Utah law requires at least $25,000 in bodily injury insurance coverage. Bodily injury or liability coverage pays for the other person’s injury when you hurt them in a car accident. Not all states have a $25,000 liability minimum. California for example has $15,000 minimum liability limits.

FACTS:

A California driver is living in Utah for greater than 90 days. The California driver rear-ends a person in Utah causing them harm. Utah’s liability policy minimums are $25,000. But California only requires $15,000. What liability minimum applies to this car collision? $15,000 or $25,000?

ANSWER:

When a person lives in Utah for greater than 90 days they must purchase car insurance that complies with Utah insurance law. This is called a step up provision, where the $15,000 California minimum is stepped up to Utah’s $25,000 minimum.

LAW:

This law is found in Utah Code Ann. 41-12a-301 which states:

(2) Except as provided in Subsection (5):

(a) every resident owner of a motor vehicle shall maintain owner’s or operator’s security in effect at any time that the motor vehicle is operated on a highway or on a quasi-public road or parking area within the state; and

(b) every nonresident owner of a motor vehicle that has been physically present in this state for:

(i) 90 or fewer days during the preceding 365 days shall maintain the type and amount of owner’s or operator’s security required in his place of residence, in effect continuously throughout the period the motor vehicle remains within Utah; or

(ii) more than 90 days during the preceding 365 days shall thereafter maintain owner’s or operator’s security in effect continuously throughout the period the motor vehicle remains within Utah.

Only experienced car accident attorneys know about the step-up provisions. Call attorney Jacob S. Gunter for a free consultation about your car accident. (801) 373-6345.