Arizona minimum auto insurance is 25/50/15 liability only
Arizona minimum auto insurance is liability coverage only. It is designed for injuries and property damage you cause to other people in a crash, up to the limits A.R.S. 28-4009 sets, and what it pays depends on your policy’s terms and exclusions.
Under A.R.S. 28-4009, a policy issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2020 must carry at least $25,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more people in one accident, and $15,000 for damage to other people’s property in one accident (often written as 25/50/15).
That required coverage is not designed to pay for your own car, and it stops at its limits. Collision, comprehensive and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage are separate choices on top of it.
Key takeaways
- Under A.R.S. 28-4009, Arizona’s minimum liability limits are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $15,000 for property damage.
- The minimum is liability only, so repairs to your own car depend on optional coverages such as collision and comprehensive.
- A.R.S. 28-4135 requires evidence of insurance in the vehicle, and it can be shown on your phone.
- Driving uninsured can bring civil penalties and suspension of your license, registration and plates under A.R.S. 28-4135.
- Under A.R.S. 20-259.01, insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in writing; both are about injuries, so neither replaces collision coverage for your car.
In this article
What are Arizona’s minimum liability limits?
Under A.R.S. 28-4135 and A.R.S. 28-4009, a vehicle driven on Arizona highways must carry liability insurance of at least 25/50/15, or use an alternative such as a certificate of self-insurance. For policies issued or renewed since July 1, 2020, A.R.S. 28-4009 sets three limits:
- $25,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident.
- $50,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or more people in any one accident.
- $15,000 for damage to other people’s property in any one accident.
Before July 1, 2020, A.R.S. 28-4009 set lower limits of $15,000, $30,000 and $10,000, so a guide that still quotes 15/30/10 as the current minimum is out of date.
The Arizona Department of Transportation says the requirement applies to every vehicle you drive on Arizona roads, including golf carts, motorcycles and mopeds, while off-road vehicles may not need insurance.
What does minimum liability coverage leave out?
Minimum liability coverage is designed for the other people in a crash you cause, not for you or your car. Bodily injury liability is meant for their injuries, and property damage liability for their vehicle or other property, up to your limits. Whether a specific claim is paid depends on your policy’s terms, limits and exclusions.
A.R.S. 28-4009 also lists what a required policy does not have to insure, including damage to property you own, rent or are carrying, and harm you cause on purpose.
What happens when the damages are bigger than the limits?
Liability coverage stops at the limits on your declarations page, and a serious crash can add up past the state minimums. Our agents can quote higher liability limits or an umbrella policy, which adds liability protection above your auto and home policies, subject to eligibility and availability.
How do you prove you have insurance in Arizona?
Under A.R.S. 28-4135, you must keep evidence of current insurance in the vehicle, and you can show it on your phone. The same law says that showing it on a phone does not give an officer consent to look at anything else on the device.
Under A.R.S. 28-4133, an insurer must issue at least two insurance ID cards for a policy that meets the state minimums. A.R.S. 28-4131 also accepts a copy of the policy or a binder as evidence.
The Arizona Department of Transportation says your insurance company automatically tells MVD about policy changes, including new policies and cancellations, and that you have 30 days after registering a vehicle to submit proof of Arizona insurance.
What happens if you drive without insurance?
Driving uninsured in Arizona can lead to a civil penalty and suspension of your driving privileges, registration and plates under A.R.S. 28-4135. Under that statute, the minimum penalties grow with each violation within a 36-month period:
- First violation: a minimum civil penalty of $500, plus a three-month suspension or restriction of your driving privileges.
- Second violation: a minimum civil penalty of $750, plus a six-month suspension of your license and the vehicle’s registration and plates.
- Third or later violation: a minimum civil penalty of $1,000, a one-year suspension, and proof of financial responsibility filed with ADOT before reinstatement.
ADOT adds that officers may take your license plate if you cannot show proof of insurance, and that you may need an SR22 certificate to get a suspended registration back. If you were insured but could not show it, A.R.S. 28-4135 says the citation is dismissed when you give the court proof of coverage by the date on the citation.
Which optional coverages should you ask about?
Collision and comprehensive are designed for damage to your own car, and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little. What each one pays depends on your policy’s terms, limits and exclusions and the deductible you choose, and every option is subject to eligibility and availability. Our auto insurance page describes each coverage.
What do collision and comprehensive coverage do?
Collision coverage is designed for damage to your own car from a crash with another vehicle or an object, and comprehensive coverage for damage from other events, such as theft, fire or hail. What either one pays for a given loss depends on your policy’s terms, limits and exclusions. Both usually carry a deductible, the share of a claim you pay first. If you finance or lease, check your agreement for the coverages it asks you to carry.
What is uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage?
Under A.R.S. 20-259.01, insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in writing, and your declarations page records whether you bought or rejected it. That statute describes uninsured motorist coverage as coverage for bodily injury caused by a vehicle without the state minimum limits, and underinsured motorist coverage as applying when the at-fault driver’s limits are less than your injury damages. Both are about injuries, so neither replaces collision coverage for your car.
Get a quote on higher liability limits
Have your current declarations page handy, and KGB Insurance can quote higher liability limits and the optional coverages above. Call (480) 545-8877, Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–6 p.m. or Sat 8 a.m.–noon, in English or Spanish, or request a quote online. Insuring a home too? See how an auto and home bundle works.
Frequently asked questions
Is 25/50/15 enough car insurance in Arizona?
Under A.R.S. 28-4009, 25/50/15 is the legal minimum for policies issued or renewed since July 1, 2020, not a recommendation. Whether it is enough depends on what you own and what you could owe after a serious crash. Costs above your limits are not paid by your liability coverage, so ask our agents to quote more than one liability limit before you choose.
Can I show proof of insurance on my phone in Arizona?
Yes. A.R.S. 28-4135 allows evidence of insurance to be displayed on a wireless communication device in the vehicle, and says doing so does not consent to an officer looking at anything else on the device. A paper ID card in the glove box is a useful backup if your phone battery dies.
Does Arizona’s minimum policy pay to fix my own car?
No. The liability coverage required by A.R.S. 28-4009 is for injuries and property damage you cause to others, and the statute does not require it to insure your own property. Optional coverages such as collision and comprehensive are the ones designed for damage to your own car, and what they pay depends on your policy’s terms, limits and exclusions.
What is an SR22 in Arizona?
The Arizona Department of Transportation describes an SR22 as a certificate, sent by your insurance company directly to MVD, showing you carry the minimum required liability insurance. ADOT says you may need one after a suspension and may need to keep it for three years, and that letting it lapse leads to another suspension.
Do I have to tell MVD when I switch car insurance companies?
According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, your insurance company automatically reports policy changes to MVD, including new policies, cancellations and non-renewals. You can check your insurance status on AZ MVD Now. Start the new policy before the old one ends so there is no gap in coverage.
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