What is liability car insurance?
Liability car insurance pays for injuries and property damage you or someone driving your car causes to others. It covers the other party’s medical bills, lost wages, property repairs, and your legal fees, up to your policy limits.
Colorado, along with most other states, requires drivers to carry bodily injury liability and property damage liability car insurance coverage.[1] You must show proof of insurance at a state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office to register your vehicle.
Liability-only car insurance is the minimum required to legally operate a vehicle in the state. A full-coverage auto insurance policy that includes uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist coverage, collision coverage, and comprehensive coverage can help protect your own vehicle against damage.
Find Cheap Car Insurance in Colorado
Liability quotes in Colorado start at $52/mo.
Cheapest liability car insurance in Colorado
Several factors determine the cost of Colorado car insurance, including your driving record, ZIP code, age, gender, credit history, and the type and amount of coverage you choose.
The average cost of liability-only car insurance in Colorado is $97 per month, while a full-coverage policy averages $218 per month.
The table below shows average car insurance costs in Colorado for liability-only coverage from some of the cheapest car insurance companies in Colorado.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $52 |
| Sun Coast | $65 |
| USAA | $67 |
| The General | $69 |
| American Family | $72 |
| Root | $74 |
| Progressive | $75 |
| Mile Auto | $77 |
| GEICO | $79 |
| Allstate | $80 |
| Bristol West | $86 |
| Nationwide | $87 |
| Auto-Owners | $93 |
| Mendota | $106 |
| Trexis | $108 |
| Safeco | $111 |
| National General | $114 |
| Dairyland | $122 |
| Direct Auto | $123 |
| Insurify Car | $123 |
| Travelers | $131 |
| Farmers | $137 |
| Liberty Mutual | $179 |
Minimum liability car insurance requirements in Colorado
Colorado requires drivers to have at least the following liability car insurance limits:[2]
Coverage Type | Minimum Liability Insurance Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury or death (per person) | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury or death (per incident) | $50,000 |
| Property damage (per incident) | $15,000 |
Bodily injury liability insurance covers claims made against you if you cause a car accident that injures someone else. This auto insurance coverage pays for their medical expenses, lost wages, and legal claims for pain and suffering.
Property damage liability insurance covers damage you or someone driving your car causes to another person’s property. It includes damage to vehicles, fences, buildings, walls, and equipment.
Liability coverage doesn’t pay for your medical expenses (or those of your passengers) or your car’s repairs. For example, if you hit another car and dent your bumper, liability insurance won’t pay to fix your car.
Is minimum liability coverage enough in Colorado?
State-minimum liability coverage may not be enough in Colorado if you’re involved in a serious accident. This minimum amount may be inadequate to fully cover any injuries or damage you cause. In addition, liability coverage won’t pay for your car repairs or medical expenses.
Say, for instance, that you buy a car insurance policy with $15,000 in property damage liability coverage to comply with state auto insurance requirements. If you cause an accident that totals someone’s car, their claim could easily exceed the minimum car insurance required in Colorado, leaving you responsible to pay the rest of the claim out of pocket.
And if you buy only liability insurance, your car won’t have coverage, meaning you’ll have to pay for repairs out of pocket after an accident. Adding comprehensive and collision coverage to your policy will cover your vehicle’s repairs, up to your policy limits.
Penalties for driving without liability insurance in Colorado
You must provide proof of liability insurance when you register your vehicle and while you’re driving. The Colorado Department of Revenue maintains the Motorist Insurance Identification Database (MIIDB), also called Drive Insured, which helps the state identify uninsured vehicles.
Driving without insurance is a Class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense in Colorado. The penalties depend on whether it’s your first, second, or subsequent offense:[3]
First Offense | Second Offense | Third and Subsequent Offenses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum fine | $500 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| License suspension | Until you show proof of valid insurance | 4 months | 8 months |
You’ll also receive four points on your driver’s license for each offense. The state can also require you to complete up to 40 hours of community service or imprison you for 10 days to one year.
To reinstate your license, you must do the following:
Complete the Application for Reinstatement
Pay a $95 reinstatement fee
File an SR-22 certificate from your insurance company for three years
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How to find cheap liability car insurance in Colorado
Liability car insurance costs an average of $97 per month in Colorado. But you have ways to lower your costs and get the best car insurance in Colorado if you’re on a budget:
Shop around and compare costs and coverage from multiple insurers. Compare car insurance rates every six months to ensure you get the lowest possible price.
Ask about insurance discounts, such as discounts for low mileage, a claims-free driving history, or completing a defensive driving course.
Bundle your auto and home insurance with the same insurer.
Opt for a higher deductible in exchange for lower monthly premiums. Just make sure you can afford to cover the deductible if you make a claim.
Improve your credit. Colorado allows insurers to use credit-based insurance scores in underwriting. If you have good credit, you may be eligible for lower insurance premiums.
FAQ
For more information about liability car insurance in Colorado, see these answers to frequently asked questions below.
How much does liability insurance cost in Colorado?
Liability insurance costs an average of $97 per month in Colorado, according to Insurify data. Your exact costs depend on your driving record, location, age, gender, credit, and the amount of liability insurance you purchase.
Is state-minimum coverage in Colorado enough for most drivers?
In most cases, no. Colorado’s state-minimum coverage is $15,000 per accident for property damage and $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident for bodily injury. These limits may not be enough to cover serious medical bills or car repairs after an accident. For this reason, insurers generally recommend carrying more than the minimum requirement.
Which companies have the cheapest liability insurance in Colorado?
With an average monthly premium of $52, State Farm has the cheapest liability coverage in Colorado. Other cheap insurers include Sun Coast and USAA.
How can you save money on liability insurance in Colorado?
You can save money on liability insurance in Colorado by comparing quotes, bundling your policies, looking for discounts, paying your policy in full, and considering temporary insurance if you drive infrequently.
Sources
- Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. "Auto Insurance."
- Colorado General Assembly. "Mandatory Automobile Insurance in Colorado."
- Colorado Department of Revenue. "Colorado Motorist Insurance Identification Database (MIIDB)."
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 190 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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