Wisconsin Car Insurance

Last updated on November 9th, 2017

When it comes to car insurance the state of Wisconsin is a bit different from most other states due to the fact that instead of requiring drivers to maintain an insurance policy on their vehicle drivers are required to be able to prove that they can be financially responsible if they are found to be at fault for an accident. In order to prove that they can be financially responsible for any damages that they cause in an accident drivers have two basic options, they could either purchase an auto insurance policy that meets state requirements or they could prove that they have enough money or assets on hand to be able to pay for an accident.

Since the amount of money or assets that a driver must have on hand in order to prove financial responsibility is currently $60,000 most people choose to purchase a liability auto insurance policy in order to satisfy state financial responsibility requirements. In order for an auto insurance policy to serve as proof of financial responsibility is must have minimum amounts of certain types of coverage as required by state law. The foundation of a Wisconsin car insurance policy is considered to be liability insurance, which will pay other parties for injuries or damages caused by the policy holder or the driver of the insured vehicle. There are a few different types of liability coverage, bodily injury and property damage coverage to be exact, that a Wisconsin car insurance policy must have in order to meet state requirements. Bodily injury coverage typically comes in two different forms; there is bodily injury coverage for a single person and bodily injury coverage for a single accident. Bodily injury coverage for a single person is the maximum amount that the insurance company will pay for the injuries to a single individual while bodily injury coverage for a single accident is the maximum amount the insurance company will pay for all the injuries in a single accident.

In the state of Wisconsin if a resident chooses to prove financial responsibility by purchasing an insurance policy they must purchase a policy with at least $25,000 in bodily injury coverage for a single person and $50,000 in bodily injury coverage for a single accident. Additionally, every policy must also include a minimum of $10,000 in property damage coverage that will pay for any physical damage caused by the policy holder in an accident. Because physical damage is the most common result in a car accident and even the most minor accidents can result in thousands of dollars worth of damage insurance professionals in the state of Wisconsin recommend that residents purchase more property damage liability coverage than is actually required by the state.

Aside from liability coverage there is only one other type of coverage that is required by the state of Wisconsin and that is uninsured motorist coverage. In most state where uninsured motorist coverage is required it is pair with underinsured motorist coverage but Wisconsin only requires the former by law. Underinsured motorist coverage serves to protect the policy holder and any drivers of the insured vehicle should they be involved in an accident in which the at-fault driver has no car insurance. In such a situation the uninsured motorist coverage would cover most of the costs that would typically be covered by the at-fault driver’s liability policy so that the policy holder is not left to foot the bill for an accident that they did not cause.

Due to the fact that uninsured motorist coverage mimics bodily injury liability coverage the minimum amount of each type required by the state of Wisconsin are the same. Although underinsured motorist coverage is not required by the state if a driver opts to purchase underinsured motorist coverage with their Wisconsin car insurance policy there are minimum amounts of coverage that must be purchased. Underinsured motorist coverage cannot be purchased with less than $50,000 in coverage for a single individual and $100,000 in coverage for two or more individuals.  If a Wisconsin motorist cannot find an insurance company that will voluntarily write them a policy on the open market they have the option of enrolling in the Wisconsin Automobile Insurance Plan. This plan is designed for drivers that are considered to be uninsurable by most insurance companies due to a tainted driving history or a history of at-fault accident.

Drivers that are enrolled in the Wisconsin Automobile Insurance Plan may pay a bit more for insurance premiums than the average motorist but they are guaranteed to be able to purchase all of the various types of coverage required by state law as well as a few types of optional coverage, such as personal injury protection and underinsured motorist coverage, that many drivers in the state often add to their Wisconsin car insurance policies.