Required car insurance in Hawaii
If you crash into someone else's car or property, liability insurance will pay for damage and injuries. But only up to the amounts you choose, called "limits." If you buy only the minimum insurance required in Hawaii, you can still be sued for damage that your auto insurance doesn't cover. Let's look at the Hawaii car insurance options so you can buy the right coverage for you.
Minimum auto liability insurance in Hawaii:
- $20,000 bodily injury per person.
- $40,000 bodily injury per accident.
- $10,000 property damage per accident.
This is written as 20/40/10.
Personal injury protection (PIP):
Hawaii has a no-fault auto insurance system. That means you make small injury claims on your own insurance policy, no matter who was at fault. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays these claims.
In Hawaii, you must buy at least $10,000 in PIP insurance.
Uninsured (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage:
UM and UIM pay your medical bills if you're hit by someone with little or no car insurance. Car insurance companies must offer you UM and UIM in Hawaii but you can reject them. If you do buy UM you must have at least $20,000 per person/$40,000 per accident (known as 20/40). If you buy UIM coverage the amount must match your bodily injury liability coverage.
In Hawaii you can also buy uninsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD). This pays for damage to your car if you're hit by someone without insurance. If you buy UMPD you must purchase coverage of at least $10,000 in Hawaii.
Optional Hawaii car insurance
Comprehensive and collision coverage: Together, these cover theft of your vehicle or damage caused by hitting another car, hitting an animal, hail, flood, fire, vandalism, falling objects and explosions.
If you have a car loan or lease you're likely required to have comprehensive and collision coverage.
You must show an insurance ID card (or other proof of financial responsibility) in Hawaii when:
- Law enforcement requests it
Penalties for not having car insurance in Hawaii
- First offense: $500 fine
- Subsequent offense(s) within five years: $1,500 fine; community service may be imposed in lieu of a fine if the defendant requests it
Violations in Hawaii can also result in:
- Three to 12 month suspension of license;
- Requirement to keep a non-refundable motor vehicle insurance policy in force for six months
- Multiple convictions may result in imprisonment for not more than 30 days
Source: Property Casualty Insurers Association of America
Consumer complaints against the largest auto insurance companies in Hawaii
Each state's department of insurance collects complaints against insurance companies and supplies the numbers to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. A "complaint ratio" shows the number of complaints against a company relative to its size of business. Here are ratios for the largest car insurance companies in Hawaii.
Updated July 10, 2018
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