Auto Insurance Minimums for Missouri

The state of Missouri requires that all motorists carry a minimum liability insurance of 25/50/10, as well as 25/50 of uninsured motorist coverage.  The first of these ratios translates to $25K of Liability Bodily Injury coverage per person, $50K of Liability Bodily Injury coverage per accident, and $10K of Property Damage coverage; the second ratio means that you need at least $25K of uninsured motorist protection per person, and $50K of uninsured motorist protection per two persons or more.  This may seem like a lot, but it is easy to find reasonable auto insurance quotes as long as you take time to shop around a bit.

In addition to this, The Missouri Insurance Department strongly recommends that you carry an uninsured/underinsured motorist protection plan (UM/UIM).  This is due to the fact that more than 14% of Missouri drivers are uninsured; approximately 556,000 motorists defy state law and put you at risk.  This does not include the thousands of other drivers that are inadequately insured.

Those that choose to drive without insurance are subject to getting their license suspended until they can show proof of coverage.  The driver’s license reinstatement fee is $20 the first time around, $200 the second offense plus a 90 day suspension of the license, and multiple offenses demand a $400 reinstatement fee on top of a year-long license suspension.

Purchasing auto insurance is simple especially with resources like Save Today.  Finding affordable auto insurance quotes online won’t take long and all you need to do is pick the one best suited to your needs.  The average Missouri motorist spends $1,451 per year on auto insurance.  This is nothing compared to the potential financial and emotional strain of the alternative. 

Missouri DUI Law

Driving under the influence in the state of Missouri will result in the suspension of your license for at least 30 days, and may land you in jail. If you have more than one offense, you could even end up in jail for life. Missouri has a no-tolerance policy when it comes to driving under the influence.

The blood alcohol content limit (BAC) in the state of Missouri is 0.08% or higher, with possible sentence enhancements for those driving with a BAC of 0.15% or higher.

If you are arrested for a DUI in Missouri your license will be suspended, and during this 30 day period you may not apply for a limited license. You will have to pay fines around $500 dollars, and may end up spending up to 180 days in jail for a first offence. Repeat offenses will lead to more jail time, more fines, and you may lose your license for up to five years.

Missouri Teen Driving Laws/Auto Insurance Requirements

As with many states in the U.S., teen deaths from auto accidents are more common in Missouri than auto accidents involving adults. This is why Missouri has implemented the Graduate Driver Licensing program (GDL), which is designed to train teens in road safety and rules.

Teens in Missouri may apply for an instruction permit as young as 15.  In order to receive an instruction permit a teen must pass a written test, a road sign test and a vision test. Their parent’s signature is also required.

Continue reading to learn more about Missouri’s teen driving laws and the consequences for violating them. After receiving their instruction permit, teens must complete at least 40 hours of behind the wheel instruction. Ten of these hours must be at night. They must also be in possession of the instruction permit for at least 6 months before applying for an intermediate license. To obtain an intermediate license, teens must pass a driver’s test and show proof of their logged hours with a parent’s certification.

An intermediate license is valid for two years. In order to apply for a regular, unrestricted license, a teen must be at least 18 years old and have a clean history of traffic violations and no DUI convictions.

Teens are not allowed to drive with a BAC level of 0.02% or higher, which is the same amount as one drink or less. If caught driving under the influence, teens will be arrested, and under Missouri’s “Abuse and Lose” law, they will lose their license for 90 days.

Teens must carry the same amount of insurance as is expected of all ages in Missouri; however, since teenagers are more likely to be involved in car accidents than adults, it is recommended that teens carry more insurance than the minimum amount. Teens can lower their insurance rates by maintaining a B average and taking a safe driving course.