New York requires liability coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury ($50,000 and $100,000 if someone dies), plus $10,000 for property damage. You also need $50,000 of no-fault (PIP) coverage and uninsured motorist coverage of at least $25,000/$50,000.
Your policy has to come from an insurer licensed in New York. The DMV doesn’t accept out-of-state insurance, and even a short lapse can lead to a registration suspension or daily civil penalties.
Key Takeaways
- New York requires 25/50/10 liability (50/100 for death), $50,000 of no-fault coverage and uninsured motorist coverage of 25/50.
- Your insurer reports your coverage to the DMV electronically, and the DMV doesn’t accept out-of-state insurance for New York-registered cars.
- A lapse of 90 days or less suspends your registration, and you can usually lift the suspension by paying a civil penalty of $8 to $12 a day, unless you paid one in the past three years. Longer lapses mean surrendering your plates and a license suspension.
- Driving uninsured can bring a fine of up to $1,500, up to 15 days in jail, or both. If it’s your car, the DMV also revokes your registration and driver license for at least a year, whether or not there was a crash.
New York Minimum Car Insurance at a Glance
| Coverage | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident ($50,000 and $100,000 for death) |
| Property damage liability | $10,000 per accident |
| No-fault (personal injury protection) | $50,000 per person |
| Uninsured motorist | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident |
| Supplementary uninsured/underinsured motorist (SUM) | Included at your bodily injury limits when you first buy a policy, unless you decline it or choose a lower amount on a signed form |
| Collision and comprehensive | Not required by law, but usually required by lenders and lessors |
The New York DMV says the coverage “must be New York State insurance coverage, issued by a company licensed by the New York State Department of Financial Services” and certified by the DMV. RateFrog’s guide to liability limits explains what the numbers mean.
No-Fault Coverage in New York
New York is a no-fault state. The Department of Financial Services says no-fault coverage is “designed to pay promptly, regardless of who is at fault or whether there was any negligence,” for economic losses up to $50,000 per person. It pays:
- Medical and rehabilitation expenses
- 80% of lost earnings, up to $2,000 a month for up to three years
- Up to $25 a day for other reasonable expenses, for up to a year
- A $2,000 death benefit
Insurers must also offer Optional Basic Economic Loss (OBEL) coverage, which adds $25,000 to the $50,000 of basic no-fault coverage. RateFrog’s guide to PIP and no-fault insurance explains how no-fault works in other states.
Your Right to Sue
In exchange for no-fault benefits, New York limits lawsuits for pain and suffering to cases involving a “serious injury” as defined in Insurance Law section 5102. New York changed several of its car-accident lawsuit rules in 2026, so if you’re involved in a claim, check the current law or talk with an attorney rather than relying on older summaries.
Uninsured and Supplementary Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Every New York policy includes uninsured motorist coverage at the same minimum limits as liability, $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. On top of that, the DFS says that when you first buy a policy, “your insurer will include SUM coverage in an amount equal to the bodily injury liability insurance limits” unless you decline it or choose a lower amount on a signed form. SUM also protects you when the at-fault driver has insurance but too little of it. RateFrog’s guide to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explains how it works.
Proof of Insurance in New York
Your insurer gives you two New York State Insurance ID Cards or access to an electronic ID card. It also sends an electronic notice of your coverage directly to the DMV. Your agent or broker can’t file that notice. The DMV says the ID cards and the electronic notice “together verify your insurance coverage.”
Under Vehicle and Traffic Law section 319, you have to show your insurance ID card when a police officer asks. Keep in mind that electronic ID cards can’t be used for some policy types, including all-owned-vehicle, dealer and self-insured policies.
What Happens If Your Insurance Lapses
The DMV tracks lapses closely. If your coverage lapses and you didn’t surrender your plates first, the DMV suspends your registration. For a lapse of 90 days or less, you can usually pay a civil penalty to lift the suspension instead of serving it, unless you already paid one in the past 36 months:
| Length of lapse | Civil penalty |
|---|---|
| Days 1 to 30 | $8 a day |
| Days 31 to 60 | $10 a day |
| Days 61 to 90 | $12 a day |
| More than 90 days | You must surrender your registration and plates, and your license is suspended |
For lapses over 90 days, your license is suspended for the same number of days as your registration, and you pay a $50 license suspension termination fee to reinstate it. If you don’t plan to replace your insurance, the DMV says to surrender your plates before the lapse begins. RateFrog’s guide to what happens when insurance lapses covers the general risks.
Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in New York
| Situation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Driving your uninsured car, or letting someone else drive it | A fine of $150 to $1,500, up to 15 days in jail, or both. The DMV also revokes your registration and driver license for at least one year, crash or no crash, and police could impound the car |
| Restoring a revoked license | A $750 civil penalty |
The fine and jail term come from VTL section 319, and the one-year revocation comes from VTL section 318. The DMV also suspends your license and registrations if you fail to pay a court judgment of more than $1,000 from a crash, according to its unsatisfied judgments page.
Does New York Use SR-22 Filings?
New York tracks coverage through insurers’ electronic reports to the DMV and its own insurance ID cards. RateFrog didn’t find an official New York page describing SR-22 filings. If the DMV asks you for proof of insurance after a suspension or revocation, ask the DMV exactly what it needs. For how SR-22 filings generally work, see RateFrog’s SR-22 guide.
If You Can’t Find Coverage
The New York Automobile Insurance Plan (NYAIP), also called the Assigned Risk Plan, assigns drivers to an insurer when they can’t find coverage on their own. According to the plan’s page on the AIPSO website, you must certify that you tried and failed to get insurance in New York within the previous 60 days, and you apply through a licensed producer or broker certified by the plan. The DFS notes that premiums in the plan are generally higher than in the voluntary market.
How New York Insurers Use Credit
New York lets insurers use credit information, with consumer protections. The DFS says:
- If an insurer uses your credit information, it must send you a notice saying so, including the name of the credit reporting agency.
- If your premium is higher because of your credit, you’ll get a notice.
- Your insurer must review your credit at least once every three years if you ask.
- Your insurer “may not terminate your policy or increase your renewal premium based on credit information.”
Other New York Rules to Know
- Cancellation notice. Insurers must give at least 15 days’ notice before canceling for nonpayment.
- Supplementary spousal liability. Under the rule in effect through July 31, 2027, it’s included when the first named insured lists a spouse, unless you decline it in writing.
Is New York’s Minimum Coverage Enough?
A $10,000 property damage limit is low, and injury claims can pass $25,000 per person. If a claim is more than your limits, you could owe the rest. RateFrog’s guide to how much car insurance you need can help you choose, and you can compare car insurance quotes at several coverage levels.
Where to Get Help
The New York Department of Financial Services runs a consumer hotline at (800) 342-3736, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and accepts complaints online through its website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Out-of-State Insurance in New York?
Not for a New York-registered car. The DMV requires a policy from an insurer licensed by the New York Department of Financial Services.
What Happens If My Insurance Lapses for a Few Days?
If you didn’t surrender your plates first, your registration is suspended. For a lapse of 90 days or less, you can usually lift the suspension by paying a civil penalty of $8 a day for the first 30 days, with higher daily rates after that. You can’t use that option if you paid a lapse civil penalty in the past three years. For lapses over 90 days, you have to surrender your plates, and your license is suspended too.
Is New York a No-Fault State?
Yes. Your own no-fault coverage pays up to $50,000 per person for medical costs, lost earnings and other expenses, no matter who caused the crash.
Is SUM Coverage Required in New York?
It’s included at your bodily injury limits when you first buy a policy, but you can decline it or choose a lower amount on a signed form.
Sources
- New York DMV: Insurance Requirements
- New York DMV: Insurance Lapses
- New York DMV: Pay an Insurance Lapse Civil Penalty
- New York DMV: Provide Proof of Insurance
- New York DMV: Unsatisfied Judgments
- New York DFS: Auto Insurance
- New York DFS: Automobile Insurance FAQs
- New York Vehicle and Traffic Law section 318
- New York Vehicle and Traffic Law section 319
- New York Insurance Law section 5102
- AIPSO: New York Automobile Insurance Plan
- New York DFS: Contact Us