Under Hawaii law, vehicle owners must carry the following minimum amounts of car insurance coverage:
In many situations, it is a good idea to carry more coverage than the minimum amount required by law. For example,Uninsured Motorist Coverage is not required in Hawaii, but it's usually smart to add it to your policy. And if you're at fault for the accident and you don't have enough coverage in place to pay for the other driver's medical expenses, you may be on the financial hook for the balance.
Hawaii follows a no-fault system when it comes to injury claims after a car accident. This system is designed to save time and money. In a no-fault system, it does not matter -- to a point -- which driver caused the accident. Each driver's insurance covers personal injuries up to the personal injury protection (PIP) limits -- regardless of which driver is at fault. But there are exceptions. In Hawaii, you can only step outside of the no-fault system and make a claim against the other driver if:
Important Note: No-fault rules only apply to personal injury. Vehicle damage claims are governed by traditional rules of fault, i.e. the at-fault driver is always responsible.
For more details on car insurance rules in Hawaii, check out Hawaii Car Insurance Laws and Regulations.
Hawaii has strict penalties for driving without proper insurance on a registered vehicle. If you get busted, you could be subject to fines, a suspended driver's license, impoundment of your vehicle, community service, or even jail time.