Driving Without Auto Insurance (2024)

You should always avoid driving without the right types of auto insurance coverage. You could face vehicle impoundment for driving without auto insurance and other consequences like fines, license suspension, and jail time.

States minimum auto insurance requirements protect you and other drivers. When you have no car insurance, you risk higher future insurance rates, being sued by other drivers, and having to pay for car repairs and medical bills out of pocket.

While you might think car insurance is too expensive, buying your state’s minimum requirements can be very cheap. Below, we’ll explore the consequences of driving without car insurance and discuss whether an uninsured driver driving an insured car is allowed. Then, you should compare quotes from various companies to find the best car insurance coverage without a license.

Penalties for Driving Without Auto Insurance

Driving without auto insurance might sound like it’s not that bad, but it comes with some of the most severe consequences for traffic violations. You’ll face fines, license suspension, mandatory community service, vehicle impoundment, and jail if caught driving without insurance.

So, what happens if you don’t have insurance on your car and you go for a drive? The specifics depend on your state’s laws, but you can explore the potential consequences below.

Depending on your state, driving without car insurance is usually defined as a traffic violation or a misdemeanor. Some of the most common legal consequences of driving without insurance include:

• No-insurance fines
• Suspension of your license or registration
• Community service
• Points on your driving record
• Vehicle impoundment
• License plate removal

Usually, you’ll face steeper consequences for being caught without insurance in an accident, especially if you injure someone. It’s also more expensive to get auto insurance with a suspended license. You’ll also get a harsher punishment for repeated offenses in a specific period of time.

No-Auto Insurance Fines

Again, it depends on your state. Most states charge anywhere from $50 to $2,000 for a first-time offense. However, the amount you pay can vary significantly depending on the circumstances. For example, most states increase the fine per offense within a time period of about three to five years.

You’ll also pay much more if you injure another driver in an accident.

On top of the fine for driving without insurance, you’ll incur additional costs. Some states charge a civil fee you must pay to the DMV, Secretary of State, or other authorities. The civil fee is a one-time payment in some states. In others, you’ll have a period after your first fee to get SR-22 auto insurance. If you fail to do so, the state will charge you every day until you get it.

A third expense related to driving without insurance isn’t necessarily a fee, but it might feel like one. When you finally get insurance, your rates will likely be much higher when you have a car insurance coverage lapse in your history.

Jail Time for Driving Without Auto Insurance Coverage

Usually, jail time only happens in severe incidents, and most states don’t require imprisonment for your first violation.

However, many states allow judges to assign jail time, even on the first conviction. In these states, first-time offenders are eligible for anywhere between 15 days and one year in jail. Jail sentences usually get handed out in situations where an uninsured driver injured someone else.

In other states, drivers cannot be assigned jail time on their first conviction. However, you’ll be eligible for a jail sentence if you get additional charges for driving without insurance.

Judges often choose to impose community service for first-time offenses rather than jail, especially when there wasn’t an accident involved.

License or Registration Suspension for Driving Without Auto Insurance

As with other consequences for driving without insurance, your license or registration suspension depends on your state.

The amount of time the DMV suspends your license or registration is often predetermined. The typical period for a first-time offense is 30 days to one year. Another common suspension length is until you submit proof that you meet minimum insurance requirements with an SR-22 form.

Additional convictions usually increase the amount of time the state suspends your license or registration.

Once your license or registration is eligible to be reinstated, you’ll probably have to pay a reinstatement fee. The DMV might also impose an SR-22 insurance condition for a few years after your conviction, which usually comes with additional filing fees. It can also be challenging to get auto insurance with a suspended license.

Vehicle Impounded for Driving Without Auto Insurance

Vehicle impoundment or license plate removal is possible if you drive without insurance. However, this is an uncommon response to a first-time offense. You’ll more often see vehicle impoundment for driving with a suspended registration.

If your vehicle gets impounded for driving without auto insurance, most states require you to show proof of insurance before you can get your car. You’ll probably have to pay a fee to get your car back, too.

Consequences of Getting in an Accident Without Auto Insurance

While it’s always a bad idea, you should know what happens after an accident without auto insurance. The circumstances of the incident play a significant role. As mentioned above, the consequences are usually more severe when an accident is involved.

You can find yourself in three types of accidents: an at-fault accident, another driver is at fault, or you live in a no-fault state. Learn more about each below.

Getting in an At-Fault Accident Without Auto Insurance

This is the most serious situation you can find yourself in when it comes to driving without insurance. Most insurance companies will immediately classify you as a high-risk driver, even if it’s your first conviction.

In an at-fault accident, your liability insurance protects you from being sued by the other party. You’d probably be sued without insurance, especially if you injured the other driver. You’d also be held responsible for any damage you cause to their property.

As you might imagine, paying for damage you cause can get expensive. Repairs and medical bills can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands.

Causing an accident when you shouldn’t have been on the road will stay on your record for years, affecting your insurance rates. You can research the best auto insurance companies for high-risk drivers.

Someone Else Hits You and You Don’t Have Auto Insurance

While you won’t face the same severity of consequences, being hit by another driver when you don’t have insurance is nearly as bad.

You’ll still face legal consequences, like license suspension and fees. However, many states limit how much compensation you can claim from another driver when you don’t have insurance.

Some states, like Louisiana, completely deny you compensation when you don’t have coverage.

Insurance companies are valuable allies when trying to prove you didn’t cause an accident. Without insurance, you must submit your own proof and pay legal fees.

Getting in an Accident in a No-Fault State Without Auto Insurance

No-fault states limit how much you can sue another driver for and require you to make claims with your insurance. While this system has advantages and disadvantages, it’s not a good situation to be in if you don’t have insurance.

In a no-fault state, you’ll be on your own to pay for car repairs, medical bills, and other expenses. Even if the other driver is responsible, you can’t file a claim against them.

State Auto Insurance Requirements

According to Forbes, all states require drivers to carry a minimum amount of car insurance except for Virginia and New Hampshire.

Every state that requires insurance includes at least liability coverage. Liability auto insurance pays for damages and injuries you cause in an accident. It won’t help pay for your car repairs or medical bills, but it will prevent you from being sued by the other driver.

Other common requirements include uninsured motorist coverage (UIM) auto insurance and personal injury protection auto insurance coverage. Fewer states require these products, but they offer valuable protection you should consider regardless.

The amount of coverage required by your state is one factor that affects how much you’ll pay for car insurance.

You can check the map below to see the average monthly minimum coverage auto insurance rates across the country:

Liability Auto Insurance Average Rates From Top Providers

As you can see, there is a lot of variation in coverage requirements. If you need to buy coverage, you don’t need to memorize your state’s requirements. An insurance representative can help you determine the right coverage for your needs.

Find Affordable Auto Insurance Today to Avoid Coverage Lapses

Although you might be in situations where you think you won’t be caught driving without insurance, you should always avoid it. You can skip high-risk auto insurance, price hikes in future insurance rates, fees, license suspension, and even jail by ensuring you have the right coverage before driving.

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— AutoInsurance.org (@AutoInsurance) April 23, 2023

Car insurance can be expensive, but finding affordable rates doesn’t have to be a challenge, especially if you’ve never been convicted of driving without coverage. An easy way to find affordable coverage is to get multiple auto insurance quotes from as many companies as possible.