Car Insurance Requirements in Georgia (2024)
You must meet the 25/50/25 minimum car insurance requirements to drive in Georgia.
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Written byTaylor Milam-Samuel
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8+ years writing for major outlets, including MarketWatch and Business Insider
Master’s in Education
Taylor Mlam-Samuel is a personal finance writer and credentialed educator. When she’s not helping readers better save and spend money, she can be found teaching.
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Edited byDanny Smith
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years in content creation and marketing
As Insurify’s home and pet insurance editor, Danny also specializes in auto insurance. His goal is to help consumers navigate the complex world of insurance buying.
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Updated November 21, 2024
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Table of contents
As a driver in the Peach State, you need to understand the minimum car insurance requirements. If you don’t meet the coverage requirements, you could face fines or even license suspension. Below are all the tools to help you shop for car insurance in Georgia.
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Georgia car insurance requirements
Georgia law requires drivers to carry liability car insurance. This includes two types of insurance — bodily injury and property damage — and the state sets certain coverage limits for both.[1] If you’re responsible for an accident, liability car insurance helps pay for the other driver’s vehicle damage and medical bills.
However, it doesn’t cover your own vehicle repairs and medical costs. Liability insurance ensures drivers take financial responsibility for accidents they cause — you can’t drive without it in most of the country.[2]
Bodily injury liability
Bodily injury liability coverage pays for the other driver’s and their passengers’ medical expenses when you cause an accident. The coverage limit you select in your policy determines the maximum your insurer will pay. You’re responsible for paying the rest if a claim exceeds your coverage limits.[2]
Georgia drivers must have at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident of bodily injury liability coverage. With these limits, your policy will pay a maximum of $25,000 for one person and $50,000 total for one incident.[1]
Property damage liability
Property damage liability insurance covers vehicle repairs for the other driver when you cause an accident. Your policy specifies the amount your insurer agrees to pay for a property damage claim. Depending on your policy, the maximum amount might be more than the state minimum.[2]
Drivers in Georgia must have at least $25,000 of coverage for property damage liability. This means your policy will cover up to $25,000 per incident.[1]
Georgia Automobile Insurance Plan
GAIP
Georgia drivers can access insurance through the Georgia Automobile Insurance Plan (GAIP) if their driving record prevents them from getting insurance on the open market. Drivers with a DUI, multiple speeding tickets, or several at-fault accidents may struggle to find coverage with standard insurers. In this case, the GAIP helps drivers find adequate insurance coverage.[3]
Any drivers in the state who have failed to find coverage on the open market qualify for this coverage, and any licensed insurance agent can write a GAIP policy. But due to the high premium costs, most drivers would choose the Georgia Automobile Insurance Plan only as a last resort. If you need help finding coverage, contact a licensed representative or insurance agent for options.
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Do you need more than state-minimum coverage in Georgia?
It depends. Every driver needs to carry the state-minimum liability coverage in Georgia. While the law doesn’t mandate that you carry comprehensive and collision coverages, if you took out a loan to buy your car, your lender may require them. These two coverages, along with liability coverage, are often referred to as “full coverage.”
Full-coverage car insurance usually costs more than liability-only coverage because it provides more thorough protection. Many drivers opt for full coverage because the extra monthly cost is nothing next to the cost of medical bills and vehicle repairs without insurance.
You may not need full coverage if you don’t drive much or feel you can afford to pay for accident expenses out of pocket. If you’re unsure, ask an independent insurance agent for their opinion.
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What Does Collision Insurance Cover?
The cost of liability-only car insurance in Georgia
The average cost of liability insurance in Georgia is $152 per month. If you cause an accident, this coverage helps pay for medical expenses and vehicle repairs for the other driver. But it doesn’t cover any of your costs associated with the incident.
Below are some of the best car insurance companies for liability-only insurance in Georgia.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Friday, November 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | $58 |
| State Farm | $63 |
| COUNTRY Financial | $63 |
| Allstate | $68 |
| USAA | $73 |
| Mile Auto | $76 |
| Progressive | $91 |
| Safeco | $98 |
| GEICO | $101 |
| Mercury | $111 |
| Clearcover | $129 |
| Liberty Mutual | $143 |
| Nationwide | $151 |
| Direct Auto | $151 |
| GAINSCO | $159 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $171 |
| National General | $183 |
| The General | $219 |
| Infinity | $221 |
| Bristol West | $221 |
| Foremost | $249 |
| Hugo | $273 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
The cost of full-coverage car insurance in Georgia
Georgia drivers can expect to pay an average of $244 per month for full-coverage car insurance. Full coverage typically includes comprehensive and collision, which protect you after accidents and other incidents, such as theft, flooding, fire, and vandalism.
