Connecticut Minimum Car Insurance Requirements 2026
Connecticut requires every registered vehicle to carry at least 25/50/25 liability insurance: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 property damage per accident, plus matching 25/50 uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on the same policy.
The Connecticut minimum, in plain numbers
Connecticut law requires every registered motor vehicle to be covered by a liability policy that meets a 25/50/25 minimum. In practice that means $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident (the total available when more than one person is hurt), and $25,000 in property damage coverage per accident for the vehicles or objects you damage. On top of that, Connecticut is one of the states that also mandates uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, which must be carried at limits of at least 25/50 to match your bodily injury liability. These figures are the floor set by statute, not a recommendation. They reflect an increase that took effect on January 1, 2018, when Connecticut raised its long-standing 20/40/10 minimum.
Because prices for medical care and vehicle repairs have climbed sharply since then, the state minimum is best understood as the bare legal threshold for keeping a registration valid, not as an amount that reliably protects your finances after a serious crash.
How Connecticut assigns fault
Connecticut is an at-fault (tort) state. If you cause a crash, your liability insurance pays the other party for their injuries and property damage, and the injured party can pursue you for costs beyond your policy limits. This is different from a no-fault state: Connecticut experimented with no-fault insurance in the 1970s and 1980s but repealed it in 1994, which is why Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is not required here. States such as Minnesota, Hawaii, and North Dakota still run mandatory PIP systems; Connecticut does not. Because fault drives every claim, the accuracy of the crash record matters, and Connecticut applies a modified comparative-negligence rule: an injured driver can recover damages only if they are 50 percent or less at fault, and any recovery is reduced by their share of blame.
The practical takeaway is that your liability limits are what stand between your personal assets and a lawsuit, so the amount you buy above the 25/50/25 floor is a direct measure of how well you are protected.
Key data
| Factor | Filed value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum bodily injury liability per accident | $50,000 | Connecticut DMV · Jul 2026 |
| Civil penalty for each auto insurance lapse period | $200 | Connecticut DMV · Jul 2026 |
| Connecticut average auto insurance expenditure (2022) | $1,282.45 | Insurance Information Institute · Jul 2026 |
The coverages you are actually required to buy
Three coverages must appear on a compliant Connecticut policy. First, bodily injury liability (the 25/50 portion) pays for injuries you cause to other people. Second, property damage liability (the final 25) pays for damage you cause to another vehicle, a guardrail, a fence, or a building. Third, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage protects you and your passengers when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little to cover your injuries, including hit-and-run situations.
- Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $25,000 per accident
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist: at least $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident
Connecticut also allows a combined single-limit option of $50,000 covering both bodily injury and property damage instead of split limits. Notably, Connecticut does not mandate collision, comprehensive, or medical payments coverage; those are optional. A lender or leasing company will usually require collision and comprehensive as a condition of the loan, but that is a contractual requirement, not a state law.
What happens if you drive uninsured
Connecticut requires continuous coverage on a registered vehicle, and insurers report lapses electronically to the DMV. If your coverage lapses for more than 14 days, the DMV mails a warning notice and offers a consent agreement. The core penalty is a $200 civil penalty for each lapse period; if you can document that you actually maintained continuous coverage, that fine may be waived. Ignore the notice and the DMV will suspend your registration, which blocks you from registering any vehicle until the matter is resolved. Reinstating a suspended registration or license adds a $175 restoration fee on top of the $200 penalty. Driving with a suspended registration, or being stopped without proof of insurance, exposes you to additional fines and potential license consequences. Beyond the government penalties, a coverage gap almost always raises your future premiums, because insurers treat a lapse as a signal of higher risk.
The cheapest path is simply never to let a policy expire before the replacement policy is active.
Reinstatement and why there is no SR-22
Many states make high-risk drivers file an SR-22 certificate, a document the insurer sends to the state to prove liability coverage is in force. Connecticut does not use the SR-22 system at all, and there is no such thing as an SR-22 or SR-22A requirement here. Instead, Connecticut applies a straightforward proof-of-insurance rule administered by the DMV Insurance Compliance Unit. To clear a lapse or reinstate after suspension you generally must: enter the consent agreement, pay the $200 penalty for each lapse period (and the $175 restoration fee if suspended), and submit acceptable proof of current Connecticut coverage. Acceptable proof includes an insurer declaration page, a letter of experience printed on the insurer's letterhead showing your coverage dates, or a valid Connecticut Insurance Identification Card. Mailed documents are typically processed in about ten days.
Because rules and fees can change, verify the exact steps for your case with the DMV before assuming a fixed filing period, since Connecticut has no certified filing duration to satisfy the way SR-22 states do.
