Hawaii Car Insurance
Hawaii is a modified no-fault state under HRS Chapter 431:10C. Every policy must carry 20/40/10 liability under HRS § 431:10C-3011 and $10,000 Personal Injury Protection under § 431:10C-103.52. A $5,000 medical tort threshold limits non-economic recovery3. Credit, gender, and length of residency are prohibited as rating factors under § 431:10C-2074.
YesWeSure Bottom Line
Strong rating-factor protections. Hawaii prohibits credit history, gender, and length of residency from personal-auto rating under HRS § 431:10C-207. The same driver pays the same base rate regardless of credit or gender4.
No-fault with tort threshold. First-party medical bills flow through PIP first; non-economic damages require a $5,000 medical-expense threshold or a serious injury23.
How to make a real decision. Treat 20/40/10 + $10,000 PIP as the floor. For how to think about higher limits, see how to choose coverage limits.
State requirements at a glance
What Hawaii car insurance law requires
Minimum liability limits
20 / 40 / 101
$20,000 bodily injury per person, $40,000 per accident, $10,000 property damage per accident, under HRS § 431:10C-301.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
$10,000 required (no-fault)2
Every Hawaii policy must include Personal Injury Protection Benefits at $10,000 per person under HRS § 431:10C-103.5. Hawaii is a modified no-fault state.
Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist
Must offer; 20 / 40 BI if purchased1
HRS § 431:10C-301 requires every Hawaii personal auto policy to include UM and UIM at not less than the compulsory liability limits unless the named insured rejects it in writing.
Monetary tort threshold
$5,000 medical or serious injury3
HRS § 431:10C-306 limits recovery of non-economic damages to cases meeting a $5,000 medical-expense threshold or specified serious-injury categories (significant permanent loss of use, permanent and serious disfigurement, permanent and significant pain, or death).
Prohibited rating factors
Credit, gender, length of residency4
HRS § 431:10C-207 prohibits insurers from using credit history, gender, and length of residency as personal-auto rating factors. Hawaii uses a prior-approval regime for personal auto.
Coverage verification
Hawaii Insurance Division enforcement5
Proof of coverage is required at traffic stops and registration. Confirmed lapse under HRS § 431:10C-104 can trigger driver license suspension and civil penalties.
20/40/10 compulsory liability
HRS § 431:10C-301 compels every registered Hawaii vehicle to carry 20/40/10 liability1. Many Hawaii drivers carry higher limits.
$10,000 PIP under HRS § 431:10C-103.5
Every Hawaii policy must include Personal Injury Protection Benefits at $10,000 per person2. Hawaii is a modified no-fault state. For how PIP works, see our PIP coverage guide.
UM/UIM must-offer under HRS § 431:10C-301
Every Hawaii personal auto policy must include UM and UIM at not less than the compulsory liability limits unless the named insured rejects the coverage in writing1.
Verification and lapse enforcement
Proof of coverage is required at traffic stops and registration. A confirmed lapse under HRS § 431:10C-104 can trigger driver license suspension and civil penalties5. For a general lapse treatment, see our after-a-lapse guide.
Rating-factor landscape
Hawaii is one of the strongest-prohibition states on personal-auto rating factors. HRS § 431:10C-207 bars insurers from using credit history, gender, and length of residency4. Rating is overseen by the Insurance Division through filings; Hawaii uses a prior-approval regime for personal auto.
Where the Hawaii situation rules live on YesWeSure
This State Guide owns the Hawaii pricing and legal framework. Situation-specific mechanics live on the sibling Situation guides:
- After an accident. See our after-an-accident guide.
- After a DUI. Hawaii SR-22 and reinstatement mechanics are treated in our after-a-DUI guide.
- After a lapse. Insurance Division consequences of a lapse are treated in our after-a-lapse guide.
- Moving into Hawaii. New-resident registration is treated in our moving-to-another-state guide.
What we verified for this page
- Strong20/40/10 minimum liability under HRS § 431:10C-301 verified against the statute.
- StrongCompulsory PIP at $10,000 under HRS § 431:10C-103.5 verified against the statute. Hawaii is a modified no-fault state. Consistent with the frozen YesWeSure medical-payments guide listing Hawaii as a PIP state; no conflict.
- StrongMonetary tort threshold ($5,000 medical) and serious-injury threshold under HRS § 431:10C-306 verified against the statute.
- StrongCredit, gender, and length-of-residency prohibited as rating factors under HRS § 431:10C-207 verified against the statute. Hawaii is one of the strongest-prohibition states on rating factors.
- StrongUM/UIM must-offer under HRS § 431:10C-301 verified against the statute. Written rejection required to decline.
- StrongCompulsory insurance enforcement under HRS § 431:10C-104 verified against the statute.
- LimitedDeliberately omitted from V1. A Hawaii modeled cost anchor; carrier-specific HI underwriting; the exact SR-22 duration (deferred to the after-a-DUI guide); and telematics program detail.
- LimitedNamed author and expert reviewer. V1 attributes to "YesWeSure Editorial." A Hawaii-licensed reviewer is tracked as a pre-launch YMYL item.
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Common questions
What is the minimum car insurance required in Hawaii?
20/40/10 liability + $10,000 PIP, under HRS §§ 431:10C-301 and 431:10C-103.512.
Is Hawaii a no-fault state?
Yes. Hawaii is a modified no-fault state under HRS Chapter 431:10C, with a $5,000 medical or serious-injury tort threshold3.
Can Hawaii insurers use credit scores?
No. HRS § 431:10C-207 prohibits credit history, gender, and length of residency as personal-auto rating factors4.
Sources & methodology
- HRS § 431:10C-301: motor vehicle insurance; 20/40/10 compulsory liability and UM/UIM must-offer. (Hawaii State Legislature, TIER 1)
- HRS § 431:10C-103.5: Personal Injury Protection Benefits ($10,000 per person) under the Hawaii no-fault system. (Hawaii State Legislature, TIER 1)
- HRS § 431:10C-306: monetary and serious-injury tort threshold for non-economic damages. (Hawaii State Legislature, TIER 1)
- HRS § 431:10C-207: prohibited rating factors (credit history, gender, length of residency) for personal auto. (Hawaii State Legislature, TIER 1)
- HRS § 431:10C-104: compulsory insurance; penalties and license suspension for operation without insurance. (Hawaii State Legislature, TIER 1)
- Hawaii Insurance Division: Automobile Insurance consumer page. (Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division, TIER 1)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after an accident (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after a DUI (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after a lapse in coverage (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance when moving to another state (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Personal injury protection (PIP) (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: How to choose coverage limits (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: How insurers calculate rates (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
Evidence hierarchy on this page: Tier 1 (Hawaii Revised Statutes, Hawaii Insurance Division). Every legal number traces to a Hawaii primary source: HRS §§ 431:10C-103.5, 431:10C-104, 431:10C-207, 431:10C-301, 431:10C-306. This page is informational and does not constitute legal, tax, or insurance advice. Last reviewed .