Georgia Car Insurance Requirements: Why 25/50/25 Coverage Fails After a Serious Crash

Georgia’s baseline liability requirement is $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 per accident for property damage, usually written 25/50/25. That is the floor for most drivers, but it is no longer the floor for everyone: a 2025 statute raises the required limits for drivers with a DUI conviction, and those higher limits are set out later in this guide. Insurers must also offer uninsured motorist coverage at the baseline limits unless the insured rejects it in writing.

How Georgia’s Minimum Coverage Works: The 25/50/25 requirement means your insurance must pay up to $25,000 for one person’s injuries, up to $50,000 total if multiple people are injured in one accident, and up to $25,000 for property damage. These are minimums required by law, not recommendations for adequate protection.

Five Critical Rules:

1. Minimum Is Not Adequate: Georgia’s $25,000 per person limit was established decades ago and has not kept pace with medical costs. A single emergency room visit after a moderate accident can exceed this limit, leaving you personally liable for the difference.
2. UM Coverage Applies Unless You Reject It, and the Two Formalities Are Not the Same: Georgia law requires insurers to offer UM coverage at least equal to your liability limits. A total rejection must be in writing under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(3). An election of lower UM limits need not be in writing, but the insurer carries the burden of showing you actually made that choice. Absent a valid written rejection or a proven election of lesser limits, UM coverage applies.
3. Property Damage Minimum Covers Only Basic Vehicle Value: The $25,000 property damage limit may seem adequate for minor accidents, but totaling a newer vehicle, damaging multiple vehicles, or hitting commercial property can quickly exceed this amount.
4. Your Own Insurance Does Not Protect You From Lawsuits: Liability insurance pays claims against you up to policy limits. Once limits are exhausted, injured parties can sue you personally for remaining damages. Your personal assets are at risk beyond policy limits.
5. A DUI Conviction Changes Your Minimum: Under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16, enacted in 2025, drivers with a covered DUI conviction must carry substantially higher limits for three years. The baseline 25/50/25 no longer describes them.

Critical Gap: The difference between Georgia’s minimum required coverage and coverage adequate for a serious crash is substantial. Financial advisors and insurance professionals commonly recommend liability limits of at least 100/300/100 for drivers with assets to protect.

Cost Reality: Moderate to serious car accidents regularly generate medical bills, lost wages, and property damage exceeding $100,000. Georgia’s $25,000 per person minimum provides inadequate protection for most accident scenarios involving significant injuries.

Next Steps: Review your current coverage limits, compare the cost difference between minimum and higher coverage, evaluate your asset exposure, and consider umbrella policies for additional protection beyond auto policy limits.

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Understanding Georgia’s Insurance Requirements

Georgia requires all drivers to maintain financial responsibility for potential accidents. While several methods exist to prove financial responsibility, liability insurance is the most practical and common approach.

The Legal Foundation: Multiple Statutes Working Together

Georgia’s insurance requirements stem from several statutory sources that work in combination:

O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11 (Uninsured Motorist Coverage): Requires insurers to offer uninsured motorist protection and sets the minimum UM limits. Subsection (g) also protects the insured’s access to court, discussed below.

O.C.G.A. § 33-34-4 (Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance): Defines required liability coverage and proof of financial responsibility, cross-referencing the minimum amounts specified by the Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act.

O.C.G.A. Title 40, Chapter 9 (Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act): Governs financial responsibility requirements, license suspension for non-compliance, and establishes the security requirements that correspond to the minimum limits.

O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16 (2025): Raises the required liability limits for drivers with a covered DUI conviction.

These statutes work together to create Georgia’s insurance framework.

The 25/50/25 Baseline Liability Requirement

For most drivers, Georgia law requires minimum liability insurance of:

• $25,000 per person for bodily injury or death
• $50,000 per accident for bodily injury or death when multiple people are injured
• $25,000 per accident for property damage

This is commonly expressed as “25/50/25.”

