3.1 Utah Auto Insurance Requirements

Minimum Liability: 25/65/15

Utah has unique liability limits:

Note: Utah's 65,000 per-accident bodily injury limit is higher than most states (which use 50,000).

Mandatory PIP Coverage

Utah is a modified no-fault state requiring:

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

• Minimum: $3,000 per person
• Covers: Medical expenses, lost wages, funeral
• No-fault: Pays regardless of fault
• Work loss: Includes disability benefits
• Survivors: Benefits to survivors if death

Utah's No-Fault System

Modified No-Fault with Threshold

Utah operates no-fault with lawsuit threshold:

Threshold for Lawsuit:

• Medical expenses exceed $3,000, OR
• Permanent disability or disfigurement, OR
• Death

If threshold not met:

• Each driver's PIP pays their bills
• Cannot sue for pain and suffering

If threshold met:

• Can pursue traditional tort claim
• Can sue at-fault driver for all damages

Proof of Insurance

Required:

• Carry insurance card (paper or electronic)
• Show to law enforcement on request
• Electronic proof accepted

Penalties for No Insurance

Optional Coverages

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

• Not required but strongly recommended
• Protects against uninsured drivers
• Must be rejected in writing if declined

Collision and Comprehensive

• Optional unless required by lender
• Collision: Covers collision damage to your vehicle
• Comprehensive: Covers theft, vandalism, weather damage

Exam Tip: Utah's 25/65/15 liability limits are unique—most states use 25/50/25. The higher $65,000 per-accident bodily injury limit distinguishes Utah from other states.

Utah Minimum Liability Limits — 25/65/15

Utah requires every owner of a registered motor vehicle to maintain owner's/operator's security, with minimum liability limits of 25/65/15: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $65,000 bodily injury per accident, and $15,000 property damage per accident. An owner may alternatively post a combined single limit at the equivalent statutory amount. Driving or registering without this security violates the Utah Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Act and exposes the owner to penalties and license/registration consequences.

Mandatory PIP and Utah's No-Fault System

Utah is a modified no-fault (PIP) state. Every Utah auto policy must include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) with a statutory minimum of $3,000 for medical expenses, plus statutory benefits for a portion of lost wages (a percentage of gross income up to a weekly cap, for a limited period), funeral expenses, survivor benefits, and household-services/essential-services reimbursement. PIP pays the insured's own medical and economic losses regardless of fault, which is the essence of no-fault — small claims are paid quickly without litigation.

The Tort Threshold

Because of no-fault, an injured person may sue the at-fault driver for general (pain-and-suffering) damages only after meeting a tort threshold. In Utah the threshold is a medical-expense threshold of $3,000 (or a serious-injury threshold such as permanent disability/disfigurement, permanent impairment, dismemberment, or death). Below the threshold, the injured party is limited to PIP recovery; meeting it opens the door to a liability suit for non-economic damages. A stem describing minor injuries under $3,000 tests that the claimant generally cannot sue for pain and suffering.

Proof of Insurance, Penalties, and Optional Coverages

Utah maintains an electronic insurance-verification system; owners must show proof of security on demand. Operating without required coverage can bring fines, registration suspension, and reinstatement fees, with steeper penalties for repeat offenses. Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage must be offered (often at limits matching liability) and may be rejected in writing by the insured — a tested point that UM/UIM is mandatory to offer but optional to buy in Utah. Collision and comprehensive remain optional but are typically required by lenders on financed vehicles.

UM applies to uninsured/hit-and-run at-fault drivers; UIM fills the gap when the at-fault driver's liability limits are insufficient.

Financial Responsibility Alternatives and SR-22

Beyond buying a policy, Utah lets an owner satisfy the security requirement by depositing cash or securities with the state or posting a bond in the statutory amount, but insurance is by far the common method. After certain violations (driving uninsured, DUI, or an at-fault accident while uninsured), the state may require the driver to file proof of future financial responsibility through an SR-22 certificate filed by the insurer, certifying that liability coverage at the statutory minimums is in force; a lapse triggers the insurer to notify the state and can suspend driving privileges.

PIP Coordination and Stacking

Utah PIP pays the insured's own economic losses first and is generally primary for auto-accident medical bills; coordination with health insurance follows policy and statutory rules. Because PIP is no-fault first-party coverage, an injured insured collects PIP without proving fault, and only losses exceeding PIP and meeting the tort threshold are pursued against the at-fault driver. UM/UIM in Utah responds to the economic and non-economic damages an uninsured or underinsured at-fault driver causes once the threshold is met.

A stem mixing PIP (own insurer, no fault) with a liability claim (at-fault driver, above threshold) tests that the same medical bills are not recovered twice.