Every vehicle driven on public roads in Hawaii must carry liability insurance, personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. As of January 1, 2026, the state doubled its minimum liability limits, so the current Hawaii auto insurance requirements are 40/80/20 for liability, at least $10,000 per person in personal injury protection (PIP), and UM/UIM coverage unless you reject it in writing. Hawaii is a no-fault state, meaning your own insurer pays your medical bills after a crash regardless of fault, with lawsuits against the other driver reserved for serious injuries.
Minimum Liability Limits
Effective January 1, 2026, every Hawaii motor vehicle policy must include at least:1Hawaii.gov. FAQ: Auto Insurance Minimum Limits
- $40,000 for bodily injury per person
- $80,000 for bodily injury per accident
- $20,000 for property damage per accident
Shorthand: 40/80/20. The old minimums were 20/40/10, so a policy you haven’t touched since before 2026 may no longer meet the legal floor. Liability pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others.2Justia. Hawaii Code 431:10C-301 – Required Motor Vehicle Policy Coverage
Minimums are a floor, not a recommendation. A single emergency room visit can clear $40,000, and totaling a newer car can run past $20,000 in property damage. Anything above your limits comes out of your own pocket, and the injured party can sue you personally for the gap.
Personal Injury Protection
Every Hawaii policy must also include personal injury protection with a minimum of $10,000 per person.3Justia. Hawaii Code 431:10C-103.5 – Personal Injury Protection Benefits Defined Limits PIP pays your own medical and rehabilitation expenses after a crash no matter who caused it, and the insurer pays providers directly so treatment isn’t held up by a fault determination.
Coverage extends to the vehicle owner, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, moped operators, and electric foot scooter operators injured by the insured vehicle. Motorcycle and motor scooter riders are not covered unless the policy expressly includes them.4Justia. Hawaii Code 431:10C-304 – Obligation to Pay Personal Injury Protection Benefits
Insurers can sell PIP above the statutory minimum. Given hospitalization costs, the $10,000 floor runs out fast in a serious crash.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Insurers must include uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage in every auto policy.2Justia. Hawaii Code 431:10C-301 – Required Motor Vehicle Policy Coverage UM covers you when the at-fault driver has no insurance. UIM applies when their policy isn’t large enough to cover your injuries.
You can reject either coverage, but only through a specific written process. Your insurer must display the offer prominently, show the premium right next to the offer so you can see what declining saves, and place a signature line directly adjacent to the rejection. If any of those steps was skipped, the rejection may not be valid and the coverage may still apply.
Hawaii prohibits stacking. If you insure several vehicles on one policy, you cannot combine their UM/UIM limits into a larger pool; recovery is capped at the limit on a single vehicle.
Proof of Coverage
You have to carry proof of insurance whenever you drive. Acceptable forms include your insurance ID card, a letter from your insurer confirming coverage, or an electronic version on a phone or tablet. Expect to show it during traffic stops and at the county motor vehicle office when you register a vehicle, renew registration, or transfer a title. A lapse between renewals can tangle up more than just a traffic citation.
Penalties for Driving Without Insurance
A first offense carries a $500 fine. The court can reduce or suspend the fine if you show you’ve since obtained coverage, and you can ask for 75 to 100 hours of community service in place of the fine.5Justia. Hawaii Code 431:10C-117 – Penalties A later offense within five years carries a minimum fine of $1,500.
The court is also required to either suspend your driver’s license or order you to surrender your license plates. A first conviction brings a three-month suspension; a second or later conviction within five years brings a one-year suspension. Repeat offenders can also have their vehicle impounded or sold to cover storage costs.5Justia. Hawaii Code 431:10C-117 – Penalties
A conviction also signals high risk to insurers, which typically means higher premiums for years. If you crash while uninsured, you’re personally liable for every dollar of damage, and wage garnishment or asset seizure become real possibilities.
When You Can Sue Outside the No-Fault System
Hawaii’s no-fault system limits lawsuits against the at-fault driver but doesn’t eliminate them. You can bring a tort claim when any of the following applies:6Justia. Hawaii Code 431:10C-306 – Abolition of Tort Liability Limitation
- The crash was fatal, allowing a wrongful death claim.
- You suffered a significant permanent loss of use of a body part or bodily function.
- You sustained permanent, serious disfigurement causing mental or emotional suffering.
- Your PIP benefits and related medical costs total at least $5,000, including amounts paid by health insurance, social security, workers’ compensation, and your out-of-pocket deductibles or copayments.
The $5,000 threshold sounds low, but it’s meant to screen out minor fender-bender injuries while preserving the right to sue for anything requiring real medical care. Cross one of these lines and you can seek compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages PIP doesn’t cover.
Rideshare Drivers Need More
If you drive for Uber, Lyft, or another transportation network company, the standard personal policy isn’t enough. Required coverage depends on the phase of the ride:7Justia. Hawaii Code 431:10C-703 – Transportation Network Company Insurance Requirements
- App on, waiting for a request: at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, $25,000 for property damage, plus PIP at the state minimum.
- Ride accepted or passenger in the vehicle: $1,000,000 for all injuries and property damage per accident, plus PIP.
These limits can be met through a combination of your personal policy and coverage carried by the rideshare company. Most platforms carry the required coverage during active rides, but the window when you’re logged in and waiting for a request is where drivers are most exposed. Personal auto policies almost always exclude commercial rideshare activity, so leaning on yours alone during that window is risky.
Self-Insurance as an Alternative
Hawaii lets vehicle owners self-insure instead of buying a policy, but the bar is high. You apply to the state insurance commissioner and either post a surety bond or deposit cash or securities with a minimum value of $300,000, which cannot be withdrawn until at least two years after you stop being self-insured.8Justia. Hawaii Code 431:10C-105 – Self-Insurance The commissioner also evaluates your assets, liabilities, profit and loss history, liquidity, and the number of vehicles involved.9Hawaii.gov. Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 16-23 – Self-Insurance Requirements Realistically, this works only for well-capitalized businesses or fleets; an individual driver with one or two vehicles will find a standard policy far simpler and cheaper.