What These Numbers Mean:

$25,000 per person: If you injure one person in an accident, your insurance pays up to $25,000 for their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. If their total damages are $60,000, your insurance pays $25,000 and you are personally liable for the remaining $35,000.

$50,000 per accident: If you injure multiple people in one accident, your insurance pays up to $50,000 total for all injured parties combined. If three people each have $25,000 in damages ($75,000 total), your insurance pays $50,000 maximum and you are personally liable for $25,000.

$25,000 property damage: Your insurance pays up to $25,000 for damage to other vehicles, structures, or property. If you total a $40,000 vehicle, your insurance pays $25,000 and you owe $15,000 personally.

How Liability Limits Apply in Real Accidents:

Scenario 1: Single Victim, Moderate Injuries

• Emergency room visit: $8,000
• Follow-up care, physical therapy: $12,000
• Lost wages (4 weeks): $4,000
• Pain and suffering: $15,000
• Total damages: $39,000
• Your insurance pays: $25,000
• You owe personally: $14,000

Scenario 2: Multiple Victims, Per-Accident Limit Applies

• Driver injured: $30,000 damages
• Passenger 1 injured: $25,000 damages
• Passenger 2 injured: $20,000 damages
• Total damages: $75,000
• Your insurance pays: $50,000 (per-accident maximum)
• You owe personally: $25,000, or victims receive reduced settlements

Scenario 3: Property Damage Exceeds Limit

• Newer sedan totaled: $32,000
• Repair to guardrail: $5,000
• Total property damage: $37,000
• Your insurance pays: $25,000
• You owe personally: $12,000

These scenarios illustrate why minimum coverage provides inadequate protection. Medical costs, vehicle values, and injury damages regularly exceed Georgia’s minimum limits.

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Higher Minimums After a DUI Conviction: O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16

Georgia enacted O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16 in 2025 through Senate Bill 121. It raises the minimum liability limits a driver must carry after a covered DUI conviction:

Conviction	Required minimum
First covered DUI conviction	$50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident / $50,000 property damage
Second or subsequent	$100,000 per person / $300,000 per accident / $100,000 property damage

The higher coverage must be carried for three years, and the driver must be able to show proof of it while operating a vehicle.

The Act took effect May 14, 2025 (Ga. Laws 2025, Act 287), and the obligation attaches to convictions on or after that date.

Three practical points. First, these limits apply in lieu of the minimum liability coverage otherwise required under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11. They replace the ordinary 25/50/25 floor for that driver rather than sitting beside it. Second, this is separate from any SR-22 filing obligation, so a driver may face both. Third, the trigger is a conviction, not an arrest or a pending charge, and the statute defines conviction to include a guilty plea and a plea of nolo contendere as well as a jury’s finding of guilt.

That third point catches people out. A nolo plea is often taken precisely because O.C.G.A. § 17-7-95(c) keeps it from being used as an admission of guilt in a later civil case. It still counts as a conviction for this insurance obligation. The two rules serve different purposes and they do not cancel each other.

A third point matters for everyone else on the road. If the driver who hits you has a DUI history, the coverage available to you may be considerably higher than the 25/50/25 most people assume. That is worth establishing early rather than settling against an assumed $25,000 ceiling.

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Uninsured Motorist Coverage Requirements

Georgia law requires insurers to offer uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, though insureds can reject this coverage through written rejection.

Statutory Requirement: O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11

O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11 requires automobile liability insurers to offer uninsured motorist coverage with minimum limits of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Insurers must offer UM coverage up to the same limits as the insured’s liability coverage.

What Uninsured Motorist Coverage Protects:

UM coverage pays for your injuries when you are hit by a driver with no insurance, a hit-and-run driver who cannot be identified, or a driver whose insurance company is insolvent.

What Underinsured Motorist Coverage Protects:

UIM coverage pays when the at-fault driver has insurance, but their liability limits are insufficient to cover your damages.

