Insurance requirements for registering a car in New York
All registered vehicles in New York must have minimum amounts of several types of auto insurance in order to legally drive a vehicle on the roads. The minimum coverage amounts are as follows:
A minimum of $25,000 for injury per person; this means you need to carry at least $50,000 with you for the fewest possible number of people involved in the accident (two drivers).
A minimum of $50,000 for the death of a single person, which means you will need to carry a total of $100,000 for the fewest possible number of people who can die in an accident (two drivers).
$10,000 minimum for property damage liability
A minimum of $50,000 for no-fault car insurance that pays for your medical bills in the event of an accident, no matter who is at fault.
A minimum of $25,000 per person with Uninsured Motorist Insurance, which covers injuries resulting from a car accident involving an uninsured driver. This means you will need at least $50,000 to cover the fewest possible number of people injured in a car accident (two drivers).
This means that the total minimum financial liability you will need is $260,000 for injury, death, no-fault insurance, uninsured motorist coverage, and property damage liability.
- New York law also allows the purchase of additional insurance for uninsured or underinsured motorists up to $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident.
proof of insurance
When you register your vehicle with the New York City Department of Motor Vehicles, you must provide proof of insurance. An insurance card issued to you by your insurance company is acceptable proof of insurance and is also required to stop traffic or show it to authorities at the scene of an accident.
This card is not used as a supporting document, but rather as proof of insurance. To verify your insurance, New York DMV will use an electronic database that is up-to-date with the insurance status of all registered vehicles in the state.
Penalties for Violation
Your vehicle registration and driver's license may be suspended indefinitely in the following cases:
If you don't have car insurance and are caught driving on the roads of New York
If your car insurance has been valid for more than 91 days and you haven't turned in your numbers within that time
A $100 fee must be paid to reinstate your driver's license.
Additional fines may be issued if your car insurance has expired. This includes:
$8 for the first 30 days
$10 per day from days 31 to 60.
$12 per day from days 61 to 90.
For more information or to apply for vehicle registration online, contact the New York City Department of Motor Vehicles through their website.
