--- title: "Georgia Car Insurance Requirements: Minimum Limits, Proof of Insurance in GEICS, What Full Coverage Means and the Uninsured Motorist Offer" description: "Georgia requires 25/50/25 liability on every registered car, reported to the state through GEICS. See what full coverage means, the UM rules and lapse fees." url: "https://riskado.com/georgia-car-insurance-requirements/" lang: "en" published: "2026-10-13" modified: "2026-10-13" tags: ["car-insurance-requirements","georgia-auto-insurance","uninsured-motorist-coverage","minimum-liability-limits","proof-of-insurance"] image: "https://riskado.com/og/default.jpg" alternates: es: "https://riskado.com/es/requisitos-de-seguro-de-auto-en-georgia.md" --- # Georgia Car Insurance Requirements: Minimum Limits, Proof of Insurance in GEICS, What Full Coverage Means and the Uninsured Motorist Offer Riskado Oct 13, 2026 · 12 min read ![Cars on a tree-lined Georgia suburban street with brick houses on a clear morning](https://riskado.com/blog/georgia-car-insurance-requirements/featured.jpg) Georgia requires continuous [liability insurance](https://riskado.com/insurance-terms/liability-insurance/) on every vehicle with an active Georgia registration, and on any vehicle driven on Georgia roads. The minimum limits are $25,000 for [bodily injury](https://riskado.com/insurance-terms/bodily-injury-liability/) to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury in one incident and $25,000 for [property damage](https://riskado.com/insurance-terms/property-damage-liability/) in one incident, usually written as 25/50/25, according to the [Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire (OCI) (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/insurance-resources/auto). State law doesn't require [collision](https://riskado.com/insurance-terms/collision-coverage/) or [comprehensive coverage](https://riskado.com/insurance-terms/comprehensive-coverage/), though a lender or leasing company usually does. Your insurer reports the policy electronically to the Department of Revenue through GEICS, and "[full coverage](https://riskado.com/insurance-terms/full-coverage/)" has no legal definition in Georgia, so your policy and loan papers decide what it includes. ### Key takeaways - **Minimum liability**$25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury in one incident and $25,000 for property damage. - **Continuous coverage**Required while the vehicle has an active Georgia registration, not only while it's driven. - **Collision and comprehensive**Not required by state law, though a lender or leasing company usually requires them. - **GEICS**Your insurer reports the policy electronically to the Department of Revenue. - **Full coverage**Not a legal term in Georgia; your policy and loan papers decide what it includes. ## What Georgia requires before you drive or register a car Owners and lessees must keep continuous Georgia liability insurance on a registered vehicle, according to the [Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles/insurance/insurance-coverage). The requirement follows the registration, not just the trips you take. A car parked in the driveway with an active tag still needs liability coverage, and a gap can lead to a lapse fee and a suspended registration even if nobody drove it. Georgia has no DMV. The Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicle Division runs registration, insurance records and lapse fees, and you handle tags and registration at your county tag office. The Department of Driver Services (DDS) handles driver's licenses and driving records. Georgia minimum liability limits Hover or tap a row to highlight it. | Coverage | Georgia minimum | | --- | --- | | Bodily injury liability, one person | $25,000 | | Bodily injury liability, one incident | $50,000 | | Property damage liability, one incident | $25,000 | ## What do Georgia's minimum liability limits cover? Liability insurance pays for damage you do to other people and their property when you're at fault. It doesn't pay to fix your own car. The [OCI consumer guide for automobile insurance (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/document/document/guide-auto-insurance/download) explains the three numbers this way: the first two are bodily injury limits, which apply when you're held legally liable for injury or death to pedestrians, people in other cars or guests in your car. The third is property damage liability, the most your insurer will pay for damage to other people's property, such as the other driver's car. The two bodily injury numbers work together. If you injure three people in one crash, the policy pays up to $50,000 for everyone combined, and no single person can receive more than $25,000 of it. Property damage has its own $25,000 limit for the incident. Anything above those limits can fall back on you. The minimum is a legal floor, and most insurers sell higher limits, according to the OCI guide, and our article on [how much car insurance you need](https://riskado.com/how-much-car-insurance-do-i-need/) goes through how people decide whether to carry more. ## Does Georgia require full coverage? No. "Full coverage" is a shopping term, not a coverage defined in Georgia law. It usually means liability plus collision and comprehensive, but