What Are the Connecticut Car Insurance Requirements?

Like most states, Connecticut requires drivers to carry car insurance to cover property damage and injury costs if an accident occurs. To legally drive in Connecticut, motorists must carry coverage that meets the minimum requirements. Drivers may also choose additional optional coverage for added protection. In the event of an accident, an uninsured motorist may be subject to a lawsuit from an injury victim.

Call (203) 888-8888 to schedule a no-obligation consultation today with a New Haven car accident attorney.

Connecticut’s Minimum Car Insurance Requirements

Under Connecticut §14-213b, the law outlines penalties for failing to meet the required auto insurance coverage in Connecticut, including fines and license suspension.

Connecticut drivers shop for insurance through private insurance companies that offer policies tailored to meet the state’s requirements. In Connecticut, drivers must carry at least the basic minimum insurance required by state law, including the following:

• $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person and $50,000 total bodily injury coverage per accident—this covers any injury claims filed against the driver if they cause or contribute to an accident
• $25,000 in property damage coverage to repair or replace another vehicle if the policyholder causes an accident
• $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage—this coverage protects the driver if they suffer damages in an accident and the at-fault driver lacks insurance coverage or if the policyholder’s damages far exceed the at-fault party’s coverage

Connecticut insurance companies also offer additional coverage a motorist may choose to add for extra protection such as collision coverage which covers damage to the policyholder’s vehicle after a collision with a stationary object or another vehicle, or comprehensive coverage which covers the vehicle against damage caused by events other than collisions, such as storm damage or vandalism.

Understanding Connecticut’s Modified Comparative Negligence Insurance System

Connecticut requires drivers to carry auto insurance to cover property damage and injury expenses to others in the event that the policyholder causes an accident. Under Connecticut’s fault-based modified comparative negligence insurance system—used by most states—injury victims recover compensation for damages like property damage, medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering by filing claims against an at-fault driver’s insurance.

Under this system, an injury victim may recover compensation for their damages even if they contributed to the cause or severity of an accident as long as they are less than 51% at fault. If a driver shares fault, the insurance company subtracts their percentage of fault from the amount of compensation they recover.

For instance, if a car accident victim’s damages amount to a $100,000 claim but the insurance company determines that they were 25% at fault, they can recover $75,000. In this example, the other driver would be 75% at fault so they cannot recover compensation because they are more than 51% at fault.

In a fault-based insurance state like Connecticut, it often takes a thorough investigation into all aspects of the accident to determine each driver’s percentage of fault for an insurance claim.

How Can a Connecticut Car Accident Attorney Help?

While a comparative negligence insurance system can benefit a car accident victim by allowing them to recover a portion of their damages even if they contributed to the cause of an accident, it also incentivizes insurance companies to assign injury victims a portion of the fault so they can reduce the amount they pay them and protect their profits.

Call the experienced New Haven personal injury lawyers at Weber & Rubano at (203) 888-8888 or contact us online for a skilled investigation with the goal of protecting your best interests as our primary focus in your car accident claim.