Kentucky Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements (2024)
Kentucky requires a minimum of 25/50/10 of bodily injury and property damage coverage. The average rate of auto insurance is around $44.01/mo.
Free Car Insurance Comparison
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Kalyn Johnson
Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster
Kalyn grew up in an insurance family with a grandfather, aunt, and uncle leading successful careers as insurance agents. She soon found she has similar interests and followed in their footsteps. After spending about ten years working in the insurance industry as both an appraiser dispatcher and a senior property claims adjuster, she decided to combine her years of insurance experience with another...
Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster
UPDATED: Jul 19, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Jul 19, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Kentucky requires drivers to obtain liability insurance and personal injury protection coverage
- Kentucky drivers may choose to purchase optional coverage for additional benefits
- Drivers may face numerous consequences for failing to buy the minimum amount of required car insurance in Kentucky
- Shopping for Kentucky car insurance online is a simplified, fast way to obtain several quotes from leading providers
Kentucky requires its drivers to buy a minimum amount of liability car insurance as well as personal injury protection coverage and you could face numerous unpleasant consequences if you fail to comply with the coverage law.
Because of the state’s financial responsibility law, Kentucky drivers must pay for any damages they cause to others while they are driving, and you may be sued for damages if you do not have insurance coverage benefits available.
More than that, local drivers also may need to pay for their own medical bills after being injured in an accident. The two types of required car insurance for Kentucky drivers are designed to ensure that you have the financial means to pay for these expenses.
Compare car insurance quotes using our free rate tool above. You may be able to save hundreds of dollars a year on the coverage you need.
How to Read Car Insurance Requirements
Shopping around for new coverage in Kentucky is a great way to ensure that you have the full amount of insurance that you need. Remember that you are required to buy the minimum amount of coverage, but you also may need to buy optional coverage for an additional fee.
Kentucky drivers need to understand the differences in the various coverage types available before they make a buying decision, and these are a few of the more common types of car insurance that you can choose to buy in this state.
- Bodily Injury Liability – This is a required type of car insurance in Kentucky, and it is designed to pay another party’s medical expenses up to the coverage limit if you cause an accident.
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP)/Medical Payments – This is another type of required car insurance in Kentucky, and this coverage pays for your own medical expenses if you are involved in an accident.
- Property Damage Liability – Property damage liability insurance is the final type of required car insurance in this state, and it pays for the vehicle repair bills or other property damage repair expenses up to the coverage limits for another person if you cause the accident.
- Collision – Collision insurance in Kentucky is optional. It pays for your own vehicle repairs if you are in an accident, but it only pays for repairs related to vehicle damage from a collision.
- Comprehensive – Comprehensive insurance is optional in this state as well, and it is more inclusive than collision coverage. It also pays for repairs related to a collision as well as damages resulting from theft, fire, weather damage, and more.
- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage – Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is required in some states, but it is optional in Kentucky. This type of auto insurance provides you with benefits if you are involved in a hit and run accident or if you are hit by an uninsured or underinsured motorist.
Kentucky car insurance requirements are written with one of these descriptive terms as well as with a dollar amount.
The dollar amount represents the maximum benefits that the insurance company will pay out for that type of coverage, and any expenses that you incur beyond this coverage limit is your responsibility to pay for out of your own funds.
Some drivers will increase their coverage limits for the required and optional auto insurance types to reduce the chance of having to pay for expenses out of their own pockets.
Free Auto Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Minimum Coverage for Kentucky
Now that you are aware of some of the required versus optional car insurance types in Kentucky, you may be wondering what the exact auto insurance requirements are for drivers in this state. In Kentucky, drivers are required to purchase coverage that includes:
- $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability
- $10,000 per incident for property damage liability
- $100,000 for personal injury protection (not required for motorcyclists)
As a Kentucky driver, you should be aware that these coverage requirements are for the typical use of a car for private purposes.
If you drive a car for commercial purposes, if your car is stored in a garage and not driven, or if other special circumstances apply, there may be other car insurance requirements that you should meet.