what it includes on your policy depends on the coverages and deductibles listed on the declarations page. Georgia law requires liability insurance. Collision pays for damage to your car from an accident. Comprehensive pays for damage from other causes, including fire, theft, glass breakage, vandalism, flood, falling objects, windstorm, hail and collision with an animal, according to the [OCI guide (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/document/document/guide-auto-insurance/download). "Georgia state law does not require you to purchase physical damage coverage," [OCI (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/insurance-resources/auto) says. Our article on [comprehensive vs collision insurance](https://riskado.com/comprehensive-vs-collision-insurance/) explains how the two differ. ![A sedan with a cracked windshield and hail dents parked in a driveway](https://riskado.com/blog/georgia-car-insurance-requirements/physical-damage.jpg) Collision and comprehensive cover your own car, and Georgia law leaves them optional. ## What does a lender or leasing company require? If you financed or leased the car, the lender or leasing company usually requires collision and comprehensive, according to [OCI (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/insurance-resources/auto). That requirement comes from your finance or lease contract, not from Georgia's insurance law. The car is the lender's collateral, so the lender wants it protected against damage and theft. The contract can also set a maximum deductible and require the lender to be listed on the policy. Read the loan or lease agreement, then confirm the exact terms with the lender and your agency before you buy, because a policy that meets Georgia's minimum can still fall short of the contract. ## How does Georgia verify insurance through GEICS? GEICS, the Georgia Electronic Insurance Compliance System, is the database insurers use to report coverage to DOR. Insurers must report a policy within 30 days of the date coverage begins, and they also report terminations and vehicles added or removed, according to [DOR's insurer requirements (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles/insurance/insurers-requirements). Insurers send the data by file transfer or a secure web portal. GEICS matches the vehicle identification number (VIN) your insurer reports against the VIN in Georgia's vehicle records. When the two match, a valid insurance indicator appears on the vehicle record, which law enforcement and county tag offices can see. When they don't match, your car can look uninsured even though you paid for a policy. Only your insurance company can add, delete or edit your information in GEICS, and your county tag office can't update your insurance record, according to [DOR's insurance letters FAQ (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/insurance-letters-faqs). If your record is wrong, call the insurer first. A record can come up empty for four reasons, according to DOR: the vehicle doesn't have valid Georgia insurance, the VIN on the insurance card doesn't match the state database, the vehicle is insured under a fleet policy, or the vehicle isn't insured. You can confirm that DOR has your coverage with the insurance status lookup in DRIVES e-Services, according to [DOR (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles/insurance/insurance-coverage). Two kinds of policy don't flow through GEICS the usual way. Comprehensive-only policies aren't reported, so they can't stand in for liability coverage. Vehicles registered under the International Registration Plan (IRP), fleet vehicles and self-insured vehicles are exempt from electronic reporting, though they must still carry Georgia liability insurance. ![Close view of a vehicle identification number plate at the base of a windshield, digits blurred](https://riskado.com/blog/georgia-car-insurance-requirements/geics-record.jpg) Georgia checks the VIN your insurer reports against the state's vehicle record. ## What proof of insurance must you carry? Keep your insurance card in the vehicle at all times, according to [DOR (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles/insurance/insurance-coverage). Under [O.C.G.A. § 40-6-10 (opens in a new tab)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t40-ch6-16-%28v29%29-pdf.pdf), the proof you keep in the car can be paper or electronic, including an image displayed on your phone. The same section says the in-car proof requirement doesn't apply when DOR's database shows the coverage is in effect, which is why the electronic record matters most. For registration, the card isn't enough on its own. "Insurance cards, by themselves, are not acceptable proof of insurance coverage," [DOR (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles/insurance/insurance-coverage) says, because your insurer must file proof electronically. A fleet policy card or an IRP insurance card works differently, and it must stay in the vehicle while it's being driven. If you just bought a car, DOR accepts a bill of sale dated within 30 days of the purchase together with a binder issued by a Georgia-licensed insurer. The binder is usually the top page of the new policy. Keep both with you until the policy shows in DRIVES. ### Moving to