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Insurance Requirements

All motor vehicles are required to be insured.

Colorado law requires that if you drive a vehicle on public roads, it must be insured. Insurance companies are required to be licensed or authorized to sell insurance in Colorado.

Acceptable forms of proof of insurance on the specific vehicle to be registered (must display Vehicle Identification Number) can include, but might not be limited to: paper card, email printout, computer information, visible on phone or other device, faxed copy (i.e., "any legible visible form").

CRS 42-7-604, requires the State of Colorado to contract with a provider to develop and maintain a database of insured vehicles. Any insurance company that writes vehicle liability policies in Colorado is required to report new policyholders and cancelled policies at least monthly to the provider.

CRS 42-3-105 (1) (d) (I). This law, effective July 1999, states that the County Clerk and Recorder Office shall not register a motor vehicle unless the applicant has a complying motor vehicle insurance policy pursuant to part 6 of article 4 of title 10, CRS or a certificate of self-insurance in full force.

These two laws were enacted to ensure that Colorado motorists comply with mandatory auto insurance laws. The intent of the law is to reduce the rising number of uninsured drivers and vehicles in Colorado. Accepted forms of proof of insurance required must identify the name(s) of the applicant(s):

  • A letter from your insurance agent or insurer on company letterhead verifying insurance coverage
  • The declaration page from the insurance policy
  • An insurance binder or policy
  • An insurance card for your vehicle

Any of the above mentioned forms of proof of insurance must include:

  • The effective dates of coverage
  • The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
  • The make and year of the vehicle

Minimum coverage required for compliance are:

  • $25,000 legal liability for bodily injury or death to any one person in any one accident
  • $50,000 legal liability coverage for bodily injury or death to all persons in any one accident
  • $15,000 property damage

Visit the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies for further information regarding automobile insurance requirements, additional coverage, recent news, and other helpful insurance topics.