In New York, carrying the minimum car insurance means you're legal — but it doesn't mean you're protected. The state's required limits are a floor, and a low one: they haven't budged since 1995, while the cost of a serious accident has climbed year after year. Most drivers never look past "am I legal?" — until a crash shows them exactly where the minimum stops. Here's what New York actually requires, what the "25/50/10" on your policy really means, and why the smart move is usually to carry more than the law demands.
What New York's minimum auto coverage really means.
- The legal minimum is 25/50/10 + PIP + UM. That's $25K/$50K bodily injury, $10K property damage, $50K no-fault, and $25K/$50K uninsured motorist.
- "25/50/10" only pays the other party. Liability never covers your own injuries or your own car.
- It's dangerously low. The limits haven't changed since 1995, yet the average NY injury claim is about $46,726 — nearly double the $25K per-person cap.
- Above your limit, you pay. Cause a serious crash on minimum coverage and your savings, home, and wages can be on the hook.
- Most drivers should carry more — often 100/300 with matching SUM coverage. It usually costs less than people expect.
What New York actually requires
Every registered vehicle in New York has to carry four coverages: bodily injury liability, property damage liability, no-fault (PIP), and uninsured motorist coverage. The liability piece is the part written as "25/50/10," but it's only one of the four. Here's the full required package.
| Required coverage | NY minimum | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25K / person $50K / accident |
Pays others' injuries you cause (rises to $50K/$100K if the accident causes death) |
| Property damage liability | $10K / accident | Pays for others' property you damage — their car, a fence, a storefront |
| Personal Injury Protection (PIP / no-fault) | $50K / person | Your own medical bills & lost wages, regardless of fault |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | $25K / person $50K / accident |
Your injuries if you're hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver |
New York State minimum auto insurance requirements, set by Insurance Law §3420 and Vehicle & Traffic Law §311. Source: NY Department of Financial Services. Limits unchanged since 1995.
Two of these — PIP and uninsured motorist — protect you. The two liability coverages protect other people from you. That distinction matters, and it's where most of the confusion about minimum coverage begins. We cover the no-fault side in depth in our guide to New York no-fault insurance; this article focuses on the liability limits — the 25/50/10.
What "25/50/10" actually means
"25/50/10" is just shorthand for three dollar limits on your liability coverage — and every one of them pays the other party, never you. Once you know what the three numbers stand for, your policy stops looking like a code.
| The number | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | $25,000 | Bodily injury, per person you injure in an at-fault crash |
| 50 | $50,000 | Bodily injury, total per accident when two or more people are hurt |
| 10 | $10,000 | Property damage, per accident, for the other party's car or property |
The three numbers in New York's 25/50/10 minimum. Note: if an accident results in death, the bodily injury minimums rise to $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.
So if you cause a crash that sends two people to the hospital, your bodily injury coverage pays up to $25,000 for each of them, but no more than $50,000 combined — and up to $10,000 for the damage to their vehicle. Notice what's missing: nothing here pays for your own injuries (that's PIP) or your own car (that's collision, which the minimum doesn't include at all).
What liability coverage does not pay for
Your liability coverage never pays a cent toward your own injuries or your own vehicle. This surprises people every day, usually at the worst possible moment. Here's what the 25/50/10 minimum leaves out:
- Your own car. Repairing or replacing your vehicle takes collision and comprehensive coverage — neither is part of the state minimum. If you carry only the minimum and total your car, you're paying to replace it yourself.
- Your own injuries beyond PIP. Your $50,000 in no-fault covers your medical bills up to that cap, but serious injuries can blow past it. Minimum coverage gives you no extra cushion.
- Anything above your limits. If you injure someone and their costs exceed $25,000, your policy stops there — and the rest becomes your personal responsibility.
- An underinsured at-fault driver. If someone with only minimum coverage seriously injures you, their $25,000 may not come close to your losses. Only optional SUM coverage fills that gap.
