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Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga and crocheting.
Updated November 20, 2024
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Table of contents
The minimum car insurance requirements vary a great deal from one state to the next, which is why it’s so important to understand the state minimums where you live. In Wyoming, drivers are required to have minimum levels of bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage.
Here’s what you need to know about complying with Wyoming’s car insurance requirements.
Wyoming car insurance requirements
Wyoming requires only two types of auto insurance: bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage. Here’s how much of each type of insurance a licensed driver must carry in Wyoming:
Bodily injury liability coverage
If you’re at fault in an accident, bodily injury liability coverage pays for the medical bills, lost income, and costs associated with the death of another party. It doesn’t pay for your medical costs if you’re injured in an at-fault accident.
Wyoming requires all drivers to have a minimum of $25,000 in coverage per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability.[1] Keep in mind that you’re responsible for paying out of pocket the difference between your coverage and the total cost if the amount is higher than the liability coverage you purchased.
Property damage liability coverage
If you’re in an at-fault accident that damages another party’s vehicle or personal property, property damage liability coverage will pay to repair or replace the damaged property. This coverage doesn’t pay for damages to your vehicle if you caused the accident.
Wyoming requires all drivers to purchase a minimum of $20,000 in property damage liability coverage.[1] If you cause damage to another person’s vehicle or personal property that costs more than this to fix, you’ll have to pay the difference out of pocket.
Wyoming car insurance laws
If you’re responsible for an accident that causes more than $1,000 in damage or injury to someone who doesn’t live in your household, you’re required to show proof of current liability insurance, according to Wyoming law.
Wyoming has a proof of financial responsibility verification program (FRVP) that a responding police officer can use to confirm coverage in those cases. If you’re unable to prove that you have the minimum auto liability insurance, your driver’s license can be suspended.[1][2]
Do you need more than state-minimum coverage in Wyoming?
The state minimum of bodily injury and property damage liability coverage will pay for damages to others if you’re the at-fault driver in an accident. Your damages won’t be covered in an at-fault accident if you have only the state-minimum amount of liability insurance.
But Wyoming’s minimum requirements may not offer enough coverage in the case of a serious accident. A major wreck could easily cause damages that exceed the 25/50/20 minimum liability limit. To avoid this, many experts recommend purchasing higher liability limits, such as 50/100/40.
Full-coverage car insurance is the best way to protect yourself financially. Full coverage generally includes the minimum liability insurance plus collision coverage and comprehensive coverage. Collision coverage pays for damages to your vehicle if you cause an accident or collide with something other than a car, and comprehensive coverage pays for damages caused by anything other than a collision, such as theft or vandalism.
If you drive an older car or can afford to pay out of pocket to replace a totaled vehicle, you may not need collision or comprehensive insurance. But if you aren’t in a financial position to replace your car out of pocket, you’ll want to consider an insurance policy that offers full coverage rather than stick to the minimum legal requirement.
Your auto lender may also require you to carry full-coverage insurance if you lease or finance your car.
The cost of liability-only car insurance in Wyoming
If you’re looking to save money on auto insurance, purchasing no more than the minimum requirements can help keep your premiums low. The average cost for liability-only car insurance in Wyoming is $64 per month, which is much cheaper than the national average of $104 for liability coverage.
But it’s important to remember how low those minimums are. Liability-only car insurance in Wyoming only requires bodily injury liability coverage for up to $25,000 per person and $50,000 per car accident and property damage liability coverage for up to $20,000. This may not be enough financial protection if you get into a serious collision. If the damages are higher than your policy’s coverage limits, your personal assets are vulnerable.
The following insurance companies offer some of the cheapest liability-only insurance in Wyoming:
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
---|---|
Dairyland | $51 |
Safeco | $59 |
Bristol West | $78 |
Foremost | $116 |
Cheapest recent rates in Wyoming
Drivers in and around Wyoming have found policies from Safeco, Bristol West, Foremost, and more, through Insurify in the last few days.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on November 20, 2024
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on November 20, 2024
The cost of full-coverage car insurance in Wyoming
In the Equality State, full-coverage car insurance costs an average of $151 per month, which is significantly less than the national average cost of $204 per month for full coverage.
Full-coverage car insurance isn’t a legal requirement in Wyoming, but drivers may opt for a full-coverage policy or their auto financing or leasing company may require them to carry one. Full-coverage insurance includes the required liability insurance, plus collision coverage and comprehensive coverage.
