State Insurance Laws Guide

In at-fault (tort) states, the driver who caused the accident pays for damages through their liability insurance. In no-fault states, each driver's own insurance pays their medical bills regardless of fault, with lawsuits limited to serious injuries.

Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Utah have no-fault systems. Puerto Rico also uses no-fault. Requirements and thresholds vary by state.

Yes, but only if injuries meet a threshold. States use either a monetary threshold (medical bills exceed a certain amount) or verbal threshold (specific serious injuries like fractures, permanent injury, or disfigurement).

In pure comparative states, you can recover damages minus your fault percentage (even at 99% fault). In modified comparative states, you can't recover if you're more than 50% (or 51%) at fault. A few states still use contributory negligence where any fault bars recovery.

Most states allow 2-3 years to file a lawsuit after a car accident. Some states have shorter deadlines (1 year in Kentucky and Louisiana). Claims against government entities often have much shorter notice requirements (sometimes 30-180 days).