Kentucky car insurance: minimums, SR-22 rules and costs

Last updated: November 12, 2026

Kentucky drivers must carry at least $25,000/$50,000 of bodily injury liability and $25,000 of property damage liability, plus personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. In 2023, insured drivers in Kentucky spent an average of $1,045.66 on car insurance, 18% below the national average of $1,281.60, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). That makes Kentucky the 17th least expensive of the 50 states and D.C. by that measure.

Minimum car insurance required in Kentucky

Coverage	Minimum
Bodily injury liability, per person	$25,000
Bodily injury liability, per accident	$50,000
Property damage liability, per accident	$25,000
Personal injury protection (PIP)	Required

You'll often see this written as 25/50/25. The first two numbers are the bodily injury limits in thousands of dollars (per person and per accident), and the last is property damage. Those amounts are the most the policy pays for injuries and damage you cause to others. Anything above them can come back to you personally.

Instead of split limits, Kentucky also accepts a policy with a single limit of $60,000. The policy must also include basic reparations benefits (Kentucky's name for personal injury protection), unless the vehicle is a motorcycle.

Is Kentucky a no-fault state?

Yes. Kentucky is one of 12 states with a no-fault auto insurance law, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Your own personal injury protection pays your medical bills after a crash, whoever caused it. You can only sue the other driver for pain and suffering once your injuries pass a monetary threshold.

Kentucky has a "choice" no-fault law: you can reject the lawsuit threshold and keep the full right to sue, usually for a higher premium.

SR-22 rules in Kentucky

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's insurance pages focus on keeping coverage in force. If the state's records show a registered vehicle without insurance, the owner gets notices and the registration can be canceled. Driving uninsured can bring a fine of $500 to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both, and a $40 fee to reinstate a canceled registration.

Those pages don't describe SR-22 filings. If a court or the state requires proof of insurance after a violation, your insurer can tell you what to file and for how long.

What drives car insurance costs in Kentucky

Average spending in Kentucky rose 10% from 2019 to 2023, compared with 19% nationwide. Here's average annual spending per insured vehicle, from the NAIC:

Year	Kentucky average	U.S. average
2019	$947.49	$1,075.08
2020	$918.14	$1,047.76
2021	$901.67	$1,060.23
2022	$937.84	$1,124.45
2023	$1,045.66	$1,281.60

The NAIC's "average expenditure" is total written premium divided by insured vehicles. It isn't a quote, and your own price depends on your driver profile and the coverage you choose.

Uninsured drivers. An estimated 14.1% of drivers in Kentucky were uninsured in 2023, lower than the national estimate of 15.4%. That's the 20th highest rate among the 50 states and D.C. When more drivers are uninsured, insured drivers' own uninsured motorist coverage pays more claims, which pushes up its price.
Crash deaths. Kentucky recorded 707 motor vehicle crash deaths in 2024, or 1.44 per 100 million miles driven, higher than the U.S. rate of 1.19 (the 9th highest of the 50 states and D.C.). Severe crashes drive up bodily injury claim costs.
Where and how crashes happen. In 2024, 62% of Kentucky's crash deaths happened in rural areas (U.S.: 41%), 13% involved speeding (U.S.: 29%), and 13% of those killed were pedestrians (U.S.: 18%).
No-fault rules. Mandatory PIP means every policy pays for its own driver's medical costs, which shapes what you pay for that part of the policy.

Ways to save on car insurance in Kentucky

Compare at least three quotes. Insurers weigh the same facts differently, so prices for the same driver in Kentucky can vary widely. More ways to lower your bill.
Check your uninsured motorist limits anyway. Even at 14.1%, uninsured and underinsured drivers are common, and UM coverage is usually inexpensive. How UM coverage works.
Shop at renewal. Even where prices rise more slowly, your own renewal can jump after a claim, a move or a new car. When to compare.
Review your PIP options. In a no-fault state, PIP is a big part of the bill. Ask how different PIP limits, deductibles or coordination with your health insurance change the price.
Keep comprehensive if your car is worth it. Most crash deaths in Kentucky happen on rural roads, where animal strikes and long distances are common. Comprehensive covers hitting an animal; collision covers crashes. Comprehensive vs. collision.
Ask about discounts. Common ones include safe driver, multi-car, bundling, paying in full, good student and usage-based programs. They're not always applied automatically.

See other states in our car insurance guides by state.

Sources

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DriveCheaper may be paid by companies shown on this site. How we make money. This page is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Laws and prices change, so confirm details with your insurer or your state's insurance department or DMV.