Every state has different car insurance minimums. Before you can register a vehicle in Arizona, you must show proof of financial responsibility, also known as auto insurance.
In Arizona, you must maintain two types of coverage:
“Bodily injury” (which pays for bodily injury to others for which you become legally responsible due to an auto accident in which you were involved), and
“Property damage” (which protects you from the damage you may cause to the vehicles or property of others).
The amount of insurance coverage you purchase represents the maximum amount (“limit”) that the insurance company will pay, and you may be required to pay for losses that exceed your coverage limit.
Since 1974, the minimum mandatory required coverage limits in Arizona were $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for bodily injury coverage, and $10,000 per accident for property damage coverage.
Finally, in 2020, the State of Arizona updated the minimum amount of liability coverage has been raised.
The minimum limits for auto insurance policies increased to the following amounts:
- $25,000 for one person sustaining bodily injury or death in an accident,
- $50,000 for two or more persons sustaining bodily injury or death in an accident, and
- $15,000 for damage to others’ property,
The purpose of insurance is to provide financial protection for your family. If an accident occurs, you do not want to be responsible for all monetary damages caused to the crash victims. Medical costs from an accident today can range into the hundreds of thousands, far beyond the 1974 limits.
Every individual has the option of determining how much coverage they need. Take the time to meet with your insurance agent and take a hard look at your coverage. Do you have underinsured coverage and uninsured coverage? If you don’t know, check your policy and get with your agent.
On average, one in ten Arizona drivers is driving around with no insurance at all.
If you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, you could be vulnerable. Protect yourself against uninsured and underinsured drivers.
Remember that Arizona’s mandatory minimum for insurance has not been changed since Nixon was in the White House and Terry Jacks was singing about “Seasons in the Sun.”
The Arizona minimum has not kept pace with inflation, with the times, and with our economy.
Suppose you are a working professional with a high income, a lovely house, nice cars, and financial assets. In that case, you should probably be carrying a much larger policy than the Arizona minimum. Schedule a meeting with your insurance agent and determine how much coverage you need.