Georgia New residents title and register their vehicles through their county tag office. Before that visit, buy a policy that meets Georgia's 25/50/25 limits and ask the insurer to confirm it has reported the VIN to GEICS, since the tag office relies on the state record rather than your card. ## What happens after an insurance lapse? A lapse happens when there are 10 days or more between your old policy's termination date and the new policy's effective date, or when your insurance ends and no new policy information reaches DOR within 30 days, according to [DOR's lapse page (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles/insurance/lapse-or-loss-insurance-coverage). There's no lapse when the new policy starts the same day the old one ends. DOR mails the owner a notice of pending suspension, and the owner owes a $25 fine for a lapse on an actively registered vehicle. If the fine isn't paid within 30 days, the registration is suspended and a reinstatement fee is added. To reinstate, you need continuous Georgia liability insurance, the $25 lapse fine, a $60 reinstatement fee, or $160 if you've had three or more suspensions in five years, and any other registration fees and taxes due, according to [DOR's reinstatement page (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles/insurance/registration-reinstatement-after-suspension). Georgia insurance record and lapse rules at a glance Hover or tap a row to highlight it. | Rule | Figure | | --- | --- | | Insurer reports new coverage to GEICS | Within 30 days of the coverage start date | | Gap that counts as a lapse | 10 days or more between policies | | Lapse fine | $25 | | Reinstatement fee after suspension | $60, or $160 after three or more suspensions in five years | | Cancel registration after canceling insurance | Within 30 days | | Request a review of a cancellation or nonrenewal | Within 15 days of receiving the notice | If you sell, store or stop driving a vehicle, cancel the registration before you cancel the insurance. Georgia requires the registration to be canceled within 30 days of canceling insurance, according to the [DOR FAQ (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/insurance-letters-faqs). Our article on the [Georgia insurance lapse fee](https://riskado.com/georgia-insurance-lapse-fee/) walks through paying the fine, fixing a wrong record and asking for a refund. ![A car under a fitted cloth cover in a tidy home garage](https://riskado.com/blog/georgia-car-insurance-requirements/stored-car.jpg) Cancel the registration before the insurance when a car is sold or stored. ## What is uninsured motorist coverage in Georgia? Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays you and your passengers when a driver without insurance causes the crash. "You will be paid for damages just as if the other driver was covered," the [OCI guide (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/document/document/guide-auto-insurance/download) says. Under [O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11 (opens in a new tab)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t33-ch1-22-%28v24%29-pdf.pdf), a Georgia auto liability policy must include UM coverage for bodily injury and for damage to your property, at limits of at least 25/50/25. At your option, the UM limits can equal your liability limits when those are higher, and you can choose UM limits lower than your liability limits. The coverage doesn't apply if any named insured rejects it in writing, and an insurer doesn't have to add it back at renewal after you've rejected it on an earlier policy with the same company. The same section lets you pick a UM deductible of $250, $500 or $1,000 for bodily injury and for property. If you've ever signed a rejection or a lower-limit selection, ask your agent what the policy carries now. Our article on [Georgia uninsured motorist coverage](https://riskado.com/georgia-uninsured-motorist-coverage/) covers the choices in more detail. ## Is Georgia an at-fault or no-fault state? Georgia is an at-fault state. The liability insurance Georgia requires pays for damage you do to property or other people if you're at fault, according to the [OCI guide (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/document/document/guide-auto-insurance/download). The three basic coverages sold under a tort, or fault-based, system are bodily injury liability, property damage liability and uninsured motorist coverage, according to [OCI (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/insurance-resources/auto). In practice, the at-fault driver's liability coverage answers for the other people's injuries and damage. Your own medical payments, collision and UM coverage are what help you when the other driver is at fault and can't pay, or when the crash is your fault. Who was at fault turns on the facts: police reports, photos, witness statements and the insurers' investigations. ## What optional coverage can you add? Beyond liability and UM, Georgia drivers can buy several optional coverages, according to [OCI (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/insurance-resources/auto) and the [OCI guide (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/document/document/guide-auto-insurance/download): - Medical payments, for injuries to you or