accident if one occurred without the benefit of insurance coverage.

In the state of Arkansas, you are not required to register your undriven vehicles or obtain insurance, so long as you do not drive them.

If you are stopped without insurance even driving a short distance, the penalties can be severe.

The sentence in Arkansas for driving without proof of insurance is between $50-$250 on the first offense. This increases to $200-$500 on the second offense plus suspension of car registration. On the third offense, it is $500-$1000 and possible jail time of up to one year.

Minimum Requirement vs. Recommended Coverage

The state of Arkansas has reasonable requirements for drivers regarding car insurance. They require a large enough liability minimum that they should be covered for any incident involving the liability of an injured party if they cause the accident.

However, drivers may want to consider increasing their coverage amounts in case the standard amount is not enough.

You never know what type of accident or situation you will find yourself in. Industry-recommended coverage is a minimum of $100,000 bodily injury liability per person and $300,000 per accident.

You can only buy as much insurance as you can afford but ask yourself if you could pay the difference between the state-mandated amount and these costs if you were in a serious accident.

If you are looking for the best auto insurance, do some comparison shopping and consider the risk factors you have when you drive. No one knows what life holds in store, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Use our site to shop and compare various policies so that you know you are getting the best deal. Enter your ZIP code below to begin.