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Georgia Car Insurance Laws

Picture of Written by <a href="https://rateretriever.com/about/elizabeth-rivelli/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Elizabeth Rivelli</span></a>
Written by Elizabeth Rivelli
Written by Katie Dee
Picture of Edited by <a href="https://rateretriever.com/about/alyssa-dicrasto/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Alyssa DiCrasto</span></a>
Edited by Alyssa DiCrasto
Edited by Alyssa DiCrasto
Published on 2024-04-15

Read time: 3 min

Car insurance is legally required in Georgia. All vehicle owners must carry a minimum amount of car insurance to register their vehicles and legally drive. If you don’t meet the minimum coverage requirements, you can face penalties. For vehicle owners in the Peach State, it’s important to understand the car insurance requirements in Georgia to avoid driving underinsured.

Georgia state minimum car insurance

Georgia requires all vehicle owners to carry a certain amount of auto insurance, no matter how often you drive or what type of car you own. You must meet the Georgia car insurance requirements to ensure you don’t break any Georgia car insurance laws. 

When shopping for car insurance in Georgia, you have a few options. You can purchase a Georgia minimum car insurance policy, which is the cheapest insurance you can legally have in the state. You can also pay extra for an optional full coverage policy that provides more protection. 

Georgia state minimum car insurance premiums are personalized for each driver. Some of the factors that can affect the cost of your car insurance include your ZIP code, age, credit score, gender, driving record, and vehicle type.  

No matter what type of car insurance you choose, it’s important to compare rates from multiple insurance companies. Comparing rates will help you find the most affordable auto insurance in Georgia for your personal situation and coverage needs. 

To find minimum car insurance in Georgia, you can use our online quote comparison tool. In less than a minute, you can get matched with the most affordable auto insurance quotes from more than 200 car insurance companies. There is no signup or contact information required. 

Georgia car insurance requirements

Vehicle owners in Georgia are required to carry a minimum amount of auto insurance. The minimum coverage requirements are 25/50/25 in liability insurance. 

A minimum coverage policy includes $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage for one person’s injuries in an accident, $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage for all injuries in an accident, and $25,000 in property damage liability coverage per accident. 

A minimum coverage or liability-only insurance policy applies when you cause an accident that results in someone else’s injuries or property damage. Your policy will pay for the other person’s medical bills and property damage, which includes vehicle repairs. It will also help cover your legal fees if you get sued.  

Cheap liability car insurance Georgia

Liability-only car insurance is the most affordable type of auto insurance you can have in Georgia. However, some insurance companies have lower rates than others. Based on our analysis of recent rate data, Auto-Owners has the cheapest liability insurance in Georgia, with an average rate of $591 per year. 

In the table below, you can see which providers have cheap liability car insurance in Georgia: 

Does Georgia’s minimum car insurance provide enough coverage?

If you’re thinking about purchasing a minimum coverage insurance policy in Georgia, it’s important to consider the limitations. Georgia’s minimum coverage requirements may not provide enough coverage if you cause an accident.  

For example, imagine you hit another car and two occupants in the other vehicle sustain serious injuries. If their combined medical bills exceeded $50,000, you would have to pay the difference out-of-pocket. In this situation, a minimum coverage policy would not cover all of your financial responsibility.  

In addition, a minimum coverage policy in Georgia doesn’t provide any coverage for you or your passenger’s medical bills, or your vehicle damage. So, for example, if your car was totaled in an accident you caused, you would have to pay for a new one using your savings. 

Minimum coverage car insurance also doesn’t cover theft. The only type of car insurance that will cover theft is comprehensive insurance, which is usually included with a full coverage policy. Without comprehensive insurance, you would be responsible for replacing a stolen car using your own money.  

If you want coverage for physical damage, theft, and medical payments, you must get a full coverage policy. Full coverage car insurance is not required by law, but it’s recommended for most drivers. Full coverage is more expensive, but it provides significantly more protection than minimum coverage.

New Georgia car insurance laws

Drivers in Georgia should stay up-to-date on new Georgia car insurance laws. Most recently, Georgia’s state senate passed a law that would prevent insurance companies from raising car insurance rates without first getting approval from the state. 

Before this law was passed, the state of Georgia had a “file-and-use” rule, which allowed car insurance rates to take effect immediately. Some insurers took advantage of this provision and raised rates significantly with no oversight.  

Penalties for driving without insurance in Georgia

Driving without car insurance in Georgia is a punishable offense. According to the Georgia Department of Revenue, driving uninsured can result in fines, and your car registration could be suspended. If you get caught driving a car with a suspended, revoked, or canceled registration, the car may be impounded and you can face additional penalties. 

FAQs

What car insurance do I need in Georgia? 

All vehicle owners in Georgia are legally required to carry personal liability insurance. This type of insurance covers your financial responsibility when you cause an accident that results in another person’s injuries or property damage. For drivers who lease or finance a car, many lenders require a full coverage policy, with collision and comprehensive insurance. 

Do you need comprehensive and collision in Georgia? 

Comprehensive insurance and collision insurance are not legally required in Georgia, unless a lender requires it. These two policies, which are often bundled together as part of a full coverage policy, cover physical damage to your vehicle and theft. Most drivers in Georgia can benefit from having full coverage, especially if you drive a newer vehicle or couldn’t afford to pay for your vehicle’s repairs out-of-pocket after an accident. 

Do I need uninsured motorist coverage if I have collision and comprehensive in Georgia? 

Uninsured motorist insurance covers different things than collision insurance and comprehensive insurance. Collision and comprehensive insurance cover your vehicle damages after an accident or non-collision incident. Uninsured motorist insurance covers your losses if you get into an accident with a driver that doesn’t have car insurance. However, uninsured motorist insurance includes property damage liability insurance, so it would help cover your car repair costs if you were hit by a driver that was uninsured. 

How much car insurance do I need in Georgia? 

In Georgia, vehicle owners are required to carry at least 25/50/25 in liability insurance. A minimum coverage policy is the cheapest type of car insurance you can have, but it also provides the least amount of protection. Most insurance agents recommend that drivers in Georgia purchase full coverage, which includes liability insurance, collision insurance, comprehensive insurance, and medical payments insurance.  

Frequently asked