Missouri car insurance rates

A Missouri liability policy must carry at least $25,000 for one person's bodily injury, $50,000 for two or more people, and $25,000 for property of others in one accident (RSMo 303.190), along with uninsured motorist coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident (RSMo 379.203, using the 303.030 limits).

Missouri tracks coverage electronically through MOIVS, suspends licenses or plates when proof is missing, and requires an SR-22 when an uninsured driver was in an accident. Claim handling runs on day counts set in 20 CSR 100-1, and drivers who cannot find coverage go to the Missouri Automobile Insurance Plan.

Required limits in RSMo 303.190 and 379.203

Section 303.190 defines the owner's policy that counts as proof of financial responsibility, with coverage for the United States and Canada at 25/50/25. The Department of Revenue repeats those figures and adds that the law also requires uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Section 379.203 is where that duty sits: an auto liability policy must include uninsured motorist coverage in at least the bodily injury limits of section 303.030, and it applies to hit-and-run cases whether or not there was physical contact.

Nonresidents must carry insurance that meets their own state's law, according to the Department of Revenue. For background on how minimum limits are structured, see state minimum liability limits explained.

How Missouri checks coverage

• Insurers report the drivers and vehicles they cover through the Missouri Insurance Verification System (MOIVS). Companies insuring 1,000 or more Missouri vehicles must host a verification web service; smaller ones may report book-of-business files.
• Proof of insurance is required to register a vehicle or renew plates and must be kept in the vehicle.
• A conviction for failing to show proof adds four points to the driving record. Eight points within 18 months is enough to lose driving privileges.
• The Driver License Bureau may ask an owner for proof at any time during the registration period; with no proof, a suspension follows.

Suspension, reinstatement and the SR-22 under RSMo 303.042 to 303.044

The Department of Revenue sets out two tracks. When the suspension is for no insurance without an accident, the first suspension has no served period, a second within two years is 90 days, and a third or later is one year. Reinstatement then needs proof of insurance and a fee of $20, $200 or $400 depending on the count. Proof must be kept on file for three years after the suspension ends; letting it drop restarts the suspension for the rest of that period until proof is refiled with a $20 fee.

When an accident was involved, the served periods are the same, but the Department says an SR-22 filing is the most commonly used proof and an ID card is not accepted. The SR-22 must be kept for three years from the date you become eligible to reinstate.

Two related suspensions run longer. An at-fault driver who does not pay for accident damages loses the license and/or plates for one year, unless the loss is settled and a $20 fee paid. A court judgment for accident damages left unsatisfied more than 60 days brings a ten-year suspension, which can end early with payment or a payment plan, a $20 fee and an SR-22 kept for two years from the start of the suspension. More on the filing itself is in SR-22 insurance explained.

Claim deadlines in 20 CSR 100-1

The auto-specific part of 100-1.050 adds several duties. An insurer may not steer a third-party claimant to their own policy where liability and damages are reasonably clear, must give the claimant a copy of any repair estimate it prepares, must disclose in writing when an estimate uses non-OEM aftermarket parts, and must include the first-party deductible in subrogation demands on request.

Cancellation limits and the Missouri Automobile Insurance Plan

The Department of Commerce and Insurance says a private passenger policy in force for 60 days must run to the end of its term unless the named insured's license is suspended or revoked (where there is only one named insured) or the premium is unpaid. You must get 30 days' written notice with an explanation before a cancellation or nonrenewal. A company that refuses you must explain in writing and tell you about the Missouri Automobile Insurance Plan, the route for drivers who have difficulty getting coverage from any company in the state. Missouri law also bars insurers and agents from asking whether you were previously cancelled, refused or nonrenewed.

Complaints to the Department of Commerce and Insurance

The Division of Consumer Affairs takes complaints online, by mailed or faxed form (fax 573-526-4898), and answers questions on the hotline at 800-726-7390 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It forwards the complaint to the company, requires a response, and reviews that response against Missouri law and the policy. It cannot recommend a company, act as your lawyer, or step into a pending lawsuit. The Department also publishes a consumer complaint index for auto insurers.

Missouri questions