Example:

• Your damages: $75,000
• At-fault driver’s liability coverage: $25,000
• Your UIM coverage: $100,000
• At-fault driver pays: $25,000
• Your UIM coverage pays: $50,000 (the gap between $25,000 and $75,000)
• Your total recovery: $75,000

UM Coverage Is Default Unless Rejected:

O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11 provides that the required coverage does not apply where an insured named in the policy rejects it in writing. The statutory requirement is the writing itself; an oral rejection does not satisfy it.

What this means in practice:

• Rejection must be in writing. An oral rejection, or the mere absence of a UM premium on the declarations page, does not establish rejection
• The burden of producing a valid rejection sits with the insurer, since it is the insurer relying on the exception
• Whether a particular rejection document is effective, and what coverage applies if it is not, has been the subject of Georgia case law rather than a single statutory sentence

This is worth checking rather than assuming. If you believe you rejected UM coverage but no valid written rejection exists in the insurer’s file, coverage may be available to you that you did not think you had. Ask your attorney to request the rejection document from the insurer and have it reviewed, particularly in a serious-injury claim where the at-fault driver’s limits are inadequate.

Your Right to Sue Cannot Be Contracted Away:

O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(g) provides that no UM endorsement or provision may contain a clause requiring arbitration of a claim arising under it, and that the insured shall not be restricted or prevented, in any manner, from employing legal counsel or instituting legal proceedings. If a dispute arises with your own insurer over a UM claim, arbitration is available only if both sides agree to it. Your policy cannot impose it, and it cannot condition your coverage on giving up access to court.

UM Coverage Limits and Selection Options:

Insurers must offer UM coverage up to your liability limits. Two different things can happen after that, and Georgia law does not impose the same formality on them.

• If you carry $100,000/$300,000 liability coverage, the insurer must offer $100,000/$300,000 UM
• Rejecting UM entirely requires a writing. O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(3) provides that the required coverage does not apply where an insured named in the policy rejects it in writing
• Electing UM limits lower than your liability limits does not. Subsection (a)(1)(B) says the insured “may affirmatively choose uninsured motorist limits in an amount less than the limits of liability,” and it attaches no writing requirement to that choice
• You cannot select UM limits below the statutory minimum

Why that distinction is worth knowing. In Sullivan v. Trustgard Insurance Co., A25A1720 (Ga. Ct. App., March 16, 2026), the court confirmed that the statute contains no specific requirement that an affirmative election of lesser UM coverage be made in writing. It also said the part that matters to a claimant: the absence of a writing requirement does not relieve the insurer of its burden of showing that the insured did in fact make an affirmative choice of lesser coverage.

So if an insurer asserts you hold reduced UM limits, the question is not only whether a signed form exists. It is whether the insurer can show you actually chose the lower amount. A pre-populated application may not carry that burden on its own. Ask your attorney to make the insurer prove the election rather than assuming the declarations page settles it.

In short: the statute obliges insurers to offer UM up to your liability limits. It does not oblige you to purchase it at those levels.

Stacking: Harder Than It Looks

Whether UM limits can be combined, often called stacking, is one of the most misstated points in Georgia coverage. It is not a simple menu option, and it does not follow automatically from insuring several vehicles.

The question Georgia courts actually ask is which policies and which insured status are in play. Where more than one UM policy is available, for example a policy of your own and a policy under which you qualify as an insured, combining limits may be possible. Where there is one policy covering several vehicles, Georgia decisions do not treat the limits as combining simply because the policy lists more cars, and the presence or absence of anti-stacking language, the class of insured you fall into, and the specific policy wording all bear on the result.

That makes this a question to put to counsel with your actual declarations pages in hand rather than one to settle from a general rule. Identify every policy under which you might qualify as an insured, including a resident relative’s policy and any employer policy, and have the language read before assuming limits either do or do not combine.

Medical Payments Coverage (Optional):

Unlike the UM offer requirement, medical payments coverage (MedPay) is not required by Georgia law. MedPay is optional coverage that pays medical expenses regardless of fault, up to policy limits, typically $1,000 to $10,000.

