Every car on a Georgia road must have liability insurance. The minimum limits are $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per accident for all injuries, and $25,000 for property damage. Drivers often call this “25/50/25.” Driving without coverage is a crime, and these low limits often do not cover a serious injury.
What the Law Says
O.C.G.A. § 40-6-10, Requirement of proof of insurance, states in part:
(a)(1.2) The owner or operator of a motor vehicle for which minimum motor vehicle liability insurance coverage is required under Chapter 34 of Title 33 shall keep proof or evidence of required minimum insurance coverage in the vehicle at all times during the operation of the vehicle. The owner of a motor vehicle shall provide to any operator of such vehicle proof or evidence of required minimum insurance coverage for the purposes of compliance with this subsection. The proof or evidence of required minimum insurance coverage required by this subsection may be produced in either paper or electronic format. Acceptable electronic formats include a display of electronic images on a mobile electronic device.
(b) An owner or any other person who knowingly operates or knowingly authorizes another to operate a motor vehicle without effective insurance on such vehicle or without an approved plan of self-insurance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine of not less than $200.00 nor more than $1,000.00 or imprisonment for not more than 12 months, or both.
The dollar limits appear in O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11, Uninsured motorist coverage, at subsection (a)(1)(A):
(A) Not less than $25,000.00 because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and, subject to such limit for one person, $50,000.00 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and $25,000.00 because of injury to or destruction of property; or
You can read the full statutes on the Georgia General Assembly’s official code site. The Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner lists the same minimum limits on its auto insurance page.
In Plain English
Liability insurance pays other people when you cause a crash. It does not pay for your own injuries or your own car. Georgia requires every vehicle owner to carry it. The state also requires you to keep proof of coverage in the car. A paper card or an image on your phone both count.
The three numbers in “25/50/25” each mean something different. The first $25,000 is the most the policy pays for one injured person. The $50,000 is the most it pays for all injured people in one crash combined. The last $25,000 is the most it pays to repair or replace damaged property, such as the other car.
These are minimums. Drivers can buy much more coverage. Many do not. If a driver with minimum limits hurts you badly, the insurer only owes up to $25,000 for your injuries. That is true even if your medical bills are far higher. You can still sue the driver for the rest. But many people do not have assets to pay a large judgment.
That gap is why uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage matters. This coverage is on your own policy. It steps in when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little. Insurers must offer it, though you can reject it in writing. Our page on uninsured motorist coverage explains how it works.
Driving without insurance has real penalties. The law makes it a misdemeanor. A misdemeanor is a crime that can bring up to 12 months in jail. The fine runs from $200 to $1,000. If you simply forgot your card but had coverage, the fine is capped at $25 under subsection (a)(7).
Police check for insurance at every traffic stop. They usually check a state database first. If the database shows you are covered, you do not need to show a card.
Example
Maria is stopped at a red light in Macon on March 3, 2026. Devon rear-ends her at 40 miles per hour. Devon carries only the state minimum policy. Maria breaks her wrist and needs surgery. Her medical bills total $61,000. Her car is a total loss worth $18,000.
Devon’s insurer pays Maria $25,000 for her injuries. That is the per-person limit. It also pays $18,000 for her car, which is under the $25,000 property limit. Maria is still short $36,000 on medical bills alone, plus lost wages and pain and suffering.
Maria has $100,000 in underinsured motorist coverage on her own policy. She makes a claim with her own insurer for the rest. Without that coverage, her only option would be to sue Devon personally.
Key Points to Remember
- Georgia requires liability coverage of at least $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.
- Liability coverage pays the people you hurt, not you.
- You must keep proof of insurance in the car, on paper or on your phone.
- Knowingly driving without insurance is a misdemeanor with a fine of $200 to $1,000 and up to 12 months in jail.
- Minimum limits are often too low to cover a serious injury.
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy can fill the gap.
Related Georgia Laws
- Georgia Uninsured Motorist Coverage Law
- Bad Faith Claims Against Auto Liability Insurers
- Georgia’s Time-Limited Demand Law
- Georgia’s Two-Year Deadline to File an Injury Lawsuit
- Auto Accidents in Georgia
- Calculating Damages
Official Sources
- Official Code of Georgia Annotated – Georgia General Assembly – search for sections 40-6-10 and 33-7-11
- Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner – Auto Insurance
- Georgia General Assembly
This page is general legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and every case is different. Talk to a licensed Georgia attorney about your situation.