Car Insurance Requirements in the DC Metro Area

If you have spent time in the District of Columbia, it doesn’t take you long to learn that most of the people who work in the city don’t actually live there. Commuters travel freely between DC, Virginia, and Maryland, all of which have different car insurance requirements. When you have a car accident in DC, you may be dealing with any one of these laws.

District of Columbia Car Insurance Requirements

If you have a car accident in DC, the insurance coverage that you have will pay for your damages, and the other driver’s coverage will pay his damages. This is because DC is a no-fault district. If you or your insurance company want compensation for those damages, you will have to file a personal injury lawsuit.

If you live in DC, you are legally required to have a minimum amount of car insurance. Your coverage must include:

• $10,000 property damage liability;
• $25,000 per person and $50,000 per incident third party liability and uninsured motorist bodily injury; and
• $5,000 Uninsured motorist property damage (subject to $500 deductible).

If the person responsible for your car accident in DC is not a DC resident, he or she may not have this level of coverage.

Virginia and Maryland Insurance Requirements

Unlike DC, Maryland and Virginia are both at-fault states. The driver who caused the car accident bears the financial responsibility for compensating the injured party.

The minimum insurance requirements in Maryland are:

• Bodily injury liability coverage: $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident
• Property damage: $15,000 per accident

Maryland also offers an additional option to injury victims: Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage.

In Virginia the current minimum requirements for coverage are:

• $30,000 liability coverage for bodily injury or death of one person.
• $60,000 liability coverage for bodily injury or death of more than one person.
• $20,000 liability coverage for property damage per accident.

Those minimum requirements will increase to $50,000/$100,000/$25,000 on January 1, 2025.

There has been a recent repeal of  Virginia’s Uninsured Motor Vehicle Fee where Virginia drivers could pay a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee if they registered a car but did not obtain motor vehicle insurance. However, as of  July 1, 2024  state law requires that all motorists must obtain insurance. 

If the person that is responsible for your car accident is an uninsured Virginia resident, obtaining compensation can be very complex. You should have experienced legal representation that understands the nuances of car accidents in the DC Metro Area. Contact us today for your free consultation.