Montana's minimum liability limits are 25/50/20 under MCA 61-6-103: $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 per accident, and $20,000 for property damage. That property damage figure is the detail worth pausing on, it's $5,000 lower than the $25,000 most neighboring states require, and it hasn't kept pace with what vehicles cost. A minimum-limits Montana policy that pays out after a collision with a newer pickup can run out well before the repair bill does.
Montana is an at-fault state with no PIP requirement: the driver who causes a crash pays for the other side's injuries and vehicle damage through liability coverage. Your own medical bills after a not-at-fault crash ride on the other driver's policy, or on optional coverages you add to your own.
The figures below explain the policy structure used in Montana. They do not predict an individual premium. For a broader view of how state rules differ, use our national car insurance directory.
Montana minimum car insurance requirements
Most quotes begin with liability coverage. Bodily injury liability addresses covered injury claims made by other people when you cause a crash. Property damage liability addresses covered damage to their vehicles or other property. The legal minimum keeps a policy compliant, but it does not say how much financial risk a household can comfortably retain.
- Coverage
- Bodily injury liability, one person
- Required amount or rule
- $25,000
- What it generally addresses
- Covered injuries to one other person
- Coverage
- Bodily injury liability, one accident
- Required amount or rule
- $50,000
- What it generally addresses
- Total covered injuries in one accident
- Coverage
- Property damage liability
- Required amount or rule
- $20,000
- What it generally addresses
- Covered damage you cause to other property
- Coverage
- PIP or medical coverage
- Required amount or rule
- Not required (at-fault state)
- What it generally addresses
- Medical coverage rules vary by policy
- Coverage
- Accident framework
- Required amount or rule
- At-fault
- What it generally addresses
- The responsible driver's liability coverage is central
- Coverage
- SR-22 filing
- Required amount or rule
- Used in this state
- What it generally addresses
- Applies only when ordered after qualifying events
| Coverage | Required amount or rule | What it generally addresses |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability, one person | $25,000 | Covered injuries to one other person |
| Bodily injury liability, one accident | $50,000 | Total covered injuries in one accident |
| Property damage liability | $20,000 | Covered damage you cause to other property |
| PIP or medical coverage | Not required (at-fault state) | Medical coverage rules vary by policy |
| Accident framework | At-fault | The responsible driver's liability coverage is central |
| SR-22 filing | Used in this state | Applies only when ordered after qualifying events |
What the state minimum covers, and what it leaves with you
A minimum policy is designed to satisfy state law. It is not designed around the value of your car, the size of a possible injury claim or the amount of savings you want to protect. Those are household decisions, so they need a separate review.
A financed or leased vehicle commonly needs collision and comprehensive coverage under the contract even when state law does not require them. For plain-language definitions and buying context, visit our insurance guides before selecting limits.
Rules and risks that matter in Montana
State law is only the starting point. These Montana-specific details show what to confirm before you compare coverage or buy a policy.
What the 25/50/20 minimum does and doesn't cover
The liability policy Montana requires pays other people, not you. It covers injuries you cause (up to $25,000 per person, $50,000 per crash) and damage to others' property (up to $20,000). It pays nothing toward your own vehicle or your own medical care, those need optional collision, comprehensive, and medical payments coverage.
Montana insurers also offer uninsured motorist coverage, which steps in when the at-fault driver carries no insurance. It isn't mandatory, you can decline it, but drivers weighing it should know it's often one of the less expensive lines on a quote, and the gap it fills is exactly the scenario the state minimums can't reach.
SR-22 filings in Montana
After certain suspensions and convictions, Montana's Motor Vehicle Division requires an SR-22, a certificate your insurer files electronically to prove you carry at least the state-minimum coverage. The MVD doesn't accept paper forms from individuals; the filing has to come from the insurance company, and it typically must stay on file for three years.
The SR-22 form itself costs little. What moves the needle is how each carrier prices the violation underneath it, and carriers diverge sharply on the same record. Drivers under a filing requirement usually see the widest quote spreads of anyone, which makes comparing several carriers' rates worth the effort before committing.
Comparing quotes in Montana
Average annual expenditure for auto insurance in Montana was $885 in 2022, per the NAIC, below the countrywide average of $1,127 that year. Averages hide the spread, though: rates for the same driver vary by carrier, by rating territory, and by how much coverage above the 25/50/20 floor you select. Pulling quotes at both minimum limits and a higher tier (50/100/50 is a common step up) shows what the extra protection actually costs, often less than drivers expect.
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Start a Montana quote requestWhat affects car insurance rates in Montana?
Average annual expenditure for auto insurance in Montana was $885 in 2022. This is a historical statewide expenditure benchmark from NAIC 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement. It combines many types of drivers and policies, so it should be used for market context rather than as a current quote estimate.
Insurers apply their filed rating plans to the household in front of them. Two neighbors can see different prices, and the same household can receive a wide range from different companies because each insurer weighs the inputs differently.
Garaging location
Claim frequency, traffic, repair costs, theft and weather exposure vary across Montana ZIP codes.
Drivers and record
Age, driving experience, citations, accidents, claims and continuous insurance history can affect price and eligibility.
Vehicle and use
Repair technology, vehicle value, annual mileage, commute and business use change the potential cost of a claim.
Coverage choices
Liability limits, collision, comprehensive, optional benefits and deductibles determine what the policy is being asked to pay.
Household details
Other licensed drivers, additional vehicles and bundling opportunities can change the account-level price.
Company fit
Insurers target different customer profiles. No one company is consistently cheapest for every driver in every territory.
Before you switch
Read the declarations, not only the price.
The declarations page shows drivers, vehicles, limits, deductibles and selected benefits. Match those fields before deciding that one quote is better.
Learn how a quote becomes a policy →How to compare Montana car insurance quotes
Keep the drivers, vehicles, limits, deductibles, dates and payment method the same. Then compare the full-term cost and change only one choice at a time.
Compare insurance companies on price, coverage and service
A familiar name is not automatically the best fit. Compare how each insurer sells and services policies, which optional programs it offers and whether it writes your profile in Montana. Availability and underwriting can vary by state.
See how Progressive sells and services policies →
See how GEICO sells and services policies →
See how State Farm sells and services policies →
See how Allstate sells and services policies →Company marks link to independent editorial reviews. They do not identify quote partners or a personalized match.
Browse all company reviews →Compare car insurance by Montana city
State law applies across Montana, but the garaging address can add a more local rating layer. Use a city guide to review ZIP related factors, vehicle details and the quote worksheet, then return here for the state requirement source.
Check the facts
Rules and market data used on this Montana page
The minimum-coverage table is paired with a first-party state reference, and the legal authority named in the guide is MCA §61-6-103; Montana Motor Vehicle Division. Historical premium context is labeled by year and linked to the underlying publication. These sources do not replace a policy contract or individualized legal advice; rules and forms can change, so confirm current requirements with the regulator, insurer or a licensed professional.
State requirement source
Montana Department of Justice — Driver manual ↗Official state driver manual describing Montana's mandatory liability insurance limits.
Historical market data
NAIC — 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement ↗Historical statewide average-expenditure data published by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in June 2024.
Regulator directory
NAIC — State insurance department directory ↗Directory of state insurance regulators for current consumer guidance, licensing checks and complaints.
Checked by Show my rates · Last updated August 3, 2026
Montana car insurance FAQs
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