your passengers, in varying amounts. - Collision, for damage to your car from an accident. - Comprehensive, for damage to your car from fire, theft, glass breakage, vandalism, flood, hail and other causes. - Rental reimbursement, for a rental car while yours is being repaired after a covered loss. - Towing and labor. - Liability and UM limits above the minimum. A deductible is the part of a covered loss you pay before the insurer pays the rest. A higher deductible lowers the premium. With a $200 collision deductible, for example, you pay the first $200 of a covered loss and the insurer pays the rest up to the policy limits, according to the OCI guide. The amounts on your policy are set by the policy itself, so check the declarations page. ![A tow truck loading a disabled sedan on a road shoulder at dusk](https://riskado.com/blog/georgia-car-insurance-requirements/optional-coverage.jpg) Optional coverages and deductibles are set by your own policy. ## What happens if the insurer cancels or doesn't renew? Georgia's [Rule 120-2-53 (opens in a new tab)](https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/120-2-53) requires a cancellation or nonrenewal notice to state every reason in clear terms. If you believe the action breaks the law, you have 15 days from receiving the notice to mail or deliver a written request for review to the Commissioner of Insurance, stating why. For a nonrenewal, you also give the insurer written notice before the nonrenewal takes effect. The rule requires you to pay a 30-day pro rata portion of the premium with your request, and if the Commissioner finds the action unlawful, the insurer must reinstate or renew the policy. Georgia also protects long-term customers: if you've been with the same insurer for at least three years, it can't nonrenew you because of one claim, even if the accident was your fault, according to the [OCI guide (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/document/document/guide-auto-insurance/download). ## How do you verify an agent or file a complaint? Check the agent or agency in the [Georgia insurance license lookup (opens in a new tab)](https://sbs.naic.org/solar-external-lookup/?jurisdiction=GA) before you send personal documents. If you have a problem with an insurer, agent or claim, contact the insurer first and keep a record of every call and letter. If that doesn't resolve it, file through OCI's [consumer insurance complaint (opens in a new tab)](https://oci.georgia.gov/file-consumer-insurance-complaint) page with the insurer's name, your policy number, the agent or adjuster's name, your notices and copies of your records. A cancellation or nonrenewal review under Rule 120-2-53 runs on its own 15-day clock, so don't wait on a general complaint if that deadline applies. ## Questions to ask your agent - What liability limits does this policy carry, and do they meet 25/50/25? - Is uninsured motorist coverage included, at what limits, and has anyone signed a rejection or a lower-limit selection? - What UM deductible applies? - What are the collision and comprehensive deductibles? - Does the policy include medical payments, rental reimbursement or towing? - What exclusions apply, and is the car covered for business, delivery or rideshare use? - When will the policy appear in Georgia's GEICS record, and does the VIN match my registration? - What does my lender or leasing company require? - What happens if a payment is late, and how are cancellation and nonrenewal handled? - Who do I call if the DRIVES record shows my car as uninsured? For help picking someone to work with, see [how to choose an insurance agent](https://riskado.com/how-to-choose-an-insurance-agent/). [Riskado's directory](https://riskado.com/agencies/georgia/) lists Georgia insurance agencies by city and by category. **Quiz: Check what you know about Georgia car insurance requirements** 1. What are Georgia's minimum liability limits? - 25/50/25 **(correct answer)** - 30/60/25 - 50/100/25 2. Who can correct your insurance record in GEICS? - Your county tag office - Your insurance company **(correct answer)** - The Department of Driver Services 3. How long a gap between policies counts as a lapse in Georgia? - 1 day or more - 10 days or more **(correct answer)** - 60 days or more 4. Does Georgia law require collision and comprehensive coverage? - Yes, on every car - No, though a lender or leasing company usually requires them **(correct answer)** - Only on cars newer than five years 5. How long do you have to request a review of a cancellation or nonrenewal? - 15 days from receiving the notice **(correct answer)** - 30 days from the policy end date - 90 days ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Georgia accept electronic proof of insurance on my phone? Yes, for the proof you keep in the car. Under [O.C.G.A. § 40-6-10 (opens in a new tab)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t40-ch6-16-%28v29%29-pdf.pdf), proof can be paper or an image on a mobile device. For registration, Georgia relies on the electronic record your insurer files with DOR. ### My policy is active, but DRIVES shows no insurance. What should I do? Call your insurer and ask it to check the VIN and coverage dates it reported to GEICS. Only the insurer can correct the record, and a VIN mismatch