MedPay differs from UM coverage:

• UM requires proving another driver was at fault; MedPay pays regardless of fault
• UM covers all damages (medical, lost wages, pain and suffering); MedPay covers only medical expenses

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Proof of Insurance and Enforcement

Georgia enforces insurance requirements through several mechanisms designed to ensure compliance.

Insurance Verification Through Electronic System:

Georgia uses an electronic insurance verification system that allows law enforcement and the Department of Driver Services to verify insurance coverage in real time. Insurers must report policy information to this system.

Proof of Insurance Requirements:

Drivers must provide proof of insurance when registering a vehicle, when renewing vehicle registration, upon request by law enforcement during traffic stops, and after involvement in an accident.

Acceptable proof includes an insurance identification card issued by the insurer, electronic display of policy information on a mobile device, or a binder or policy document showing current coverage.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance:

Operating a vehicle without required insurance carries serious consequences.

First Offense: Fine, surcharge, license and registration suspension until proof of insurance is provided, and potential impoundment of the vehicle. Specific amounts are set by statute and local practice; confirm current figures with the Department of Driver Services.

Subsequent Offenses: Increased fines, longer suspension periods, and additional surcharges.

SR-22 Requirement:

After certain violations including DUI, multiple traffic offenses, or driving without insurance, Georgia may require an SR-22 filing. An SR-22 is not insurance itself, but a certificate filed by your insurer with the state proving you carry at least the minimum liability coverage required of you. Note that for a DUI conviction, the coverage the SR-22 certifies is now the elevated § 33-7-16 limit rather than 25/50/25.

SR-22 requirements typically last three years. Insurance with an SR-22 filing costs significantly more due to high-risk classification.

Accident-Based Suspension:

Under Georgia’s Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act, if you are involved in an accident and cannot prove financial responsibility, your license and registration will be suspended until you provide proof of insurance covering the accident, post security as determined by the Department, or obtain a release from all injured parties.

This suspension occurs regardless of fault if you cannot prove insurance coverage at the time of the accident.

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Alternative Methods of Proving Financial Responsibility

While insurance is the most common method, Georgia law recognizes other ways to prove financial responsibility, primarily for commercial fleets and qualified self-insurers.

Self-Insurance for Qualifying Entities:

Under O.C.G.A. § 33-34-5.1, certain entities may qualify as self-insurers rather than purchasing traditional liability insurance. Self-insurance in Georgia requires a minimum cash deposit with the state, additional authorized investments, application to and approval by the Insurance Commissioner, proof of financial ability to pay claims, and ongoing compliance and reporting requirements.

Self-insurance is practical only for large businesses with vehicle fleets, government entities, and organizations with substantial financial resources and claims-handling capability.

Security Deposits (Case-by-Case):

Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act, the Department may require security deposits in specific situations, such as after accidents where insurance cannot be verified. The amount of security is determined by the Department on a case-by-case basis, up to the statutory minimum liability limits, rather than as a fixed dollar amount.

These security requirements are typically imposed after accidents to protect injured parties, not as a general alternative to insurance for ordinary drivers.

Why Traditional Insurance Remains the Practical Choice:

For ordinary Georgia drivers, traditional liability insurance is the only practical way to meet financial responsibility requirements. Self-insurance requires substantial assets plus regulatory approval. Security deposits are case-specific remedial measures, not general alternatives. Insurance provides claims handling, legal defense, and coverage portability, and premiums are dramatically lower than tying up the capital a self-insurance deposit requires. Surety bonds are not available as a general alternative to auto insurance for ordinary Georgia drivers.

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Coverage Gaps: Why Minimum Is Not Enough

Georgia’s minimum coverage requirements create substantial financial risk for drivers carrying only baseline limits.

Medical Cost Reality vs. Minimum Coverage:

A single emergency room visit after a moderate-injury crash commonly runs into five figures once ambulance transport, physician and facility fees, diagnostic imaging and medications are totalled. Orthopedic care involving surgery, anesthesia, a surgical facility, post-operative visits and physical therapy typically runs well above the $25,000 per-person minimum on its own. Even a soft tissue injury treated conservatively with imaging, chiropractic care, physical therapy and pain management can approach that figure.