Penalties for Not Being Properly Insured
As is the case in many states, Kentucky imposes penalties for drivers who are not insured per the state’s requirements. Kentucky verifies your current car insurance status through an electronic system, and this means that you may be cited for being uninsured at any time.
Penalties that you may face for not being properly insured in Kentucky include:
- A fine up to $1,000
- Imprisonment for up to 90 days
- Suspension of your license plates
- The need to buy high-risk car insurance
Minimum Requirement vs. Recommended Coverage
Many Kentucky drivers have limited financial means to pay for an expensive car insurance premium, and because of this, you may be thinking about only buying the minimum amount of insurance required by law.
Buying the minimum level of auto coverage is one way to save money on premium, but it could cost you most in the long run.
Keep in mind that any expenses that are not covered by the insurance that you buy will be yours to pay for out of your own pocket.
When you buy the minimum amount of coverage required in this state, you are at a greater risk for having to pay some of your related charges on your own.
Free Auto Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Buying Car Insurance in Kentucky
If you are ready to start shopping around for new car insurance rates in Kentucky, you must first decide how much coverage you need or want. Then, you can choose a few leading car insurance companies to contact for a quote.
Ideally, these will be companies that rank highly in the areas of customer satisfaction and financial strength and that also have very competitive quotes for the coverage you need.
Requesting online car insurance quotes is usually straightforward and fast. Remember that saving money on your premium by selecting a low quote is a smart idea, but it is more important to ensure that the provider that you buy coverage from is reputable and legitimate.
Compare car insurance quotes today to find the coverage you need at the best price. Enter your ZIP code below to begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the minimum auto insurance requirements in Kentucky?
The minimum auto insurance requirements in Kentucky include liability coverage. As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the minimum liability limits were set at 25/50/10. This means you must have at least $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person, $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident, and $10,000 in property damage liability coverage per accident.
What does bodily injury liability coverage mean?
Bodily injury liability coverage is a type of insurance that helps cover the costs associated with injuries or death caused by an accident for which you are at fault. It can provide compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other related damages for the injured party, up to the coverage limits of your policy.
What is property damage liability coverage?
Property damage liability coverage is a type of insurance that helps cover the costs of damages to someone else’s property caused by an accident for which you are at fault. It can provide compensation for repairs, replacement, or other related costs, up to the coverage limits of your policy.
Are the minimum liability limits in Kentucky sufficient?
While the minimum liability limits in Kentucky meet the legal requirements, they may not provide enough coverage in certain situations. If the costs resulting from an accident exceed your coverage limits, you could be held personally responsible for the remaining expenses. It’s often recommended to consider higher liability limits to provide better protection for yourself and your assets.
Are there any additional coverage options I should consider in addition to the minimum requirements?
Yes, it’s advisable to consider additional coverage options beyond the minimum requirements. Some common additional coverages to consider include collision coverage (for damages to your vehicle in an accident), comprehensive coverage (for non-collision-related damages such as theft or vandalism), uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (to protect against drivers without insurance or with insufficient coverage), and medical payments coverage (to help cover medical expenses for you and your passengers).
Can I choose not to carry auto insurance in Kentucky?
No, auto insurance is required by law in Kentucky. Driving without insurance can result in penalties, including fines, license suspension, and vehicle registration suspension. It’s important to maintain continuous insurance coverage to comply with the state’s requirements.
Can I use my out-of-state auto insurance in Kentucky?
If you are a resident of Kentucky, you are generally required to have auto insurance that meets the state’s minimum requirements. Out-of-state insurance policies must be valid and meet or exceed Kentucky’s minimum requirements. If you move to Kentucky or establish residency, it’s important to update your insurance to comply with the state’s regulations.
Free Auto Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Kalyn Johnson
Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster
Kalyn grew up in an insurance family with a grandfather, aunt, and uncle leading successful careers as insurance agents. She soon found she has similar interests and followed in their footsteps. After spending about ten years working in the insurance industry as both an appraiser dispatcher and a senior property claims adjuster, she decided to combine her years of insurance experience with another...
Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.