or a fleet policy are two common causes, according to the [DOR FAQ (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/insurance-letters-faqs). ### Can I drop insurance on a car I'm not driving? Only after you cancel the registration. Georgia requires continuous liability coverage while the registration is active, so cancel the registration through DRIVES e-Services or your county tag office first, then cancel the policy. ### Does a comprehensive-only policy meet Georgia's requirement? No. Comprehensive-only policies aren't reported to GEICS, according to [DOR (opens in a new tab)](https://dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles/insurance/insurers-requirements), and they don't include the liability coverage Georgia requires. ### What has to be on a Georgia insurance card? The card must show the insurer's name, the policy number, the effective and expiration dates, the insured's name and the year, make, model and VIN of each insured vehicle, under [O.C.G.A. § 40-6-10 (opens in a new tab)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t40-ch6-16-%28v29%29-pdf.pdf). Check the VIN against your registration as soon as the card arrives. ## A quick compliance checklist Confirm your policy carries at least 25/50/25 liability and check what UM limits it includes. Make sure the VIN on your card matches your registration, check the DRIVES insurance status after you buy or switch, and keep your card in the car. If you just bought the car, carry the bill of sale and binder. If you're selling or storing a car, cancel the registration before the insurance, and keep every lapse notice and payment receipt. ### Key terms Tap a term to see what it means. **25/50/25.** Shorthand for Georgia's minimum liability limits: $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury in one incident and $25,000 for property damage. ## More articles - [Average Cost of Car Insurance in Georgia: What Drivers Pay Per Month, in Atlanta and Across the State, and What Moves Your Quote](https://riskado.com/average-cost-of-car-insurance-in-georgia/): Georgia drivers spent $1,555.10 per insured vehicle in 2023, about $129.59 a month, per the NAIC. See full coverage costs, Atlanta rates and what moves a quote. - [Alabama Car Insurance Requirements: The 25/50/25 Minimums, Proof of Insurance, the Uninsured Motorist Offer and How Alabama Fault Rules Affect a Claim](https://riskado.com/alabama-car-insurance-requirements/): Alabama requires 25/50/25 liability, insurance before registration and an uninsured motorist offer. See proof rules, the 20-day deadline and MLI notices. - [Georgia Golf Cart Insurance: Whether It Is Required, Registration, Peachtree City and Community Rules and What a Policy Covers](https://riskado.com/georgia-golf-cart-insurance/): Georgia doesn't register or title motorized carts, but LSVs need registration and insurance. See Peachtree City and Jekyll Island rules and homeowners limits. - [Georgia Boat Insurance: Whether It Is Required, What a Policy Covers, Coastal and Lake Rules and What to Ask Your Agent](https://riskado.com/georgia-boat-insurance/): Georgia doesn't require boat insurance, but marinas and lenders may. See DNR registration, homeowners limits, coastal and lake rules and what a policy covers. ## Newest guides 1. [1Additional Insured: What It Means, How It Differs From a Certificate, and What It Costs](https://riskado.com/additional-insured/) 2. [2Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association (the Beach Pool): Who Qualifies on the Coast, Wind and Hail Only Policies and How to Pair Them With Homeowners Coverage](https://riskado.com/alabama-beach-pool/) 3. [3Alabama Boat Insurance: Whether It Is Required, Marina and Lender Requirements, What a Policy Covers, Registration and Marine Patrol Rules](https://riskado.com/alabama-boat-insurance/) 4. [4Alabama Car Insurance Requirements: The 25/50/25 Minimums, Proof of Insurance, the Uninsured Motorist Offer and How Alabama Fault Rules Affect a Claim](https://riskado.com/alabama-car-insurance-requirements/) 5. [5Alabama Driving Without Insurance: The Ticket and Fine, Whether Jail Is Possible, License and Registration Suspension and What to Do After a Stop](https://riskado.com/alabama-driving-without-insurance/) ## More in Auto 1. [1Alabama Boat Insurance: Whether It Is Required, Marina and Lender Requirements, What a Policy Covers, Registration and Marine Patrol Rules](https://riskado.com/alabama-boat-insurance/) 2. [2Alabama Car Insurance Requirements: The 25/50/25 Minimums, Proof of Insurance, the Uninsured Motorist Offer and How Alabama Fault Rules Affect a Claim](https://riskado.com/alabama-car-insurance-requirements/) 3. [3Alabama Driving Without Insurance: The Ticket and Fine, Whether Jail Is Possible, License and Registration Suspension and What to Do After a Stop](https://riskado.com/alabama-driving-without-insurance/) 4. [4Alabama Insurance Lapse Fine: How the Online Insurance Verification System Finds a Lapse, the Notice, Fees and Reinstatement, Stored Vehicles and How to Pay or Appeal](https://riskado.com/alabama-insurance-lapse-fine/) 5. [5Alabama Motorcycle Insurance: Whether It Is Required, Minimum Limits, Helmet and License Rules, What It Costs and What a Policy Covers](https://riskado.com/alabama-motorcycle-insurance/)