Auto Insurance Requirements in Kansas
Kansas requires all of its residents to carry auto insurance with liability and uninsured motorist coverage. It is a no-fault state, which means that your auto insurer will pay for first-party benefits — your medical costs for injuries from an accident — regardless of fault.
Have a copy of your insurance ID card with you whenever you drive in Kansas. Law enforcement officers can ask for your proof of insurance — either a photo on your phone or a hard copy — when they pull you over.
Contents
Kansas required car insurance coverage
Required min. limits | |
|---|---|
|
Bodily injury (BI) | $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident |
|
Property damage (PD) | $25,000 per accident |
|
Uninsured/underinsured motorist BI (UM/UIMBI) | $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident |
|
Personal injury protection (PIP) | $4,500 in medical benefits and other benefits |
Kansas car insurance minimum requirements
To drive in the state, you need several coverages on your policy, including: bodily injury, property damage, personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist. Each of these either covers your costs if you are involved in an accident, up to at least the minimum coverage amounts specified by Kansas state laws.
Bodily injury (BI): You need to be covered for at least 25/50 in case you are at fault for someone else's injuries if you cause an accident. This means that for each pedestrian or person in the other driver's car injured, your insurer pays up to $25,000 for their medical fees on your behalf, but no more than $50,000 for a given accident.
Property damage (PD): In an accident that you are found mostly at fault for, you will be covered up to $25,000 for the other driver's property loss with a minimum policy. This pays for things such as replacing the other party's bumper or hood. However, in case of a serious accident (see "Your right to sue," below), the other driver may sue you to receive additional compensation.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury (UM/UIMBI): In case you are ever struck by a driver who does not have adequate insurance coverage, Kansas law also requires that you include UM/UIMBI coverage in your policy. Your insurer, instead of the other driver's insurer, will pay for your medical costs with UM/UIMBI. Your UM/UIMBI minimums are 25/50, and higher coverage amounts will be available to you, as long as they are not higher than your BI on the same policy. It kicks in under two circumstances: when the at-fault driver has no insurance (uninsured) or has BI limits lower than your UM/UIMBI coverage. In an underinsured case, your insurer will cover your medical costs, up to the difference between the negligent driver's BI and your UM/UIMBI limits.
Cheapest companies in Kansas for minimum liability
Personal injury protection (PIP) in Kansas
Kansas is a no-fault state, so all Kansas insurers provide their policyholders with basic PIP benefits. Also known as no-fault insurance, PIP provides you with the necessary medical treatment coverage and postaccident benefits, regardless of who is at fault in an accident. Most other states do not mandate no-fault benefits. These benefits include:
- Medical benefits: Up to $4,500 per person, per accident, for medical-related costs, such as an ambulance and surgeries, that you or anyone covered by your policy may need
- Rehabilitation benefits: Up to $4,500 per person, per accident, for any postaccident rehabilitative services that you or anyone covered by your policy may need
- Loss of income (disability benefits): Up to $900 per month limit, for as long as one year following an accident, for recovery of at least 85% of the income you would have earned if you weren't incapacitated by your injuries
- Substitution benefits: Up to $25 per day, for as long as one year following an accident, for substitution benefits when you are also entitled to disability benefits. This covers the costs to hire someone to do the necessary and daily chores, such as housecleaning and lawn maintenance, that you otherwise would be doing for yourself and your family if you were not injured in the accident.
- Funeral benefits: Up to $2,000 of funeral and burial costs if someone in your household — in other words, someone covered by your policy — unfortunately passes away due to injuries from an accident
- Survivors benefits: Two PIP benefits for a deceased person's beneficiaries — the deceased's lost income and the costs to find a replacement for the deceased's usual daily chores. These benefits are subject to the same conditions as the disability benefits and substitution benefits — that is, if the insured received some of these benefits, the beneficiaries will receive the remaining months, until the original year limit is reached.
Kansas motorists also have a choice to purchase additional PIP coverage. It increases the coverage amounts of a few of the no-fault benefits mentioned above. However, not all benefits have additional coverage limits, and the available amounts depend largely on your auto insurer. For example, Geico offers policyholders a choice of five higher limits for medical, rehabilitation and loss of income benefits (which also translates into survivors loss benefits if the deceased person had dependents). On the other hand, Progressive only offers two additional medical benefit coverage options and one for loss of income.
Here is a table comparing the types and limits of no-fault benefits between basic PIP and additional PIP coverage:
Type of no-fault benefit | Basic PIP | Additional PIP* |
|---|---|---|
|
Medical benefits | $4,500 per person/accident | $7,500–$27,500 per person/accident |
|
Loss of income (or survivors benefits) | $900/month for 1 year | $900–$1,500/month for 2 to 3 years |
|
Substitution benefits | $25/day for 1 year | No higher limits |
|
Funeral benefits | $2,000 | No higher limits |
|
Rehabilitation benefits | $4,500 per person/accident | $7,500–$27,500 per person/accident |
*Actual available options vary by insurer.
Your right to sue
Living in a no-fault state means that, in exchange for your first-party PIP benefits, you are limited in your rights to collect compensation for your pain and suffering from an accident. However, if the accident meets one of the following severity thresholds, you may be exempt from this restriction and free to sue the negligent driver in Kansas.
Quantitative threshold: Your right to sue is free from the limitation if your injuries amount to more than $2,000 in medical treatments. Even in the event you receive free services from family members who are trained in medical professions, you may reasonably include the equivalent monetary amount of the service in the total costs.
Qualitative thresholds: Your right to sue for pain and suffering will also be reinstated in Kansas if your injuries result in any of the following conditions:
- Whole or partial permanent disfigurement
- Fracture to a weight-bearing bone, such as your tibia
- Serious bone fracture that results in bone piercing through skin or a broken or splintered bone
- Loss of a body part, such as a limb
- Permanent injury, based on a doctor's reasonable medical diagnosis
- Permanent loss of a bodily function, such as eyesight
- Death
Alternative proof of financial responsibility
As an alternative to an insurance policy, you may apply to the Kansas Insurance Department for a self-insurance certificate, which is accepted as proof of insurance, if you meet the following qualifications:
- Have more than 25 cars registered under your name
- Provide documents as requested by the insurance commissioner to prove you are able to pay and provide liability coverage in the same amounts as a minimum insurance policy for each vehicle covered under your self-insurance.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.
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