State
Colorado car insurance requirements and laws
Colorado requires 25/50/15 liability; $5,000 MedPay and UM/UIM come with every policy unless rejected in writing. At-fault state with a 50% fault bar.
Minimum coverage
| Liability limits | 25/50/15 |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury, per person | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury, per accident | $50,000 |
| Property damage | $15,000 |
Rules
| Fault system | At-fault — the driver who causes a crash is responsible for the damage through their liability insurance |
|---|---|
| PIP required | No — but $5,000 of medical payments coverage is included unless you reject it in writing (C.R.S. § 10-4-635) |
| Uninsured motorist required | No — UM/UIM is included unless you reject it in writing, and it pays in addition to the at-fault driver's coverage (C.R.S. § 10-4-609) |
| Negligence rule | Modified comparative negligence (50% bar) — you recover only if your fault is less than the other driver's (C.R.S. § 13-21-111) |
| Digital proof of insurance | Yes — proof of insurance may be shown on a phone or other electronic device (C.R.S. § 42-4-1409) |
| Penalty for driving uninsured | Class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense with a mandatory minimum $500 fine (up to half can be suspended if you buy insurance) |
| Time limit to sue | 3 years for injury and property damage claims arising from a motor vehicle crash (C.R.S. § 13-80-101(1)(n)) |
Costs and context
| Average cost | $1,453 average annual expenditure (NAIC, 2023 data) |
|---|---|
| Uninsured drivers | About 1 in 5 drivers (19.7%, Insurance Research Council, 2023) |
Regulator
| Insurance regulator | Colorado Division of Insurance |
|---|---|
| Consumer hotline | 800-930-3745 |
| Website | doi.colorado.gov |
| Address | 1560 Broadway, Suite 1300, Denver, CO 80202 |
Minimum car insurance requirements
Colorado requires liability coverage of at least 25/50/15 (C.R.S. § 10-4-620): $25,000 for injuries to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one crash and $15,000 for damage to other people's property. Two more coverages are built into every Colorado policy unless you decline them in writing: $5,000 of medical payments coverage and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. The state car insurance requirements lookup compares Colorado with other states.
| Coverage | Colorado rule |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability, per person | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury liability, per accident | $50,000 |
| Property damage liability, per accident | $15,000 |
| Medical payments | $5,000, included unless rejected in writing |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist | Included unless rejected in writing |
MedPay details. If you keep the default MedPay, the first $5,000 is reserved for emergency trauma care, such as ambulance, air ambulance, trauma physicians and trauma centers, before it pays other medical bills (C.R.S. § 10-4-635). If your insurer cannot show that you rejected MedPay, the law presumes your policy includes it.
What the minimums mean in practice. Suppose you cause a crash on I-25 and the other driver's medical bills reach $40,000. A 25/50/15 policy pays $25,000, and the remaining $15,000 can be pursued from you personally. If the other car is a $30,000 SUV that is totaled, your $15,000 property damage limit covers half. how much liability coverage do you need? explains how to size limits to your assets.
Fault system and what it means after a crash
Colorado is an at-fault state. The driver who caused the crash pays for the other side's injuries and vehicle damage through their liability insurance. You can claim against that insurer, claim under your own collision or MedPay coverage, or sue. See no-fault vs at-fault states.
Colorado applies modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar (C.R.S. § 13-21-111). You can recover only if your negligence was not as great as the other driver's, and your award is reduced by your share of fault. At 50% or more, you recover nothing.
Colorado gives you three years to sue over injuries or property damage from a motor vehicle crash (C.R.S. § 13-80-101(1)(n)), longer than the two years common elsewhere. See statutes of limitations for car accident claims.
Recent change. For claims that accrue on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado's cap on noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering, in most personal injury cases rose to $1.5 million (C.R.S. § 13-21-102.5). Under the old law it was $250,000, or up to $500,000 with clear and convincing evidence. Larger potential awards make adequate liability limits more important; see social inflation and nuclear verdicts: how lawsuits raise premiums.
