The state of Kansas requires that all drivers carry liability automotive insurance, or “financial responsibility,” in order to operate a vehicle legally and maintain vehicle registration.
The minimum financial responsibility requirements for drivers under Kansas law are 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 $10,000 for property damage liability
A minimum of $25,000 per person, for uninsured or under-insured motorist liability. 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).
This means that the total minimum amount of financial responsibility you will need is $110,000 to cover bodily injury, property damage, and uninsured or under-insured motorist liability insurance.
Other required insurance
In addition to the liability insurance types listed above, Kansas law requires that every insurance policy includes a Personal Injury Protection coverage that meets the following minimums:
$4,500 for medical costs that resulted from a vehicle accident
$4,500 for rehabilitation costs that resulted from a vehicle accident
$2,000 for funeral or burial expenses that resulted from a vehicle accident
$10,800 ($900 per month for one year) for disability and loss of income
$25 per day for in-home services that are necessary for rehabilitation
This type of insurance guarantees that your own bodily injury costs will be covered by your insurance. This is important because Kansas is a no-fault state, which means that the other party’s insurance will not pay for your bodily injury should you suffer any.
Proof of insurance
Any driver who is operating a vehicle registered in Kansas must carry proof of insurance with them. You must present proof of insurance when asked by a police officer, and at the scene of an accident you were involved in. Proof of insurance is also required in order to register a vehicle with the DMV.
Acceptable documents to prove insurance include:
An insurance card from an authorized insurance provider
A certificate of self-insurance
An SR-22 Proof of Financial Responsibility document, which verifies that you have insurance, and is usually only required of drivers who have previously had their licenses suspended for DUIs or other reckless driving charges.
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, you could be facing some very stiff penalties in Kansas:
A minimum fine of $1,000 and a possible sentence of up to six months in jail for the first offense.
Further offenses can result in a minimum fine of $2,500, as well as a license and vehicle registration suspension.
You may have to pay reinstatement fees in order to register your vehicle again in the future.
For more information, contact the Kansas Department of Revenue through their website.