Why the state minimum is dangerously low
New York's minimum limits were set in 1995 and haven't moved since — but the cost of a serious accident has. The average personal auto injury claim in New York is now about $46,726, according to 2026 Insurify data. That's nearly double the $25,000 your minimum bodily injury coverage pays per person. When your coverage runs out, you don't; the injured party can pursue you personally for the difference.
Say you're at fault in a three-car crash and two people are seriously hurt, with combined medical bills and lost wages of $120,000. On 25/50/10 coverage, your insurer pays a maximum of $50,000 toward those injuries — $25,000 per person — plus $10,000 for vehicle damage. Everything above that, potentially $70,000 or more, is yours to pay. That's when an injured party's attorney looks at your home equity, your savings, and your future wages. The premium you saved carrying minimum limits can be erased many times over in a single afternoon.
This is the core problem with minimum coverage: it's priced to be cheap, not to protect you. It satisfies the law and nothing more. For a driver with anything worth protecting — a home, savings, steady income — the gap between "legal" and "safe" is enormous, and it's exactly the gap that higher limits close.
Think of 25/50/10 as the price of admission to drive in New York, not as a coverage recommendation. It's the least the state will accept — not the amount that actually shields you when something goes wrong. Almost no one who understands the math chooses to stay at the minimum.
Is New York raising the minimums?
There's a bill to raise them, but it hasn't become law — as of 2026, 25/50/10 still applies. Assembly Bill A5053, introduced in 2025 and reintroduced in January 2026, would raise the minimum bodily injury limits to $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident, and bump property damage from $10,000 to $25,000. It reflects a broad recognition that 1995-era limits are out of step with today's costs — but it has not passed, and New York's requirements are not changing this year.
The practical takeaway doesn't depend on the bill: even the proposed 50/100/25 would still be a floor, not a recommendation. Whether or not Albany acts, the right limits for you are driven by what you have to protect — not by the legal minimum of the moment. If the requirements ever do change, your insurer will notify you.
What you should actually carry
For most New York drivers, the right answer is well above the minimum — higher liability limits, matching uninsured/underinsured protection, and comprehensive and collision on any car worth repairing. Here's how the minimum compares with what we typically recommend.
| Coverage | State minimum | Commonly recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | 25/50 ($25K/$50K) | 100/300 ($100K/$300K) or higher |
| Property damage liability | $10K | $50K or higher |
| SUM (underinsured motorist) | Not included | Matched to your liability limits |
| Comprehensive & collision | Not included | Yes, on any car worth repairing |
| Umbrella policy | Not included | Worth it if you own a home or have savings |
New York minimum liability limits vs. commonly recommended coverage. Recommendations vary by assets and budget; a licensed agent can right-size them for you.
The single most overlooked upgrade is SUM (Supplementary Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists) coverage. Since a lot of New York drivers carry only 25/50/10, the person who injures you may not have enough coverage to make you whole — SUM steps in and pays the difference, up to your own limits. We generally recommend matching your SUM to your bodily injury liability so both sides of the risk are covered.
Here's the part that surprises people: moving from minimum limits to 100/300 usually costs far less than you'd guess — often a modest change to your premium for a massive change in protection. As your local Allstate agents, we can't shop a dozen outside carriers for you, but we can price these limits on a competitive Allstate quote, apply every discount you qualify for, and show you exactly what better protection costs against what you pay now.
What happens if you drive without it
Driving without the required coverage in New York is expensive on its own — and a lapse can cost you even if you're never pulled over. The state tracks insurance electronically, so a gap between policies can trigger DMV penalties, tiered daily fines, and eventually a suspension of your registration and license. Getting caught actually driving uninsured is worse, with fines that can reach into the thousands plus reinstatement costs.
We break down the exact lapse penalties, the daily fine tiers, and how to avoid a gap in our guide to Long Island car insurance costs. The short version: never cancel an old policy until the new one is active, and if you're switching, make sure the dates overlap.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum car insurance required in New York?
