Like all states, Nevada requires every driver to have a minimum amount of car insurance. Specifically, you’ll need at least a 25/50/20 car insurance liability plan, which is explained just below, and you aren’t allowed to go without this coverage for any kind of grace period. If you’re not sure how car insurance coverage requirements in Nevada work, this guide has you covered. Before you head out on the road, here’s everything you need to know about Nevada car insurance laws.
What Is the Minimum Required Car Insurance in Nevada?
All car owners must have liability coverage in case they are at fault for an accident. Every state is a little different, but there are three types of minimum car insurance liability coverage, and for Nevada they are 25/50/20, which stands for:
- $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person
- $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident
- $20,000 of property damage coverage
Of course, you can certainly get more than the minimum level of coverage, and doing so might protect you from being insufficiently covered and facing financial difficulty. For example, if you damaged another person’s car in an accident, the average newer vehicle will cost over $20,000 to replace, leaving you to pay any difference out of pocket.
Liability coverage is only for when you are found liable for harm or property damage from an accident, so you will need other types of insurance in other circumstances. Collision insurance is usually enough for car accidents where you weren’t at fault, but you might also want to look at comprehensive coverage and other types.
What If You Don’t Carry Minimum Nevada Car Insurance?
Nevada is strict on car insurance coverage lapses. There is no grace period, and just one day without coverage could lead to a suspended registration. Reinstating takes time and a minimum fee of $251, possibly higher depending on how many prior lapses you have and how serious your current lapse was. By those metrics, here’s a breakdown of the consequences you can expect based on whether it’s the first, second, or third time your insurance has lapsed and how long you went without proper coverage.
First Time
- No more than 30 days: $251 reinstatement fee
- 31 to 90 days: $251 reinstatement fee and $250 fine
- 91 to 180 days: $251 reinstatement fee and $550 fine, plus SR-22 requirement
- 181+ days: $251 reinstatement fee and $1,000 fine, plus SR-22 requirement
Second Time
- No more than 30 days: $501 reinstatement fee
- 31 to 90 days: $501 reinstatement fee and $500 fine
- 91 to 180 days: $501 reinstatement fee and $500 fine, plus SR-22 requirement
- 181+ days: $501 reinstatement fee and $1,000 fine, plus SR-22 requirement
Third Time
- No more than 30 days: $751 reinstatement fee, plus SR-22 requirement and 30-day license suspension
- 31 to 90 days: $751 reinstatement fee and $500 fine, plus SR-22 requirement and 30-day license suspension
- 91 to 180 days: $751 reinstatement fee plus $750 fine, plus SR-22 requirement and 30-day license suspension
- 181+ days: $751 reinstatement fee and $1,000 fine, plus SR-22 requirement and 30-day license suspension
How To Avoid a Lapse When Switching Car Insurance Providers
If you ever decide to cancel your current provider and switch to another, it’s best to avoid going uninsured during the transition for even one day. Here are some tips to avoid a lapse in coverage:
- If your vehicle is totaled, broken down, or unusable, cancel its registration through the Nevada DMV website or one of their offices and have the license plates removed. The same goes if you’re canceling due to selling the car.
- You will receive a credit for the unused portion of your registration fees, so if possible, cancel your vehicle’s registration sooner rather than later.
- Take in any personalized license plates to your nearest DMV office, or go through their online system, if you want them transferred to your next vehicle.
Not having current Nevada coverage means you’re in a lapse, regardless of your coverage in other states. If you are ever at risk of going into a lapse, the DMV will send online notifications. These are not random, and you should respond to them as soon as possible.
Is Nevada a Fault or No-Fault State?
Regarding car insurance and traffic accident responsibility laws, states can be either fault or no-fault. Nevada is one of the 38 fault states, which means that if you are found guilty of causing an accident, you are obligated for the financial burdens that result, such as car or property damage, bodily injury or death, medical expenses, and loss of income. Any costs over your coverage will have to be paid out of pocket. A no-fault state, in contrast, would limit the type of legal action that can be taken against someone after an accident, even if they are found at fault.
Updating Registration and Reinstating Your License
For most issues related to switching car insurance policies, you won’t have to visit the DMV. The Nevada DMV site has the instructions and forms needed to cancel registration long before your current liability coverage stops, as well as to pay penalty fees, transfer license plates, and more.
If you have to file an SR-22 with your next insurance policy, that provider can alert the DMV if you ever drop the coverage. There are penalties for not maintaining insurance as promised under your SR-22 certificate, including license suspension. If your license is ever suspended, you will have to pay the following to reinstate it:
- A $74 Nevada driver’s license reinstatement fee
- A fee for the cost of the license
- Fees for any applicable driver’s license tests
Those will apply in addition to any penalties imposed by a court judgment, including fees and fines for coverage lapses.
Overall, while finding affordable car insurance with enough coverage is important, avoiding a Nevada car insurance coverage lapse is just as crucial for protecting yourself. The more times you are found without proper liability coverage and the longer you go underinsured, the bigger the fines and the higher the chance of license suspension.
At FIXD, our mission is to make car ownership as simple, easy, and affordable as possible. Our research team utilizes the latest automotive data and insights to create tools and resources that help drivers get peace of mind and save money over the life of their car.
