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Arizona's minimum liability limits are $25,000 for injury or death to one person, $50,000 for injury or death to two or more people in one accident, and $15,000 for property damage. Those numbers come from A.R.S. § 28-4009 and apply to policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2020. They are a legal floor, not a measure of what a crash actually costs.
Subsection A.2 of § 28-4009 sets the required minimums for a motor vehicle liability policy. For policies issued or renewed beginning July 1, 2020, the statute requires:
| Coverage | Minimum | |---|---| | Bodily injury or death, one person, one accident | $25,000 | | Bodily injury or death, two or more persons, one accident | $50,000 | | Property damage to others, one accident | $15,000 |
Before that date, the minimums were lower: $15,000, $30,000, and $10,000. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Motor Vehicle Division's insurance page lists the current figures as $25,000 for one person, $50,000 for two or more, and $15,000 for property damage. Drivers often shorthand this as "25/50/15."
Liability coverage pays for harm you cause to other people, up to the policy limits. It is not coverage for your own injuries or your own vehicle. If you cause a crash, your liability insurer is the one that answers to the other driver's claim, and the limit on the policy is the most that insurer is obligated to pay under that coverage.
That is why the minimums matter to someone hurt by another driver. The at-fault driver's policy limit is often the first ceiling a claim runs into. A serious injury can produce medical bills larger than $25,000, and when the other driver carries only the minimum, the liability policy may not cover the full amount. What happens next depends on the facts, including whether other coverage applies and whether the at-fault driver has other assets, so it is a question for a licensed Arizona attorney.
Your own policy may offer a second source of recovery. Underinsured motorist coverage exists for the case where the at-fault driver's liability limits are not enough, and uninsured motorist coverage applies when the at-fault driver has no insurance. We explain how those coverages work in Arizona UM/UIM Coverage: The Law That Decides Who Pays When the At-Fault Driver Can't.
Fault also affects what any insurer pays. Under Arizona's comparative fault rules, a claimant's recovery can be reduced by their own share of responsibility, as covered in Arizona Comparative Fault.
ADOT states that police may ask for proof of insurance during a traffic stop or after an accident, and that if you cannot provide it, they may take your license plate. Driving without proper insurance can lead to suspension of your vehicle registration or driver license, and ADOT says you may be required to file an SR-22 certificate, which your insurer files directly with ADOT. Where registration or a license was suspended, ADOT says an SR-22 may need to be kept for three years.
Check your own declarations page to see what limits you carry. The state minimum protects other people up to the stated amounts, but it does not protect your own finances beyond them, and it does not pay for your own injuries. After a crash, ask for the other driver's insurance information, since their limits shape the claim. And remember that the lawsuit deadline runs independently of any insurer's negotiations; see Arizona's Two-Year Injury Deadline.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice. Policy terms and facts vary; consult a licensed Arizona attorney about your situation. Limits were checked against the Arizona Legislature's published text of A.R.S. § 28-4009 and ADOT's insurance requirements page.
Arizona law requires every auto insurer to offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. What A.R.S. § 20-259.01 says, how UM and UIM differ, and why the written offer matters.
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