Tennessee Car Insurance
Tennessee drivers must carry 25/50/25 liability under T.C.A. § 55-12-1021. UM and UIM are a must-offer at 25/50 BI + $15,000 PD under T.C.A. § 56-7-12013 and must be rejected in writing. Electronic verification runs under the James Lee Atwood Jr. Law (T.C.A. § 55-12-139)2.
YesWeSure Bottom Line
Traditional tort state. Tennessee is not a no-fault state and does not require PIP. First-party medical bills typically flow through health insurance or optional MedPay; tort recovery against the at-fault driver remains the primary mechanism4.
UM/UIM default is on. Every Tennessee personal auto policy includes UM and UIM unless the named insured rejects the coverage in writing3. Rejecting in writing is a choice, not an oversight.
How to make a real decision. Treat 25/50/25 as a floor, not a target. For how to think about higher limits, see how to choose coverage limits.
State requirements at a glance
What Tennessee car insurance law requires
Minimum liability limits
25 / 50 / 251
$25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage per accident, under T.C.A. § 55-12-102 (Tennessee Financial Responsibility Law).
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Not required4
Tennessee is a traditional tort state. No PIP is required on personal auto. Medical Payments coverage is an optional first-party add-on that insurers typically offer.
Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist
Must offer; 25 / 50 BI + $15K PD if purchased3
T.C.A. § 56-7-1201 requires every Tennessee personal auto policy to include UM and UIM at not less than 25/50 BI plus $15,000 PD, unless the named insured rejects the coverage in writing.
Coverage verification
James Lee Atwood Jr. Law electronic verification2
T.C.A. § 55-12-139 requires insurers to report policy status electronically to the Tennessee Department of Revenue. The state matches reports against vehicle registrations and can suspend registration for a confirmed lapse.
Rate approval regime
TDCI oversight4
Tennessee does not maintain a headline statewide prohibition on credit-based insurance scoring, gender, or age as personal-auto rating factors.
25/50/25 compulsory liability
T.C.A. § 55-12-102 (the Tennessee Financial Responsibility Law) compels every registered Tennessee vehicle to carry 25/50/25 liability1. Many Tennessee drivers carry higher limits.
PIP: not required in Tennessee
Tennessee does not require Personal Injury Protection. Medical Payments coverage is an optional first-party add-on that insurers typically offer. For how MedPay compares to PIP in states that require it, see our medical payments coverage guide.
UM/UIM must-offer under T.C.A. § 56-7-1201
Every Tennessee personal auto policy must include UM and UIM at not less than 25/50 BI + $15,000 PD, unless the named insured rejects the coverage in writing3. UM/UIM may be purchased at higher limits up to the BI liability floor.
James Lee Atwood Jr. Law verification
T.C.A. § 55-12-139 (the James Lee Atwood Jr. Law) requires insurers to report policy status electronically to the Tennessee Department of Revenue25. The state matches reports against vehicle registrations and can suspend registration for a confirmed lapse. For a general lapse treatment, see our after-a-lapse guide.
Rating-factor landscape
Tennessee does not maintain a headline statewide prohibition on credit-based insurance scoring, gender, or age4.
Where the Tennessee situation rules live on YesWeSure
This State Guide owns the Tennessee 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. Tennessee SR-22 and reinstatement mechanics are treated in our after-a-DUI guide.
- After a lapse. Department of Revenue consequences of a lapse are treated in our after-a-lapse guide.
- Moving into Tennessee. New-resident registration is treated in our moving-to-another-state guide.
What we verified for this page
- Strong25/50/25 minimum liability verified against T.C.A. § 55-12-102 under the Tennessee Financial Responsibility Law.
- StrongTennessee is a traditional tort state (no PIP) verified against the TDCI consumer guide. Consistent with the frozen YesWeSure medical-payments guide; no conflict.
- StrongUM/UIM must-offer at 25/50 BI + $15,000 PD under T.C.A. § 56-7-1201 verified against the statute. Written rejection required to decline.
- StrongJames Lee Atwood Jr. Law electronic verification under T.C.A. § 55-12-139 verified against the statute and the Tennessee Department of Revenue program page.
- LimitedDeliberately omitted from V1. A Tennessee modeled cost anchor; carrier-specific TN 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 Tennessee-licensed reviewer is tracked as a pre-launch YMYL item.
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Common questions
What is the minimum car insurance required in Tennessee?
25/50/25 liability under T.C.A. § 55-12-1021. UM/UIM is a must-offer at 25/50 BI + $15,000 PD and ships on the policy unless rejected in writing3.
Is Tennessee a no-fault state?
No. Tennessee is a traditional tort state and does not require PIP4.
Is UM/UIM required in Tennessee?
UM and UIM are must-offer. Every Tennessee personal auto policy includes UM/UIM at 25/50 BI + $15,000 PD unless the named insured rejects the coverage in writing under T.C.A. § 56-7-12013.
Sources & methodology
- T.C.A. § 55-12-102: Tennessee Financial Responsibility Law; 25/50/25 compulsory liability. (Tennessee General Assembly, TIER 1)
- T.C.A. § 55-12-139: James Lee Atwood Jr. Law; electronic insurance verification by insurer reporting; registration suspension for lapse. (Tennessee General Assembly, TIER 1)
- T.C.A. § 56-7-1201: Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist must-offer at 25/50 BI plus $15,000 PD; written rejection required to decline. (Tennessee General Assembly (via Justia Codes), TIER 1)
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance: Automobile Insurance consumer page. (Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, TIER 1)
- Tennessee Department of Revenue: Insurance Verification Program under the James Lee Atwood Jr. Law. (Tennessee Department of Revenue, 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: What is medical payments coverage? (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: How to choose coverage limits (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: How insurers calculate rates (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
Evidence hierarchy on this page: Tier 1 (Tennessee Code Annotated, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Tennessee Department of Revenue). Every legal number traces to a Tennessee primary source: T.C.A. §§ 55-12-102, 55-12-139, 56-7-1201. This page is informational and does not constitute legal, tax, or insurance advice. Last reviewed .