Georgia Car Insurance Requirements & Minimum Coverage
Georgia requires all drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of 25/50/25. Here’s what that means for you — and why it’s almost never enough after a serious accident.
Georgia’s Mandatory Minimum Liability: 25/50/25
Every driver in Georgia must carry at least the following liability insurance:
| Coverage | Minimum | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily Injury (per person) | $25,000 | Maximum paid for one person’s injuries |
| Bodily Injury (per accident) | $50,000 | Maximum paid for all injuries in one accident |
| Property Damage (per accident) | $25,000 | Maximum paid for vehicle/property damage |
Driving without at least these minimums is illegal in Georgia. Penalties include fines, license suspension, vehicle registration suspension, and a lapse-in-coverage fee.
What Each Number Means in Practice
The 25/50/25 designation represents three separate coverage caps:
- $25,000 per person— If you are hit by a driver carrying minimum coverage, their insurer will pay no more than $25,000 for your injuries — regardless of how much your medical bills actually total.
- $50,000 per accident— If multiple people are injured in the same accident, the total payout for all injuries is capped at $50,000. In a multi-victim crash, this amount is split among all injured parties.
- $25,000 for property damage— This covers vehicle repair or replacement and other property damage. With the average new car costing over $48,000, this limit is easily exceeded in a total-loss situation.
Why Minimums Are Rarely Enough for Serious Injuries
Georgia’s minimum coverage limits were set decades ago and have not kept pace with modern medical costs. Consider these real-world scenarios:
Emergency room visit + ambulance: $5,000 – $15,000
Spinal surgery: $50,000 – $150,000+
6 months of physical therapy: $10,000 – $30,000
Lost wages (6 months):$25,000 – $50,000+
Total: $90,000 – $245,000+ — far exceeding the $25,000 per-person minimum.
When the at-fault driver’s policy maxes out, the remaining balance falls on you— unless you have your own UM/UIM coverage to fill the gap.
Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11)
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) is arguably the most important coverage on your auto policy. It protects you in two common situations:
- Uninsured motorist (UM): The at-fault driver has no insurance at all. Approximately 12% of Georgia drivers are uninsured.
- Underinsured motorist (UIM): The at-fault driver has insurance, but their limits are not enough to cover your damages.
Under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11, Georgia law requires every auto insurer to offer UM/UIM coverage with every liability policy. You can only decline it by signing a written rejection. If the insurer cannot produce your signed rejection, the coverage is automatically included at the same limits as your liability coverage.
We recommend carrying UM/UIM coverage at the highest limits you can afford. It is your safety net when the other driver’s policy falls short — which happens far more often than most people expect.
Other Important Coverage Types
Collision Coverage
Pays to repair or replace your vehicle after an accident, regardless of fault. Not required by Georgia law, but essential if you have a loan or lease on your vehicle. Without collision coverage, you bear the full cost of vehicle repairs if the at-fault driver is uninsured.
Comprehensive Coverage
Covers non-collision events like theft, vandalism, hail, flooding, and animal strikes. Optional under Georgia law but typically required by lenders.
Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay)
MedPay covers your medical expenses (and your passengers’) regardless of who caused the accident, up to your policy limit. It pays out quickly — often within days — helping cover immediate bills while your injury claim is being processed. MedPay is optional in Georgia but highly recommended.
How to Check If You Have Adequate Coverage
Review your auto insurance declarations page (dec page) — the summary document your insurer provides at each renewal. Look for:
- Bodily Injury Liability limits — Are they above the 25/50 minimum?
- UM/UIM coverage — Is it listed? At what limits? Does it match your liability limits?
- MedPay — Is it included? At what limit?
- Collision and Comprehensive — What are your deductibles?
If you’ve been in an accident and aren’t sure what coverage you have, our attorneys can review your policy at no cost as part of your free consultation. We frequently discover UM/UIM coverage that clients didn’t know they had.
Insurance Requirements FAQs
Not Sure What Your Policy Covers?
We review your insurance policy for free as part of every consultation. Call us to find out what coverage you have.