These are illustrative ranges rather than quotations. Medical pricing varies widely by facility, region and insurer contract, and the point does not depend on the precise numbers: the per-person minimum was set decades ago and has not tracked medical inflation.

Lost Wages:

Even moderate injuries often result in missed work. Two weeks of missed work at a modest hourly wage runs into the low thousands; eight weeks for a serious injury runs considerably higher. This sits on top of medical bills within the same $25,000 per-person limit.

Pain and Suffering:

Georgia allows recovery for pain and suffering, and in injury cases it frequently forms a substantial part of the claim alongside economic damages. There is no formula for it, and how attorneys may argue its value at trial is now constrained by the 2025 tort reform legislation, which is covered in our guide to damages available in Georgia car accident claims. For present purposes the relevant point is simply that total damages regularly exceed the economic losses alone, and therefore regularly exceed the minimum limits.

Single Moderate Injury Scenario:

• Medical bills: $25,000
• Lost wages: $4,000
• Pain and suffering: $35,000
• Total damages: $64,000
• 25/50/25 policy pays: $25,000
• Your personal liability: $39,000

Vehicle Values vs. Property Damage Limits:

Georgia’s $25,000 property damage minimum is insufficient for totaling most new vehicles, and frequently insufficient for used ones. A mid-size SUV or a full-size pickup, new or a few years old, will commonly exceed the limit by itself. A chain-reaction collision involving three vehicles will exceed it comfortably.

Multiple Vehicle Accidents:

Rear-ending stopped traffic can involve multiple vehicles:

• Vehicle 1 (you rear-end): $18,000 damage
• Vehicle 2 (pushed into): $15,000 damage
• Vehicle 3 (chain reaction): $8,000 damage
• Total property damage: $41,000
• Your insurance pays: $25,000
• You owe: $16,000

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Recommended Coverage Levels

Financial advisors and insurance professionals commonly recommend coverage well above Georgia’s minimums.

Minimum Prudent Coverage: 100/300/100

• $100,000 per person bodily injury
• $300,000 per accident bodily injury
• $100,000 property damage

This provides four times the protection of minimum coverage.

Recommended for Asset Protection: 250/500/100

High Net Worth: 500/500/250 or higher, with some carriers offering $1,000,000 per accident.

Cost Comparison:

The premium difference between minimum and higher limits is usually modest relative to the additional protection, because the bulk of a liability premium covers the first dollars of exposure rather than the last. We do not publish estimated premium figures here, because rate filings change continuously and a printed range goes stale quickly. Ask your agent to quote 25/50/25 and 100/300/100 side by side on your own record; the comparison is usually persuasive on its own.

Uninsured Motorist Recommendations:

UM coverage should match your liability coverage limits. If you carry 100/300 liability, carry 100/300 UM.

A meaningful share of Georgia drivers carry no liability insurance. Published estimates vary considerably, so treat any single figure with caution, and note that the practical conclusion does not depend on which estimate is right: uninsured motorist coverage is the only protection you control. Consider also that you cannot control whether other drivers carry insurance, hit-and-run accidents leave you with no recovery source except UM, and even insured drivers often carry only minimums, making UIM equally important.

Additional Coverage to Consider:

Collision Coverage: Pays for damage to your vehicle regardless of fault. Required by lenders if you finance or lease.

Comprehensive Coverage: Pays for non-collision damage (theft, vandalism, fire, hail, animal strikes). Also typically required by lenders.

Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay): Provides immediate payment for medical bills regardless of fault while liability and UM claims are resolved.

Rental Reimbursement: Pays for a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired.

Umbrella Liability Policy:

For drivers with significant assets, umbrella policies provide additional liability protection beyond auto policy limits. They typically require underlying auto liability at a specified level and cover auto accidents, homeowner’s liability, and other personal liability exposures. Umbrella policies are generally the most cost-effective way to obtain very high liability limits.

