What are the Liability Insurance Requirements for Drivers in Washington DC?

Just like all of the states, if you live in our nation’s capitol, you are required to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance. Washington DC is a no-fault District which means that you must carry both liability insurance for damage you may cause to another person or vehicle and also carry uninsured motorist coverage in case you are injured or your property is damaged by another driver who does not have insurance.

Under the Washington DC Compulsory No-Fault Motor Vehicle Act, drivers must maintain minimum auto liability insurance of 25/50/10. In other words, you must have $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage in case you injure the driver of another vehicle and a total of $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage for all other individuals who may also require medical attention. In addition, the minimum requirements are $10,000 for any property damage that you may cause.

Because Washington DC auto insurance is no-fault and not like some other states where auto liability insurance is based on tort law and the at-fault driver bears the financial burden, drivers are also required to carry uninsured motorist liability coverage. This coverage protects you, the driver, in the event you get into an accident with an uninsured driver.

Uninsured bodily injury liability coverage minimums are $25,000 for a single person injured in an accident by a driver with no insurance and $50,000 for all people who may be injured by the uninsured driver in that same accident. Uninsured property damage liability is $5,000.

A large number of our clients buy policies that exceed the mandatory minimum requirements. The most popular liability policy is 100/300/50. It does not raise your premiums by too much and you will have much better coverage. If you would like to find out what coverage is best for you, give us a call and talk with an independent agent who can fill you in on all the details.