How much coverage you really need
The 25/50/25 minimum is easy to exhaust. A single overnight hospital stay, a surgery, or a totaled late-model SUV can blow past $25,000 in minutes, and once your limits run out, the difference comes from your pocket. That is why the Connecticut Insurance Department openly cautions that the statutory minimums may not provide sufficient financial protection. A widely used benchmark is 100/300/100 liability, which raises bodily injury to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident and property damage to $100,000. The premium gap between minimum limits and these higher limits is often surprisingly small, because most of your premium pays for the first dollars of coverage, not the last. Drivers with meaningful savings, home equity, or future earnings to protect should also consider a personal umbrella policy that adds $1 million or more above the auto limits.
At minimum, buy UM/UIM limits that match your liability limits, so that a crash caused by an uninsured driver leaves you as protected as a crash you might cause yourself.
Optional coverages worth considering
Beyond the mandatory three, Connecticut drivers can add coverages that fill common gaps. Collision pays to repair or replace your own car after a crash regardless of fault, and comprehensive covers non-collision losses like theft, fire, vandalism, flooding, and animal strikes. Medical payments (MedPay) coverage helps pay medical bills for you and your passengers no matter who caused the crash, which partly compensates for the absence of mandatory PIP. Other useful add-ons include rental reimbursement, roadside assistance, gap coverage for financed vehicles that may be worth less than the loan balance, and new-car replacement on newer vehicles. None of these are required by the state, but several may be required by a lender.
Think about them in terms of what a loss would actually cost you: if paying cash to replace your car after a theft or a deer strike would be a hardship, comprehensive and collision usually earn their premium. Bundling these with higher liability and UM/UIM limits creates a policy that protects both your assets and your vehicle.
How to compare Connecticut quotes the right way
Rates in Connecticut vary widely between insurers for the exact same driver, so comparison shopping is the single most reliable way to lower your cost without cutting protection. Get quotes from at least three or four carriers, and make sure every quote uses identical coverage limits, deductibles, and add-ons so you are comparing price and not coverage. Ask each insurer about discounts you may qualify for, such as multi-policy bundling, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, good-student, defensive-driving, low-mileage, and telematics or usage-based programs that reward safe habits. Confirm how each company treats a prior lapse, since Connecticut reports lapses to the DMV and a gap can raise your rate. Review the insurer's complaint record and financial strength before you buy, not just the headline premium, because a cheap policy from a company that pays claims slowly is a poor bargain.
Finally, revisit your policy at least once a year and after any major life change, because a new address, a new vehicle, or an added teen driver can shift your rate enough that re-shopping pays for itself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum car insurance required in Connecticut?
Connecticut requires liability limits of at least 25/50/25: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 property damage per accident. In addition, every policy must include uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. A combined single limit of $50,000 for bodily injury and property damage is also permitted.
Is Connecticut a no-fault state?
No. Connecticut is an at-fault (tort) state. It repealed its no-fault system in 1994, so Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is not required. The driver who causes a crash is responsible, and their liability coverage pays the other party. Connecticut uses modified comparative negligence, meaning an injured driver can recover only if they are 50 percent or less at fault.
Does Connecticut require an SR-22?
No. Connecticut does not use the SR-22 filing system, and there is no SR-22 or SR-22A requirement in the state. Instead, after an insurance lapse or suspension you resolve the matter through the DMV by entering a consent agreement, paying the $200 penalty per lapse period (plus a $175 restoration fee if suspended), and submitting proof of current Connecticut coverage such as a declaration page, letter of experience, or insurance ID card.
What is the penalty for driving without insurance in Connecticut?
If your coverage lapses more than 14 days, the DMV assesses a $200 civil penalty for each lapse period and can suspend your registration if you do not respond to the warning notice. Reinstating after a suspension adds a $175 restoration fee. Driving without proof of insurance can bring additional fines and can raise your future premiums because insurers treat a lapse as higher risk.
Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Connecticut?
Yes. Unlike liability-only states, Connecticut requires uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on every auto policy, at limits of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. This coverage protects you and your passengers when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough, including hit-and-run crashes. Many drivers raise these limits to match higher liability limits for fuller protection.
Is the Connecticut minimum enough coverage?
For most drivers, no. The Connecticut Insurance Department warns that the 25/50/25 minimum may not provide sufficient financial protection. A single serious injury or a totaled newer vehicle can exceed those limits, leaving you personally responsible for the balance. Many drivers choose 100/300/100 liability with matching UM/UIM, and those with significant assets add a personal umbrella policy for an extra layer of protection.
Sources cited
- Connecticut DMV — captured Jul 2026
- Insurance Information Institute — captured Jul 2026
- Connecticut General Statutes (statute search) — captured Jul 2026
- Connecticut General Assembly, Office of Legislative Research - State Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements (2023-R-0090) — captured Jul 2026
- NAIC - Auto Insurance — captured Jul 2026
