How much car insurance do I need in New York?

New York law mandates that a vehicle owner carry the following types and amounts of car insurance coverage on any vehicle in operation in the state:

• $25,000 per person, for personal injury protection (PIP)
• $50,000 total, per accident, for PIP
• $50,000 per person, for wrongful death protection
• $100,000 total, per accident, for wrongful death protection
• $10,000 for property damage
• $25,000 per person in uninsured motorist coverage
• $50,000 total per accident in uninsured motorist coverage

What is the penalty for driving without insurance in New York?

The penalty depends on whether you are in a car accident and you carry no coverage, or are caught driving without insurance and are issued a traffic citation (although both are possible).

According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, you can expect to have your driver's license and vehicle registration revoked for at least one year if DMV receives a report that you were involved in a car accident while driving without insurance coverage, or if someone else gets into an accident while driving your uninsured vehicle.

For traffic citations for driving without insurance, you can expect a fine of $1,500, and you'll need to pay an additional penalty of $750 to get your license back after revocation.

New York is a "no-fault" car insurance state

If you are injured in a car accident in New York, you must first turn to your own car insurance coverage for payment of your medical expenses -- no matter who was at fault for the crash.

You can only step outside of the no-fault rules and bring a third party insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver if your injuries qualify as "serious," which under New York's no-fault rules means:

• significant disfigurement
• bone fracture
• permanent limitation of use of body organ or member
• significant limitation of use of body function or system, or
• substantially full disability for 90 days.

Important note: No-fault rules only apply to personal injuries. You can pursue property damage claims against an at-fault driver -- regardless of the type or amount of damage. Learn more about New York No-Fault Auto Insurance Laws and Regulations.