State guide
Car Insurance in Tennessee
Updated August 2026
Tennessee's minimums are 25/50/25: $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. The property-damage number is relatively new — Tennessee raised it from $15,000 to $25,000 effective January 1, 2023, a nod to what vehicles actually cost to replace. Drivers can alternatively carry a single-limit policy of at least $65,000 covering all injury and property claims from one accident.
Tennessee is an at-fault state under its Financial Responsibility Law, so the driver who causes a crash pays for it through their liability coverage. PIP isn't required. If you bought a minimum policy before 2023 and have renewed since, your property-damage limit already reflects the new floor — but the premium attached to it varies by carrier, which is a good reason to re-shop rather than auto-renew.
| Coverage | Required minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability (per person) | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury liability (per accident) | $50,000 |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 |
| PIP / medical | Not required (at-fault state) |
| Additional requirements | Single-limit alternative: $65,000 combined for one accident |
| No-fault state | No |
| SR-22 used | Yes |
Source: Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-102 (limits, amended eff. Jan. 1, 2023) & §55-12-139 (James Lee Atwood Jr. Law); Tennessee Department of Revenue
Average annual expenditure for auto insurance in Tennessee was $924 in 2022. (NAIC 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement (June 2024))
The Atwood Law: how Tennessee checks that you're insured
Tennessee doesn't wait for a traffic stop to find uninsured drivers. Under the James Lee Atwood Jr. Law (Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-139), the state runs an electronic insurance verification program — insurers report coverage, the system matches it against vehicle registrations, and owners who can't be matched get a notice to provide proof or face fines and registration suspension.
The practical upshot: a lapse in Tennessee tends to get noticed even if you're never pulled over. If a policy is about to cancel, lining up replacement quotes before the lapse — not after the state's notice arrives — keeps both the fines and the lapse surcharge off your record.
SR-22s in Tennessee
After a DUI, driving uninsured, or other serious violations, Tennessee requires an SR-22 filing — a certificate from your insurer proving you carry the required liability coverage, typically maintained for three to five years depending on the offense.
Carriers treat the violation behind the SR-22 very differently: the same record can produce widely different premiums from one insurer to the next. That spread is largest for exactly the drivers who need the filing, which makes comparing several SR-22-friendly quotes the single most useful step after a suspension.
What Tennessee drivers pay
NAIC data puts Tennessee's average annual auto insurance expenditure at $924 in 2022 — below the $1,127 countrywide average. Nashville and Memphis metro rates run well above the state's rural counties, and the 2023 property-damage increase nudged minimum-coverage premiums upward at renewal. Averages describe the market, not your quote: the spread between carriers for the same Tennessee driver is routinely wider than the gap between Tennessee and the national average.
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Frequently asked questions
What car insurance is required in Tennessee?+
Liability coverage of at least $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 property damage (25/50/25), per Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-102 — or a single-limit policy of at least $65,000. PIP is not required; Tennessee is an at-fault state.
When did Tennessee's minimums change?+
Effective January 1, 2023, Tennessee raised the minimum property-damage limit from $15,000 to $25,000. The bodily-injury minimums ($25,000/$50,000) did not change.
Is Tennessee a no-fault state?+
No. Tennessee is an at-fault (tort) state — the driver who causes the accident is responsible for the resulting damage, paid through their liability coverage.
Does Tennessee use SR-22s?+
Yes. Tennessee requires SR-22 filings after serious violations such as DUI or driving without insurance, generally for three to five years. Your insurer files the certificate with the state.
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