Hawaii auto insurance
Hawaii raised its minimum liability limits to 40/80/20 on 1 January 2026. That sits on top of the $10,000 of no-fault personal injury protection the state has always required.
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Three reasons Hawaii drivers are re-shopping right now
- 1
The legal minimum changed on 1 January 2026
Hawaii’s minimum liability moved to $40,000 per injured person, $80,000 per accident and $20,000 property damage for policies with effective dates on or after 1 January 2026. The previous floor was substantially lower. Policies written before the change come up to the new minimum at renewal, so the limits on a declaration page from 2025 are not the limits you carry now.
- 2
Hawaii is a no-fault state, and PIP comes first
The state requires at least $10,000 of personal injury protection, and it pays your medical bills regardless of who caused the crash. Hawaii then limits when you can sue for general damages. This is why a Hawaii quote is structured differently from a mainland one, and why the PIP limit is worth a second look rather than leaving it at the floor.
- 3
Salt, sun and a vehicle that lives outdoors
Salt air corrodes brake lines, body panels and electrical connectors faster here than anywhere on the mainland, and that is wear rather than a claim. What is a claim is hail-free but wind-driven: a tree down on the vehicle in a Kona storm, a flash flood through a parking lot, a rock off the Pali. All of those are comprehensive, not collision.
What 40/80/20 means in dollars
$40,000 for one injured person, $80,000 for everyone hurt in the crash, and $20,000 for the property you damage. The property-damage figure is the one to look at hardest, because a late-model vehicle shipped to the islands costs more to repair here than the same vehicle on the mainland — parts come by sea. Raising property damage is normally the least expensive meaningful change on a Hawaii policy.
Flash flooding, and the coverage that answers for it
A Hawaii flash flood can fill a parking structure or a low-lying street in minutes, and flood damage to a vehicle is handled under comprehensive — unlike a house, where flood needs a separate policy entirely. That distinction catches people out in both directions. If the car parks anywhere that has ever taken water, comprehensive is doing more work than the premium suggests.
Rental, repair time and inter-island complications
Repairs wait on parts arriving by ship, which means rental reimbursement runs longer than a mainland limit assumes. Ask what the rental limit is in days and in dollars. If you keep a vehicle on a second island, or ship one between islands, say so — it is a question about where the car is garaged, and the answer changes the policy.
Have these ready when you call
Five minutes on the phone goes faster with the paperwork in front of you.
- Year, make, model and VIN for every vehicle
- Driver license numbers for everyone who will drive
- Your current declaration page, to see whether you are still at the pre-2026 limits
- The exact date your current policy ends, so the new one starts without a gap
- Which island the vehicle is kept on, and where it parks overnight
- Annual mileage and the one-way commute distance
- Whether you want PIP above the $10,000 Hawaii minimum
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum car insurance in Hawaii now?
$40,000 per injured person, $80,000 per accident and $20,000 property damage — 40/80/20 — for policies effective on or after 1 January 2026, plus at least $10,000 of personal injury protection.
Did my existing policy change automatically?
Policies written at the old limits come up to the new minimum at renewal rather than on 1 January. Check the most recent declaration page you were sent rather than the one you remember.
Is Hawaii a no-fault state?
Yes. PIP pays your medical expenses regardless of fault, and the state limits when you can sue for general damages. Liability coverage still matters for the damage you do to other people and their property.
Is flood damage to my car covered?
Flood damage to a vehicle is generally handled under comprehensive. That is different from a house, where flood requires a separate policy — a distinction worth knowing in both directions.
Request your Hawaii quote
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