Georgia Insurance Requirements: Minimums, Penalties & What You Actually Need

Georgia requires specific insurance coverages — but state minimums leave significant gaps. This guide covers Georgia's requirements, penalties for non-compliance, and coverage levels that actually protect you and your family.

Georgia requires liability insurance and offers optional PIP coverage.

Minimum Liability Coverage (25/50/25):

• •$25,000 bodily injury per person
• •$50,000 bodily injury per accident
• •$25,000 property damage per accident

**Optional Personal Injury Protection (PIP):** Georgia doesn't require PIP, but insurers must offer it. PIP covers medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault — useful for faster claim resolution.

What's NOT Required:

• •Collision coverage
• •Comprehensive coverage
• •Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (but insurers must offer it)
• •Medical payments coverage

**The Problem with Minimums:** $25,000 property damage barely covers a new sedan's value — and does nothing for higher-end vehicles. $50,000 per accident covers one serious injury. Medical costs in metro Atlanta routinely exceed these limits. Minimums satisfy the law, not your financial protection.

**Our Recommendation:** 50/100/50 minimum for most drivers. 100/300/100 if you have significant assets. Always add UM/UIM coverage matching your liability limits — Georgia's uninsured rate hovers around 12%.

Georgia enforces insurance through its Electronic Insurance Compliance System (GEICS).

First Offense:

• •$200 fine
• •$60 reinstatement fee
• •Registration suspension
• •License plate surrender

Second Offense (within 5 years):

• •$500 fine
• •$60 reinstatement fee
• •90-day registration suspension

Third and Subsequent Offenses:

• •$1,000 fine
• •6-month registration suspension
• •Possible SR-22 requirement

**Super Speeder + No Insurance:** Georgia's "Super Speeder" law adds $200 to speeding fines for excessive speed. Combine that with no insurance, and penalties multiply quickly.

**Beyond Legal Penalties:** Without insurance, you're personally liable for all accident damages. Georgia allows injured parties to sue you directly. Judgments can follow you for years, affecting credit, wages, and assets.

Georgia doesn't legally require homeowners insurance — but mortgage lenders do.

**Lender Requirements:** Mortgages require dwelling coverage at minimum equal to the loan balance. Many lenders require replacement cost coverage.

**Flood Insurance:** Required for properties in FEMA flood zones with federally-backed mortgages. But Georgia sees significant flooding outside designated zones — Atlanta's flash flooding demonstrates this regularly. Consider flood insurance even if not required.

What Lenders Don't Require (But You Should Consider):

• •Adequate personal liability coverage
• •Replacement cost on personal property
• •Water backup coverage
• •Updated dwelling coverage reflecting current rebuild costs

Georgia doesn't require renters insurance, but many landlords mandate it in lease agreements.

**Why It Matters:** Your landlord's policy covers the building structure — not your belongings, not your liability. A break-in, fire, or water leak could destroy everything you own with no compensation.

What You Get:

• •Personal property protection (theft, fire, water damage)
• •Liability coverage
• •Additional living expenses if displaced
• •Typically $15-25/month — some of the cheapest protection available

Georgia condo owners need coverage beyond the HOA master policy.

Understanding Master Policies:

• •All-In Coverage: HOA covers structure including interior finishes as originally built
• •Bare Walls Coverage: HOA covers structure only; you insure interior finishes, fixtures, appliances

What You Need Regardless:

• •Personal property coverage
• •Personal liability coverage
• •Loss assessment coverage
• •Improvements and upgrades coverage

Review your HOA's master policy to understand where their coverage ends and yours begins.

**Metro Atlanta Traffic:** Gwinnett, Fulton, Cobb, and DeKalb counties see significantly higher accident rates than rural Georgia. Higher density means higher risk — and higher premiums. Adequate liability limits matter more in metro areas.

**Severe Weather:** Georgia experiences severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and tropical storm impacts. Hail damage claims spike in spring. Coastal and southern Georgia face hurricane exposure. Understanding wind/hail deductibles is essential — they're often percentage-based, not flat amounts.

**Uninsured Drivers:** Georgia's uninsured rate is approximately 12% — lower than Alabama but still significant. UM/UIM coverage protects you when other drivers can't pay.

**Flooding:** Atlanta's aging infrastructure and rapid development create flash flood risk across the metro. Coastal Georgia faces storm surge. Standard policies exclude flood damage entirely — separate flood insurance is essential for many Georgia homes.