Georgia’s Auto Insurance Requirements / Laws:

Georgia’s auto insurance laws require motorists to purchase Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) insurance and Property Damage Liability (PDL) insurance. The state operates minimum limits that are lower than average, with minimums of $25,000 of BIL for the injury or death of one person, $50,000 of BIL for total injuries endured in an accident, and $25,000 of PDL per accident.

BIL pays for injuries or deaths you and your dependents cause to other drivers in an accident. It also covers expenses such as lost wages and even funeral costs. Moreover, it acts as a legal buffer preventing the policyholder from getting sued by the other party. If you are sued for damages by the other party, the insurance company will act as legal representation for you in court.

If you cause property damage to another’s property during a crash, PDL will help cover the damage expense as well as the legal costs associated with the property damage. PDL does not cover damages done to your vehicle—only Collision Coverage will pay for those specific damages.

Unlike other states, Georgia does not use a state-issued insurance card to validate proof of insurance. Instead, the state requires law enforcement officers to electronically confirm the insurance via the Georgia Electronic Insurance Compliance System (GEICS). A police officer has the right to stop you at any time to electronically verify your insurance. If you lack the required liability insurance, you will face suspension of your driver’s license and registration. Law officers withhold these rights until you purchase at least six months’ worth of required insurance coverage. You must also pay a lapse fee of $25 and a reinstatement fee of $60. If you fail to renew this insurance, you will again face suspension of driving rights as well as higher lapse and reinstatement fees.

Georgia is also one of 38 states that is a Tort State, as opposed to a No-Fault State. This tort system requires that someone must be found at fault for an accident and pay the resulting damages. This person is held responsible for all expenses even if he lacks auto insurance. In a No-Fault State, it is the auto insurance provider who pays for the damages incurred in an accident, regardless of who caused the accident or whether the guilty party has auto insurance. That is why a tort system does not require you to purchase Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, which requires the insurance company, rather than the guilty party, to pay the medical costs and lost wages for the non-guilty party.

Georgia also requires that you contact the State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) if you cancel your insurance policy. The DMV will then send you a request of proof that you are covered by a new auto insurance policy fulfilling Georgia’s requirements. You must submit a response within 30 days, or you will face suspension of driving privileges. You can completely avoid this bleak outcome by continually fulfilling Georgia’s fairly non-demanding insurance requirements.

Georgia Auto Insurance Requirement Chart:

• Bodily Injury Liability: $25,000/$50,000 Limit
• Property Damage Liability: $25,000 Limit

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