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Special Considerations for High-Risk Drivers

Young Drivers (Under 25):

Drivers under 25 pay substantially higher premiums due to accident statistics. Parents adding teenage drivers to policies should maintain high liability limits, consider higher deductibles to control premium costs, use good student discounts, and require completion of driver’s education courses.

DUI Convictions:

DUI convictions result in dramatic insurance consequences. Premiums may double or triple. Some insurers refuse coverage entirely. SR-22 filing is required, typically for three years. High-risk insurers may be the only option.

And the required coverage itself changes. Under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16, a first covered DUI conviction requires 50/100/50 and a second or subsequent requires 100/300/100, held for three years. This is not merely a premium increase; it is a different statutory minimum. Maintaining continuous coverage without lapses is critical, as any gap resets SR-22 requirements.

Multiple At-Fault Accidents:

Drivers with multiple at-fault accidents within three to five years face premium surcharges, potential non-renewal, and assignment to high-risk pools.

Suspended or Revoked License:

Obtaining insurance after license suspension requires license reinstatement, SR-22 filing, and higher premiums for three or more years.

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What Happens When You’re Underinsured

Carrying only minimum coverage creates severe financial exposure when you cause serious accidents.

Personal Asset Exposure:

When your liability insurance is exhausted, injured parties can sue you personally for remaining damages. Assets at risk include home equity, bank accounts and investments, future wages through garnishment, business assets, and personal property.

Georgia law provides limited homestead exemptions, but these protections are modest and do not prevent all collection efforts.

Example: Serious Injury Accident

• Victim’s medical bills: $180,000
• Lost wages: $45,000
• Pain and suffering: $200,000
• Total damages: $425,000
• Your 25/50/25 insurance pays: $25,000
• Judgment against you personally: $400,000

A $400,000 judgment can result in wage garnishment, bank account levies, liens on real property, and forced sale of non-exempt assets.

Bankruptcy Considerations:

Some defendants consider bankruptcy to discharge judgments. However, bankruptcy does not discharge judgments for willful or malicious injury, DUI-related judgments may be non-dischargeable, bankruptcy damages credit for years, and a trustee may still liquidate non-exempt assets. Bankruptcy is not a reliable escape from underinsured liability.

Settlement Under Financial Pressure:

Defendants with insufficient insurance often settle for policy limits plus personal payments over time. These settlements prevent formal judgments but create long-term payment obligations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum car insurance required in Georgia?

For most drivers, $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. Insurers must also offer uninsured motorist coverage at those limits unless you reject it in writing. Drivers with a DUI conviction are a separate case: under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16 they must carry 50/100/50 after a first covered conviction and 100/300/100 after a second or subsequent one, for three years.

Do I have to buy uninsured motorist coverage?

Georgia law requires insurers to offer uninsured motorist coverage, and a total rejection must be in writing under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(3). Absent a valid written rejection, UM coverage applies. Do not read that as meaning the coverage is automatically at limits equal to your liability coverage, though: an insured can also make an affirmative election of lower UM limits, and the statute does not require that election to be in writing. If the insurer relies on such an election, it carries the burden of showing you actually made it. Given the share of Georgia drivers who carry no insurance, rejecting or reducing UM coverage is generally not advisable.

Can my insurer make me arbitrate a UM dispute?

No. O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(g) prohibits a UM endorsement or provision from requiring arbitration of a claim arising under it, and prohibits restricting or preventing the insured from employing counsel or instituting legal proceedings. Arbitration is available if you and the insurer both agree to it, but it cannot be imposed on you.

Can I buy UM coverage lower than my liability coverage?

Yes. While insurers must offer UM coverage up to your liability limits, you can affirmatively choose lower UM limits, down to the statutory minimum. Note the asymmetry: a total rejection of UM must be in writing, but an election of lower limits need not be. What the insurer must be able to show is that you genuinely made the choice. Matching your UM coverage to your liability limits provides better protection.

Is Georgia’s minimum coverage enough?

