Missouri law states that all vehicle owners are required to maintain auto insurance, or “financial responsibility,” in order to legally own or operate a vehicle.
The minimum financial responsibility requirements for Missouri drivers are as follows:
A minimum of $25,000 per person, for bodily injury or death. This means you’ll need to carry a minimum of $50,000 to cover the lowest possible number of people involved in an accident (the two drivers).
A minimum $10,000 for property damage liability
A minimum of $25,000 per person for uninsured motorist coverage. This means that you’ll need a total of $50,000 to cover the lowest possible number of people involved in an accident (the two drivers).
This means that the total minimum amount of financial responsibility you will need is $110,000 to cover bodily injury and property damage.
Other types of financial responsibility
Most drivers in Missouri pay for insurance plans to cover the requirements of liability to drive, but the state also recognizes a few other methods of securing financial responsibility. These methods include:
Surety bonds
Real estate bonds
Cash deposits
Certificates of self-insurance, for businesses and religious organizations
Missouri Automobile Insurance Plan
If you are a high-risk driver, insurance companies have the right to deny coverage. In this case, Missouri maintains the Missouri Automobile Insurance Plan program, to ensure that all drivers have access to the required legal liability insurance. Under this plan, you can apply for insurance through any authorized insurance provider.
Proof of insurance
Missouri drivers are required to carry proof of insurance in their vehicles at all times. If you do not have proof of insurance when a law enforcement officer asks for one, you can be issued a traffic ticket. You must also have proof of insurance when registering a vehicle.
Acceptable forms of proof of insurance include:
Insurance ID card from an authorized insurance company
An image of your insurance card on your mobile phone or other electronic device
An SR-22 Proof of Financial Responsibility document, which is a verification that you carry the legal requirements for insurance. It is usually only required by those drivers who have been previously convicted of DUIs or reckless driving.
A certificate or legal documentation from the Department of Revenue proving the self-insurance, or proving the cash deposit or bond used to secure financial responsibility.
Violation penalties
The state of Missouri has several penalties that apply to those who are faced with insurance violations:
Driver’s license and vehicle registrations suspension of a period from 90 days to 1 year
A reinstatement fee that begins at $20 for the first instance; $200 for the second instance; and $400 for further instances
Required SR-22 filing for the following three years
If you cannot prove that you have insurance when stopped by an officer, you may also receive these penalties:
Four points on your Missouri driving record
An order of supervision, meaning your insurance status will be monitored by the Driver License Bureau.
For more information, contact Missouri Department of Revenue through their website.