Optional coverage worth considering here
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist. The Insurance Research Council estimates about 19.7% of Colorado drivers were uninsured in 2023, among the higher rates in the country and well above the national 15.4%. Colorado UM/UIM pays on top of whatever the at-fault driver's insurance pays, rather than being reduced by it. See uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explained.
- Comprehensive. The Front Range is one of the most hail-prone regions in the country, and comprehensive is the coverage that pays for hail, theft, falling rocks and wildlife collisions. See hail, flood and storm damage: filing a comprehensive claim and comprehensive coverage explained.
- Collision. Snow, ice and mountain driving make single-car crashes common; collision repairs your car regardless of fault.
- Higher MedPay. $5,000 goes quickly after an ER visit; higher limits are inexpensive.
- Roadside assistance and rental reimbursement. Useful when hail backs up body shops (repair delays, parts shortages and running out of rental coverage).
What drives rates in Colorado
The NAIC puts Colorado's average annual expenditure at $1,453 in 2023, above the national average of $1,282. These averages include every policy type and are not quotes (What NAIC auto insurance data measures).
Hail is a major driver: severe storms along the Front Range produce large volumes of comprehensive claims. A high share of uninsured drivers raises UM/UIM costs. Population growth around Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins has added traffic, and winter mountain driving adds risk. Vehicle theft and costlier repairs for sensor-laden cars (driver-assistance sensors and the cost of repairs) push costs up as well, as does the larger exposure created by higher damage caps.
Penalties for driving uninsured
Driving without insurance in Colorado is a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense (C.R.S. § 42-4-1409). A first conviction carries a mandatory minimum fine of $500. The court may suspend up to half of the fine if you show you have since bought insurance, and it can impose a larger fine. Repeat convictions carry higher penalties, and the Division of Motor Vehicles can suspend your license until you file proof of insurance. See penalties for driving without insurance.
SR-22 and high-risk drivers
Colorado's Division of Motor Vehicles requires an SR-22, a certificate your insurer files to prove you carry at least the minimum coverage, for drivers reinstating after certain suspensions, including those tied to driving uninsured and alcohol-related offenses. The DMV sets the filing period. SR-22 insurance explained explains how the filing works, and non-owner car insurance: who needs it and how it works covers the option for drivers without a car. If standard insurers decline you, see high-risk car insurance: options when insurers say no.
Insurers with a strong presence in Colorado
Colorado's market is led by national carriers: State Farm, Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and Farmers Insurance, along with American Family Insurance, which has a large agent network in the Mountain West. USAA serves the state's large military community around Colorado Springs. Because hail losses vary by company, rates for identical coverage can differ widely, so compare quotes with how to compare car insurance quotes apples to apples.
Where to get help
The Colorado Division of Insurance, part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies, oversees insurers and handles complaints. Call 303-894-7499, or 800-930-3745 toll-free from outside the Denver metro area, or file online at doi.colorado.gov. The division is at 1560 Broadway, Suite 1300, Denver, CO 80202. how to file a complaint against a car insurance company explains what to send. License and SR-22 questions go to the Division of Motor Vehicles; for injury claims, talk with a licensed Colorado attorney.
Sources
- codes.findlaw.com/co/title-10-insurance/co-rev-st-sect-10-4-620/
- codes.findlaw.com/co/title-10-insurance/co-rev-st-sect-10-4-635/
- codes.findlaw.com/co/title-10-insurance/co-rev-st-sect-10-4-609/
- codes.findlaw.com/co/title-42-vehicles-and-traffic/co-rev-st-sect-42-4-1409/
- codes.findlaw.com/co/title-13-courts-and-court-procedure/co-rev-st-sect-13-21-111/
- codes.findlaw.com/co/title-13-courts-and-court-procedure/co-rev-st-sect-13-80-101/
- codes.findlaw.com/co/title-13-courts-and-court-procedure/co-rev-st-sect-13-21-102-5/
- doi.colorado.gov/
- iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists
- content.naic.org/article/naic-releases-20222023-auto-insurance-database-report
- insurance.maryland.gov/Consumer/Documents/agencyhearings/NAIC%202023%20Auto%20Insurance%…
Requirements were checked against these sources on the review date below. Laws change - confirm with the state insurance regulator or motor vehicle agency.
Profile last reviewed October 4, 2026