Indiana requires at least $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 per accident and $25,000 of property damage liability, often written as 25/50/25. Every newly written policy also includes uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage unless you reject it in writing.
Indiana doesn’t check insurance in real time yet. The BMV asks for proof after a crash or certain traffic violations, and a secure online verification system is required starting January 1, 2028.
Key Takeaways
- Indiana requires 25/50/25 liability coverage, and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is included unless you reject it in writing.
- After a crash or certain violations, the BMV can ask you to prove you were insured. The BMV says your insurer’s Certificate of Compliance must be received and processed within 90 days of the date it mailed the request, or your driving privileges will be suspended.
- Knowingly driving uninsured is a Class A infraction that can bring a judgment of up to $10,000. A no-insurance suspension is stayed when you file an SR22 and ends after you keep it for 180 consecutive days.
- If you end a no-insurance suspension by keeping an SR22 on file for 180 consecutive days, state law doesn’t require a reinstatement fee. Otherwise, the fee is $250 for a first suspension, $500 for a second and $1,000 for a third or later.
Indiana Minimum Car Insurance at a Glance
| Coverage | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured motorist | Included unless you reject it in writing: $25,000/$50,000 for injuries and $25,000 for property damage |
| Underinsured motorist | Included unless you reject it in writing: at least $50,000 |
| Collision and comprehensive | Not required by law, but usually required by lenders and lessors |
The BMV’s driver’s manual and the Indiana Department of Insurance’s auto insurance page list these amounts. Instead of a policy, Indiana law also accepts a bond or a deposit of money or securities as proof of financial responsibility. RateFrog’s guide to liability limits explains what 25/50/25 pays for.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage in Indiana
Under IC 27-7-5-2, insurers must include uninsured (UM) and underinsured (UIM) motorist coverage at limits at least equal to your bodily injury liability limits, unless you reject it in writing or choose lower amounts. UIM has to be available in limits of at least $50,000. Once you reject the coverage, the same insurer doesn’t have to offer it again on a renewal or replacement policy.
Indiana’s UIM is reduced by what the at-fault driver’s insurance pays. Under IC 27-7-5-5, the most you can collect is the lesser of your per-person limit minus that payment, or your total damages minus that payment. For example, with $100,000 of UIM, $200,000 of damages and a $50,000 payment from the at-fault driver’s insurer, your UIM could pay up to $50,000. Policies can also include anti-stacking terms. RateFrog’s guide to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explains how these coverages work.
Proof of Insurance in Indiana
You can show proof on paper or on your phone. IC 9-25-4-7 allows an electronic image on a telecommunications device. RateFrog’s guide to getting proof of insurance fast can help if you need a card right away.
When the BMV Asks You to Verify Coverage
According to the BMV’s driver’s manual, you may get a notice to verify financial responsibility after:
- A car crash
- A pointable moving violation within a year of two other pointable moving violations
- A serious traffic violation, such as a misdemeanor or felony
- Any pointable moving violation by a driver who was previously suspended for failing to show proof of insurance
Your insurer answers the request by sending a Certificate of Compliance (COC) to the BMV electronically. The BMV says the COC must be received and processed within 90 days of the BMV’s request, or your driving privileges will be suspended. The Department of Insurance warns not to send a COC to its office, because it won’t reach the BMV.
Verification is set to expand. Under HB 1390 (2025), the BMV has to maintain a secure online insurance verification system starting January 1, 2028.
Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Indiana
Under IC 9-25-8-2, knowingly driving without insurance, or knowingly letting someone drive your uninsured vehicle, is a Class A infraction, which can bring a judgment of up to $10,000 under IC 34-28-5-4. If you knowingly do it again after a prior conviction or judgment, it becomes a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500 under IC 35-50-3-4.
The BMV also suspends your driving privileges, your registration, or both, under IC 9-25-6-3. The suspension doesn’t have a set length:
- It’s stayed once the BMV receives an SR22 from your insurer.
- It ends after you keep the SR22 in force for 180 consecutive days without a lapse.
- If you were actually insured on the date in question, your insurer can send a COC to the BMV to have the suspension removed.
Under IC 9-25-6-15, the reinstatement fee is $250 for a first suspension, $500 for a second and $1,000 for a third or later. You don’t have to pay it if the suspension ends because you kept an SR22 on file for the required 180 days. The BMV says the exact amount for each suspension is listed on your official driver record. The suspension law doesn’t apply in some cases involving rented vehicles, vehicles shared through a peer-to-peer program, and employer-owned vehicles driven for work. RateFrog’s guide to what happens when insurance lapses covers the broader risks.