Below are the cheapest insurers for full-coverage insurance in Georgia.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Friday, November 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | $93 |
| State Farm | $100 |
| COUNTRY Financial | $101 |
| Allstate | $109 |
| USAA | $117 |
| Mile Auto | $129 |
| Safeco | $153 |
| GEICO | $162 |
| Progressive | $162 |
| Mercury | $180 |
| Clearcover | $231 |
| Nationwide | $241 |
| Liberty Mutual | $249 |
| Direct Auto | $258 |
| National General | $275 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $289 |
| GAINSCO | $315 |
| Foremost | $323 |
| The General | $374 |
| Infinity | $393 |
| Bristol West | $418 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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Penalties for driving without proof of insurance in Georgia
It’s illegal to drive without liability insurance in Georgia. If the police catch you driving without insurance, you could face severe consequences, including fees, license suspension, and even jail time.[4]
Fees
Drivers found driving without insurance for the first time must pay a $25 fee plus a $65 reinstatement fee. The costs are the same for the second offense but increase to $185 for the third offense.
License suspension
Georgia suspends driver’s licenses and vehicle registration for 60 days after the first offense of driving without insurance. After the second offense, the time increases to 90 days, and after the third offense, the suspensions last six months.
Jail time
Depending on the circumstances, drivers who don’t have minimum liability coverage could face up to one year in jail for the first offense.
Optional car insurance coverages to consider
Even though the state doesn’t require the following coverages, they’re worth considering. Each policy provides additional financial protection. Depending on your coverage needs and budget, one or all of these could be a good fit.[5]
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive coverage helps pay for damages from non-collision events, like bad weather, theft, and vandalism.
Collision coverage
Collision coverage helps pay for vehicle repairs after collisions with other vehicles or objects, like trees and telephone poles.
Medical payments (MedPay) or personal injury protection (PIP)
MedPay or PIP pays for medical expenses for you and your passengers in the event of a claim. PIP can also cover lost wages.
Uninsured motorist coverage
If another driver causes an accident but is uninsured or underinsured, this coverage helps pay for the remainder of your repairs. It also covers hit-and-runs and being hit by an uninsured driver as a pedestrian.
Gap coverage
If your vehicle is totaled and you owe more than the car is worth, gap insurance helps cover the difference.
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Georgia car insurance requirements FAQs
As a driver, you must understand your state’s car insurance requirements. Here’s what you need to know about auto insurance in Georgia.
Is car insurance required in Georgia?
Like in most states, the law in Georgia requires drivers to have liability coverage. Drivers must have at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, as well as $25,000 per accident for property damage.
Do you need car insurance to register a car in Georgia?
Yes. You must have car insurance to register your car in Georgia. Once you establish coverage, your insurer will file a proof of insurance form in the state’s online database through the Georgia Motor Vehicle Division (MVD).[6]
Does insurance follow the car or the driver in Georgia?
In most states, including Georgia, your insurance policy covers eligible drivers who use your vehicle with your permission. For example, if your sister drives your car to the store and is in an accident, your policy will provide coverage. But when you borrow someone else’s car, always confirm that you have adequate insurance. In Georgia, the driver is always responsible for providing proof of insurance.[7]
Is comprehensive coverage required in Georgia?
Drivers don’t have to carry comprehensive coverage in Georgia. But if you lease or finance a car, your lender will likely require it. Most insurance professionals recommend adding comprehensive and collision coverages to your policy, even if it’s not mandated. That way, you can have financial protection in more situations.
How long can you go without insurance in Georgia?
Georgia requires drivers in the state to maintain continuous coverage, which means that you should always have an active insurance policy as a driver. You could face fees, license suspension, and even jail time if you don’t have coverage.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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Sources
- Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner. "Auto Insurance."
- Insurance Information Institute. "Auto insurance basics—understanding your coverage."
- Automobile Insurance Plan Service Office. "Georgia Automobile Insurance Plan."
- Georgia Department of Revenue. "Registration Reinstatement After Suspension."
- Insurance Information Institute. "What is covered by a basic auto insurance policy?."
- Georgia Department of Revenue. "Acceptable Proof of Insurance."
- Nolo. "Georgia Car Insurance Requirements and Laws."
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Taylor Milam-Samuel
Taylor Milam-Samuel is a writer and credentialed educator who is fascinated by how people earn, save, and spend their money. When she's not researching financial terms and conditions, she can be found in the classroom teaching.
Edited byDanny Smith
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years in content creation and marketing
As Insurify’s home and pet insurance editor, Danny also specializes in auto insurance. His goal is to help consumers navigate the complex world of insurance buying.
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