In Arkansas, all drivers are required to carry liability automotive insurance, or “financial responsibility,” in order to operate a vehicle legally and maintain vehicle registration. This law applies to any passenger vehicle that is operated on public roadways in Arkansas.
The minimum financial responsibility requirements for private individuals under Arkansas law is as follows:
A minimum of $25,000 per person, for bodily injury or death. This means you’ll need to carry a minimum of $50,000 to cover the lowest possible number of people involved in an accident (the two drivers).
A minimum $25,000 for property damage liability
This means that the total minimum amount of financial responsibility you will need is $75,000 for both bodily injury and property damage liability. This protects everyone in the event than an accident happens.
Types of insurance
While the liability insurance listed above is the only type of auto insurance required in Arkansas, the state also recognizes these types of additional coverage:
Collision Insurance, which covers damages to your vehicle caused by a traffic accident.
Comprehensive Coverage, which covers damage that your vehicle may sustain due to non-traffic elements like inclement weather or fire.
Uninsured Motorist Insurance, which helps cover the costs of an accident in which the other driver was not insured, or was under-insured.
Personal Injury Protection, which helps pay for medical bills, lost wages, or funeral costs that were the result of an auto accident.
Proof of insurance
Any driver who is operating a vehicle registered in Arkansas must carry proof of insurance with them. Proof of insurance is also required in order to register a vehicle with the DMV.
Acceptable documents to prove insurance include:
A certificate of insurance, such as a card from an authorized insurance provider
A copy of the insurance policy or binder
An SR-22 document, which verifies that you have insurance and is usually only required of drivers who have previously had their licenses suspended for reckless driving or DUI charges.
Arkansas uses an insurance verification system, which keeps your insurance information in a database. This database is checked monthly. If you do not have insurance on file, you may receive a notice from the state, requiring you to acquire insurance, or to prove that you have current insurance.
Violation penalties
If you fail to produce proof of insurance when requested by a law enforcement officer during a traffic stop or at the scene of an accident, or fail to prove you have insurance when asked by the state, you could be facing several types of penalties:
A fine of up to $250 for the first offense, and suspension of your registration
Further offenses can result in higher fines and possible jail time
In order to clear a registration suspension, you must provide a current proof of insurance, and pay a reinstatement fee.
For more information, contact the Arkansas Driver Services through their website.