No. Georgia’s $25,000 per person minimum was established decades ago and provides inadequate protection for modern accident costs. A single emergency room visit and follow-up care can exceed $25,000. Most financial advisors recommend at least 100/300/100 coverage.

What happens if I cause an accident and my insurance isn’t enough?

If damages exceed your liability limits, you are personally liable for the difference. Injured parties can sue you and obtain judgments against your personal assets, including your home, bank accounts, and future wages through garnishment.

Does a DUI change how much insurance I have to carry?

Yes, and this is recent. O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16, effective May 14, 2025, requires 50/100/50 after a first covered DUI conviction and 100/300/100 after a second or subsequent one, maintained for three years, with proof carried while driving. Those limits apply in lieu of the ordinary minimums rather than alongside them. The statute counts a guilty plea and a plea of nolo contendere as convictions, so a nolo plea does not avoid it. This is separate from, and in addition to, any SR-22 filing obligation.

Can I prove financial responsibility without insurance?

In theory, yes. Georgia law allows self-insurance for qualifying entities, subject to Insurance Commissioner approval and substantial deposit requirements. However, this option is practical only for large businesses, fleets, and government entities. For ordinary drivers, traditional insurance is the only practical way to meet Georgia’s requirements.

What is SR-22 insurance?

SR-22 is not a type of insurance but a certificate filed by your insurer with the state proving you carry at least the minimum liability coverage required of you. Georgia requires SR-22 filing after certain violations. SR-22 requirements typically last three years and result in higher premiums. After a DUI conviction, the coverage it certifies is the elevated § 33-7-16 limit.

How does uninsured motorist coverage work?

Uninsured motorist coverage pays for your injuries when you’re hit by a driver with no insurance or a hit-and-run driver. Your own insurance company pays your claim up to your UM policy limits. You must prove the other driver was at fault, but you make the claim against your own insurer rather than pursuing an uninsured driver with no assets.

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Important Legal Disclaimer

This article explains Georgia’s required insurance coverage for educational purposes and should not be construed as insurance advice or legal advice for any specific situation. Insurance needs depend on individual circumstances, assets, risk tolerance, and other factors.

Georgia’s insurance requirements are subject to amendment by the General Assembly, and were amended in 2025 by the addition of O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16. Insurance policy terms, coverage limits, and exclusions vary by insurer and policy. This article reflects general Georgia law and may not address specific policy language or individual circumstances.

Consult a licensed insurance agent to evaluate your coverage needs and obtain quotes. If you have specific legal questions about insurance claims or coverage disputes, consult a Georgia-licensed attorney.

Cost figures and coverage scenarios in this article are illustrative examples only and do not represent actual quotes. Actual premiums depend on driving history, age, location, vehicle type, credit score, and numerous other factors.

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Sources and References

Georgia Statutes:

• O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11 (Uninsured Motorist Coverage), including subsection (g) prohibiting mandatory arbitration provisions and protecting access to court
• O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16 (Increased Minimum Liability Limits Following DUI Conviction), enacted 2025 by Senate Bill 121
• O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11(a)(1)(B) (Affirmative Choice of UM Limits Lower Than Liability Limits) and § 33-7-11(a)(3) (Written Rejection of UM Coverage)
• Sullivan v. Trustgard Insurance Co., A25A1720 (Ga. Ct. App., March 16, 2026) (No Writing Required for a Lower-Limits Election; Insurer’s Burden to Show the Election)
• O.C.G.A. § 33-34-4 (Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance)
• O.C.G.A. § 33-34-5.1 (Self-Insurers)
• O.C.G.A. Title 40, Chapter 9 (Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act)
• O.C.G.A. § 40-9-36 (Security Requirements)
• O.C.G.A. § 40-9-37 (Amounts of Security)

Georgia Administrative Rules:

• GAC 120-2-46 (Automobile Self-Insurance Requirements)

Statutory Basis: Reflects Georgia law through 2025, including O.C.G.A. § 33-7-16.

Last reviewed: September 23, 2026