What Car Insurance Do I Need in Missouri?

If you own or drive a vehicle in Missouri, you're required to carry liability car insurance (or otherwise prove your "financial responsibility" for any accident you might cause) in the following amounts:

• $25,000 per person for any injuries or deaths resulting from an accident you cause
• $50,000 total per accident for any injuries or deaths resulting from a crash you cause, and
• $25,000 total per accident for any vehicle or property damage stemming from a crash you cause.

Missouri law also requires a car insurance policy to include uninsured motorist coverage.

Let's take a closer look at Missouri's car insurance laws and how they're sure to come into play after a car accident.

What Does Liability Car Insurance Cover in Missouri?

Liability coverage pays for injuries, property damage, and other losses you cause in a car accident, up to coverage limits. For example, if you rear-end another car at a stop sign, your liability coverage will pay for the injuries and damage you cause.

People who are injured because of your driving can sue you for damages greater than your minimum liability coverage. You might consider carrying more coverage than the minimum amount required by state law. Higher policy limits may cost you more in premiums, but could save you from financial ruin if you're the at-fault driver in a serious car accident.

Your liability insurance doesn't cover your injuries or vehicle damage when you're at fault for an accident. But you can purchase collision coverage to help repair or replace your vehicle after an accident, regardless of who caused the crash. Collision coverage is optional in Missouri, but your car loan lender may require you to have it.

Who Is Covered Under My Car Insurance In Missouri?

Your liability coverage will cover anyone named on the policy, most household members, and "permissive users." Permissive users are people who have permission to drive your car. Your liability insurance will also likely cover you if you get into an accident in a rental car.

What Are Other Ways of Proving Financial Responsibility in Missouri?

Buying liability car insurance is by far the most common way that Missourians comply with the state's "financial responsibility" law, but it's not the only option. You can also submit one of these to the state's Department of Revenue, as proof that you can and will pay for any harm you cause to others in a car accident:

• a surety bond
• a real estate bond, or
• a deposit of cash or negotiable securities (like stock, bonds, or CD's).

Do I Need Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Missouri?

Yes. Missouri law requires liability insurance policies to include uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 for bodily injury per person and $50,000 for bodily injury per accident. Uninsured motorist coverage protects you and your passengers if you're hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver, or if you're the victim of a hit-and-run driver.

When Do I Need Proof of Insurance in Missouri?

Missouri requires vehicle owners and drivers to carry proof of insurance in their cars. If you're stopped for a traffic violation or involved in an accident, a law enforcement officer may write you a traffic citation if you can't provide proof of insurance.

The Missouri Driver License Bureau can ask vehicle owners to provide proof of insurance at any time during a period of registration. Drivers who can't provide proof may have their driver's license suspended.

Is Electronic or Digital Proof of Car Insurance Okay in Missouri?

Yes, proof of financial responsibility required to register a vehicle in Missouri "may be provided by displaying an electronic image of an insurance identification card on a mobile electronic device," which includes a smartphone or tablet. This includes situations in which you're pulled over by a law enforcement officer in Missouri and asked to show proof of insurance.

What Happens If I'm Caught Driving Without Insurance in Missouri?

If you get caught driving without insurance in Missouri, you can expect penalties, including:

• fines
• court-ordered supervision
• driver's license suspension
• license reinstatement fees
• points on your driving record, and
• up to 15 days in jail for repeat offenders.

As stiff as these penalties are, they pale in comparison to the financial hit you could take if you're in a car accident and you don't have car insurance.

What Is Missouri's "No Pay, No Play" Law?

Another penalty for driving without insurance relates to your legal options if you're injured in a car accident.

Under Missouri's "no pay, no play" law, if you were hurt in a car accident and it turns out you were driving without insurance at the time of the crash, you'll be barred from recovering "non-economic" damages resulting from your injuries. This is true even if you borrow someone else's car and it turns out the vehicle isn't insured.

Non-economic damages include compensation for your physical and mental "pain and suffering" and other subjective effects of your injuries, so having this kind of compensation taken off the table can have a big impact on your case.

You can still recover non-economic damages against the other driver if they were driving under the influence at the time of the accident, or if the crash involved certain other criminal activity.

More Information and Help After a Missouri Car Accident

Get more details on the Missouri car accident laws that could come into play after any crash that occurs in the state.

And if you've been involved in a car accident in Missouri, a lawyer can answer your questions and explain your legal options. Learn more about how an attorney can help you with your car accident claim and how to find the right injury lawyer.