SR22 Filings in Indiana
Indiana writes the form as SR22. According to the BMV, “The SR22 requirement for insurance suspensions is satisfied after maintaining SR22 coverage for 180 consecutive days.” Other kinds of suspensions can carry a 3-year or 5-year SR22 requirement. If the SR22 policy is canceled and your insurer sends the BMV an SR26 notice, the BMV says your driving privileges will be suspended until it receives an effective SR22 or the SR22 period ends.
If you move out of state, the BMV says you may be able to submit an Out of State Residency Affidavit to waive an SR50 or a 3-year or 5-year SR22 requirement. RateFrog’s SR-22 guide explains how filings work.
If You Can’t Find Coverage
The Indiana Automobile Insurance Plan provides coverage to eligible drivers who can’t get it in the regular market. The Department of Insurance says you can apply through any insurance agent in Indiana, and AIPSO lists the plan’s phone number as (877) 463-3800.
How Indiana Insurers Set Rates
The Department of Insurance lists rating factors that include your age and sex, marital status, driving record, how you use the car, where you live, your policy limits and deductibles, the type of car, driver training, claims history and credit scores. Credit use has limits under IC 27-2-21-16:
- An insurer can’t deny, cancel or nonrenew a policy solely because of credit information, or base your renewal rate solely on it.
- Insurance scores can’t use income, gender, address, ZIP code, ethnic group, religion, marital status or nationality.
- Late payments and collection accounts with a medical industry code can’t count against you, and an insurer can’t take an adverse action based on credit unless the report or score is no more than 90 days old when the policy is written or renewed.
- At your annual renewal, you can ask the insurer to re-rate your policy using a current credit report, with some exceptions.
RateFrog’s guide to the factors that affect car insurance rates covers the rest.
Cancellation and Nonrenewal Rules
Under IC 27-7-6-5, your insurer has to give at least 10 days’ notice before canceling for nonpayment, and 20 days for other reasons. The Department of Insurance says that once a policy has been in effect for 60 days, the company can cancel only for certain reasons, such as unpaid premium.
Insurers currently have to mail a nonrenewal notice at least 20 days before the policy ends. House Enrolled Act 1260 (2026) raises that to 30 days for policies issued, delivered, amended or renewed on or after January 1, 2027. RateFrog’s guide to car insurance grace periods explains what usually happens when a payment is late.
Is Indiana’s Minimum Coverage Enough?
A 25/50/25 policy can run out quickly in a serious crash, and $25,000 of property damage coverage may not replace a newer car. If a claim is more than your limits, you could owe the rest. Before you reject UM or UIM to save money, think about how you’d cover your own injuries if the other driver has little or no insurance. 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 Indiana Department of Insurance’s Consumer Services Division takes calls at 800-622-4461 or 317-232-2395 and accepts complaints online through its consumer services page. For suspensions and SR22 questions, contact the BMV.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Required in Indiana?
It’s included in every newly written policy unless you reject it in writing. Underinsured motorist coverage works the same way.
What Happens If the BMV Asks Me to Verify Insurance?
Ask your insurer to send the BMV a Certificate of Compliance right away. The BMV says it must be received and processed within 90 days of the date the BMV mailed its request, or your driving privileges will be suspended.
How Long Do I Need an SR22 in Indiana?
For a no-insurance suspension, 180 consecutive days. Other suspensions can carry a 3-year or 5-year requirement.
Can I Show Proof of Insurance on My Phone in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana law accepts proof of insurance as an electronic image on a phone or other device.
Sources
- Indiana Department of Insurance: Auto Insurance
- Indiana BMV: Driver’s Manual, Chapter 5 (PDF)
- Indiana BMV: Proof of Financial Responsibility
- Indiana BMV: Common Traffic Violations
- IC 9-25-4-7
- IC 9-25-6-3
- IC 9-25-8-2
- IC 9-25-6-15
- Indiana BMV: Reinstating Your Driving Privileges
- IC 34-28-5-4
- IC 35-50-3-4
- IC 27-7-5-2
- IC 27-7-5-5
- IC 27-7-6-5
- IC 27-2-21-16
- Indiana HB 1390 (2025), Conference Committee Report (PDF)
- Indiana House Enrolled Act 1260 (2026) (PDF)
- AIPSO: Indiana Automobile Insurance Plan
- Indiana Department of Insurance: Consumer Services