New York requires four things on every auto policy: bodily injury liability of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident (with higher $50,000/$100,000 limits when an accident causes death), property damage liability of $10,000 per accident, at least $50,000 in Personal Injury Protection (no-fault/PIP) coverage, and uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. The liability portion is commonly written as 25/50/10. These are the legal minimums set by New York's Insurance Law and Vehicle and Traffic Law, and they haven't changed since 1995.
What does 25/50/10 mean in New York?
25/50/10 is shorthand for New York's minimum liability limits. The first number, 25, is $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person you injure in an at-fault accident. The second, 50, is $50,000 of bodily injury coverage total per accident when more than one person is hurt. The third, 10, is $10,000 of property damage coverage per accident for the other party's car or property. All three only pay for the other party's losses, never your own. If an accident results in death, the bodily injury minimums rise to $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.
Is New York's minimum car insurance enough?
For most drivers, no. New York's 25/50/10 minimum hasn't changed since 1995, but medical and repair costs have risen sharply — the average personal auto injury claim in New York is now about $46,726, nearly double the $25,000 per-person minimum. If you cause a serious accident, your minimum policy can be exhausted quickly, and you're personally responsible for anything above your limits, which can put your savings, home, and wages at risk. That's why most New York drivers raise their liability limits well above the minimum.
Is New York raising its minimum insurance requirements?
Not yet. A proposed bill, Assembly Bill A5053, would raise New York's minimum bodily injury limits to $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident and increase property damage to $25,000. It was introduced in 2025 and reintroduced in January 2026, but it has not become law. As of 2026, the existing 25/50/10 limits still apply, and requirements are not changing this year. If the minimums ever do change, your insurer will notify you.
How much car insurance should I carry in New York?
Most New York drivers should carry more than the state minimum. A common recommendation is bodily injury liability of at least 100/300 (a $100,000 per person / $300,000 per accident), higher property damage limits, and Supplementary Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists (SUM) coverage matched to your liability limits so you're protected when the at-fault driver carries only the minimum. If you own a home or have savings to protect, an umbrella policy adds an inexpensive extra layer. A licensed agent can right-size these limits to your assets and budget.
Does the state minimum include collision coverage? No — comprehensive and collision are optional and not part of the 25/50/10 minimum, though lenders usually require them on financed cars.
What's the difference between UM and SUM? UM (required) covers you against an uninsured driver; SUM (optional) also covers you when the at-fault driver is underinsured — their limits are too low to cover your losses.
Can I be sued personally if I only have minimum coverage? Yes. If you cause damages above your limits, the injured party can pursue your personal assets for the difference.
Is minimum coverage cheaper? Up front, yes — but the savings versus higher limits are often small, while the risk you take on is large.
Do I need more coverage if I own a home? Generally yes — homeowners have assets worth protecting, which is exactly what higher liability limits and an umbrella policy do.
The bottom line on New York's minimum coverage
New York's minimum — 25/50/10 plus PIP and uninsured motorist coverage — is enough to make you legal, and not much more. The liability limits only pay the other party, they've been frozen since 1995, and they're routinely exhausted by the cost of a single serious accident. When they run out, your own assets are next in line. For a driver with a home, savings, or steady income, that's a lot of risk to carry to save a little on premium.
The fix is straightforward and usually affordable (here's how to lower your premium without dropping coverage): raise your bodily injury liability to 100/300 or higher, add SUM coverage matched to those limits, keep comprehensive and collision on any car worth repairing, and consider an umbrella policy if you have assets to protect. Done right, that's the difference between a policy that's technically legal and one that actually stands between you and financial disaster.
Vanderbeck Agency writes Allstate auto coverage for drivers across New York — from our office in Ronkonkoma. We'll review your current limits, show you what stronger protection costs on a competitive Allstate quote, apply every discount you qualify for, and make sure you're covered for the accidents that actually happen — not just the ones the law's minimum imagines. Get a quote in 60 seconds or call us at (516) 762-4195.
Find out if you're carrying enough — or just enough to be legal.
We'll review your current limits, price stronger protection on a competitive Allstate quote, and stack every discount you qualify for — no obligation.