If you’re interested in full-coverage insurance, here are some of the least expensive options in Wyoming:
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
---|---|
Safeco | $128 |
Dairyland | $141 |
Bristol West | $210 |
Foremost | $355 |
Penalties for driving without proof of insurance in Wyoming
Drivers who get behind the wheel in Wyoming without the minimum insurance coverage are breaking the law. Additionally, if you’re unable to provide proof of insurance to a law enforcement officer at the time of a crash or during a traffic stop, you could face some severe penalties. The penalties for failing to provide proof of coverage may include:
Fines: A first offender faces a fine of $500 to $750, while subsequent offenses mean fines of $1,000 to $1,500.
Potential prison time: First offenders and repeat offenders can be jailed for up to six months.
Repeat offenders must forfeit their vehicle registration and license plates to a judge.[3]
Optional car insurance coverages to consider
Although Wyoming requires drivers to carry only 25/50/20 liability insurance, you may want to consider other optional coverages. The following types of auto insurance coverage can provide you with additional financial protection in case of an accident or other incidents:
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Even though Wyoming has the lowest percentage of uninsured motorists in the nation according to the Insurance Information Institute, it may still be a good idea to purchase uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.[4] This insurance will protect you financially if you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver.
Collision coverage
Collision insurance will pay to repair or replace your vehicle after a collision with a car or another object, like a mailbox or tree. Since Wyoming is an at-fault state, collision insurance can ensure your vehicle repairs are covered if you cause a collision.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance pays for repairs after non-collision incidents that damage your car, like inclement weather, theft, or run-ins with animals.
Medical payments coverage
Wyoming drivers can choose optional medical payments coverage, which also covers reasonable medical expenses after a covered accident, regardless of fault. This is similar to personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, which isn’t available in Wyoming.
Gap coverage
Gap insurance pays the difference between your remaining auto loan amount and what your insurer pays out to you if your car is totaled. Drivers with a financed car may want to consider this kind of coverage.
Wyoming car insurance requirements FAQs
If you’re looking to get auto insurance coverage in Wyoming, check out some of the most commonly asked questions about car insurance in the Equality State.
Does Wyoming require car insurance?
Yes. All drivers in Wyoming must carry minimum levels of liability insurance to drive legally. Specifically, you must have coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability and $20,000 in property damage liability.[1]
How much is car insurance in Wyoming?
Wyoming drivers pay an overall average of $107 per month for auto insurance. This is significantly cheaper than the national overall average of $154 per month.
Do you need car insurance to register a car in Wyoming?
Yes. All drivers must provide proof of auto insurance to register a car in Wyoming. Additionally, you must register a car purchased in a private sale within 45 days of the sale and a car purchased from a dealer within 60 days of the sale. If you move to Wyoming, you must register a car immediately upon establishing residency in the state.[5]
Does insurance follow the car or the driver in Wyoming?
Wyoming car insurance coverage follows the car rather than the driver. This means that if you let someone else drive your car and that person causes an accident, your insurance will still pay for the damages in most cases.[6]
Is Wyoming a no-fault state?
No. Wyoming is a modified comparative fault state, which means that blame for an accident can be split among multiple parties. Anyone found to be more than 50% at fault in an accident isn’t prohibited from seeking damages from another party, but the law limits the amount of damages they can receive in proportion to their fault.[7]
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 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 50+ 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.
Sources
- Wy.us. "Frequently Asked Questions."
- State of Wyoming. "Financial Responsibility Verification Program (FRVP)."
- Wyoleg.gov. "Bill Detail."
- III. "Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists."
- Platte Country Wyoming. "Registration Requirements."
- Nolo. "Wyoming Auto Insurance Laws."
- MWL. "CONTRIBUTORY NEGLIGENCE/COMPARATIVE FAULT LAWS IN ALL 5O STATES."
Emily Guy Birken is a former educator, lifelong money nerd, and a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer who specializes in the scientific research behind irrational money behaviors. Her background in education allows her to make complex financial topics relatable and easily understood by the layperson.
Her work has appeared on The Huffington Post, Business Insider, Kiplinger's, MSN Money, and The Washington Post online.
She is the author of several books, including The 5 Years Before You Retire, End Financial Stress Now, and the brand new book Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management, written with Joe Saul-Sehy.
Emily lives in Milwaukee with her family.
Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga and crocheting.