Minimum Car Insurance by State: What Drivers in OR, WA & ID Must Know

Hailie Hillock
4 days ago
3 min read

Navigating car insurance laws can be complex since each state mandates specific minimum liability coverage to legally operate a vehicle.

What are Minimum Car Insurance Requirements?

Minimum car insurance requirements or insurance mandates refer to the lowest amount of liability coverage a driver must carry to legally drive. These include:

Bodily Injury Liability: Covers medical expenses for injuries you cause to others.
Property Damage Liability: Covers damages you cause to someone else’s property.

Each state has a specific liability requirement for auto insurance. While you can legally drive with these liability limits, it's advisable to choose higher coverage so that you are adequately protected if you are found at fault for an accident. You may save in the short-term, but you’ll end up paying thousands more out of pocket versus paying just a small percentage of your premium more in for higher liability limits.

State Minimum Liability Coverage

The minimum insurance requirements for Oregon, Idaho, and Washington are listed below.

Oregon

Bodily Injury: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident
Property Damage: $20,000
PIP: 15,000
UM/UIM: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident

Idaho:

Bodily Injury: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident
Property Damage: $15,000
PIP: Not required
UM/UIM: Not required, but must be rejected in writing

Washington:

Bodily Injury: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident
Property Damage: $10,000
PIP: Not required
UM/UIM: Not required, but must be rejected in writing

Understanding Liability Coverage Limits

Liability insurance can be written one of two ways on your insurance policy: split limit or combined single limit.

Split Limit Liability Insurance

Split liability insurance - indicated by the slashes - is broken into three parts, always written in the same order. You can often choose anywhere between 25/20/10 and 300/500/100.

If you see 100/300/50 on your policy that means you have:

$100,000 for bodily injury per person
$300,000 for bodily injury per accident
$50,000 for damage to property

Here are a couple real-world examples:

Example 1: You’re at-fault for an accident that caused harm to two people. One has medical bills of $100,000 while the other has $150,000. With 100/300/50 coverage, your policy will pay out a maximum of $100,000 per person based on the per person bodily injury limit.

Example 2: You’re at-fault for an accident that caused harm to four people. Each has medical bills of $100,000, totaling $400,000. With 100/300/50 coverage, your policy will not be able to cover all the expenses. It will divide up the $300,000 per accident limit between the four individuals.

Combined Single Limit Liability Insurance

Combined single limit - written as one value such as $300,000 - indicates the total amount available to pay for all of the damages associated with a single accident. This option gives you more flexibility.

What happens if I drive without liability insurance?

Operating a vehicle without meeting your state’s minimum car insurance requirements can lead to:

Fines and penalties
License and registration suspension
Requiring an SR-22 to drive which results in higher insurance premiums

The bottomline is don’t drive without liability insurance for your safety and for others. But, if you do need an SR-22, we work with several reputable companies that can provide an SR-22 in Oregon, Idaho, and Washington.

Protect Yourself and Others

Maintaining at least the minimum required car insurance safeguards you against financial loss and legal issues. Consider higher coverage limits for better protection. Reach out to an agent to get started.