Every Missouri driver must be insured

If your car is registered in Missouri, you must have insurance on it. You cannot drive it, register it, or let someone else drive it without coverage. Drivers from other states must meet their home state’s rules.

If you knowingly drive someone else’s car that has no insurance, you need your own coverage.

Driving without insurance is a crime. A first offense is a misdemeanor. The court must also report it to the state. Then the court either suspends your license, adds four points to your record, or puts you under supervision. Repeat offenses can bring up to 15 days in jail and a fine of $200 to $500.

The minimum coverage: 25/50/25

Liability coverage pays other people when you cause a crash. The minimum is a floor, not a recommendation.

Here is why that matters to you. One hospital stay can cost more than $25,000. If several people are hurt in one crash, they all share the $50,000. When the driver who hit you carries only the minimum, your own insurance often decides how much of your loss gets paid.

A policy can also cover you when you drive a car you do not own. If you often drive someone else’s car, check which policy covers you.

A policy can leave out a household member it names as an excluded driver. You can buy more than the minimum, and many drivers do.

Uninsured motorist coverage is required

Uninsured motorist coverage pays you when a driver with no insurance hurts you. It comes from your own policy. Missouri requires it on every policy for a car registered or kept in Missouri (RSMo § 379.203). The minimum is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash. Commercial vehicles and large company fleets are treated differently: the coverage must be offered, not included.

This coverage also protects you from:

• A hit-and-run driver who leaves before anyone learns who they are.
• A driver who runs you off the road without ever touching your car.
• A driver whose insurance company goes broke within two years after the crash.

If the uninsured driver does not file the state accident report, the law treats that as proof the driver had no insurance. See uninsured motorist claims to learn how these claims work.

Underinsured motorist coverage

Underinsured coverage is different. It pays when the other driver has insurance, but not enough to cover your losses.

Missouri law requires uninsured coverage. It does not require underinsured coverage. Many drivers buy it anyway.

If your underinsured coverage limits are less than twice the state minimums, Missouri law says it must pay on top of the other driver’s insurance (RSMo § 379.204). Policies differ on the details. Read your coverage page before you need it.

Proof of insurance

Your insurer must give you an insurance card for each car. It shows the company, your name, the policy number, the dates and the car.

• Keep the card in your car.
• Show it when an officer stops you or looks into a crash.
• A picture on your phone counts.
• If you cannot show proof, you can get a ticket. But if you prove to the court you had insurance at the time, you are not guilty.

After a crash, the other driver’s card is the fastest way to find their insurance company. See what to do after a car accident in Missouri.

Words you may hear

• Liability coverage: pays other people when you cause a crash.
• Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage: pays you when a driver with no insurance hurts you.
• Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage: pays you when the other driver’s insurance is not enough.
• Declarations page: the page of your policy that lists your coverage and limits.
• Policy limit: the most your insurer will pay for a claim.

Check your own coverage today

Find the page of your policy that lists your coverage. It is often called the declarations page. Look for four things:

1. Your liability limits.
2. Your uninsured motorist limits.
3. Whether you have underinsured motorist coverage.
4. Whether you have medical payments coverage.

If your insurer denies a claim or reads your policy in a way that seems wrong, you may have a coverage dispute. See insurance coverage disputes.

Common questions

Related reading

• Uninsured motorist claims
• What to do after a car accident in Missouri
• Insurance coverage disputes
• Car accident help