Car Insurance in Hawaii

What does “no-fault” mean for you in Hawaii?

If you are hurt in a crash, your own insurance pays first. Your policy covers your medical bills and your passengers’ bills up to your personal injury protection (PIP) limit, whoever caused the crash. You do not wait for a fault decision or the other driver’s insurer.

The trade-off is that you generally cannot sue the other driver for injuries unless yours are serious, and they generally cannot sue you. The state insurance division spells this out on its consumer page. We could not read the statute itself, so we do not quote the exact dollar or injury test here. Ask your insurer or the division where that line sits before you rely on it.

Two things no-fault does not touch. The driver who causes a crash is still responsible for the other car and property, and that is what the property damage part of your liability cover pays for. PIP never pays for car repairs. To fix your own car after a crash you caused, you need collision cover.

Our no-fault explainer shows how this differs from the at-fault system in most states.

What coverage do you have to carry in Hawaii?

You need three things: liability cover, PIP, and a valid insurance card in the car. Liability pays other people when you cause the crash. PIP pays you.

For policies that start or renew on or after January 1, 2026, the liability minimum is 40/80/20. That means up to $40,000 for each person you injure, up to $80,000 for everyone hurt in one crash, and up to $20,000 for other people’s property. PIP must be at least $10,000 per person.

Your policy may still say 20/40/10. That was the old minimum, and the new one only applies when a policy is new or renewing. The Insurance Division’s own web page for drivers also still shows the old numbers, so trust the January 2026 FAQ when the two disagree. For your state’s figure next to others, see the state-by-state minimums or run the state minimum lookup.

Here is an example with invented numbers. Say you caused a crash and the other driver’s medical bills reach $65,000. On a new 40/80/20 policy, your insurer pays $40,000 and you could owe the other $25,000. On an old 20/40/10 policy, the gap would be $45,000. Even the new minimum can fall short in a serious crash, and the division itself says higher limits are worth considering.

What does PIP pay, and what can you add?

PIP covers medical and rehabilitation costs for you and your passengers. The $10,000 per person is a floor, and you cannot reject it.

Hawaii insurers also sell optional extras on top of PIP. The division lists these:

• Lost wages if you cannot work.
• Alternative care such as naturopathy, acupuncture or faith healing.
• A death benefit, from $25,000 to $100,000.
• A $2,000 funeral benefit.
• A PIP deductible, which lowers your premium, and PIP managed care.

If your health plan already covers most medical bills, you may value wage-loss cover more than extra medical cover. If you are self-employed, that choice matters more.

Should you keep uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage?

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays you when the driver at fault has no insurance or flees. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage pays when their limits are too low. In Hawaii both are optional.

Your agent or insurer must explain them and tell you that you can decline in writing. Declining makes your policy cheaper. The state’s own sample prices include stacked UM and UIM at 40/80, so a quote that leaves them out is not the same product.

The risk is real but modest. The Insurance Research Council estimated that about 9.6% of Hawaii drivers were uninsured in 2023, against 15.4% nationally. That is roughly one driver in ten. If you have no savings buffer and your health cover has high deductibles, keeping UM is the safer choice. Our uninsured motorist guide covers how stacking works.

How much does car insurance cost in Hawaii?

The NAIC’s 2024 data put Hawaii’s average at about $935 per insured vehicle for the year. This is a state figure, not a driver profile, and it mixes drivers who carry only liability with those who carry full cover. The same data showed a countrywide average near $1,432. The figure also predates the 2026 limit increase.

The better guide is the Insurance Division’s 2026 sample prices. They use one car, a 2024 Honda Accord, a clean record and minimum cover. The lowest and highest yearly prices among the major insurers it lists were:

Source: Hawaii Insurance Division 2026 premium guide, rates in effect January 1, 2026. Some entries are group or mass-marketing rates you may not qualify for. These are not quotes.

Two lessons stand out. First, the gap between insurers on one island is far bigger than the gap between islands. Second, the division says driving to work can add 15% to 25% over pleasure use, so tell the truth about how you use the car and check the quote’s assumptions.

If you want full coverage, the numbers rise sharply. NerdWallet’s October 2026 average for a 35-year-old with a 2023 Camry was $1,975 a year, and CarInsurance.com’s 2026 figure for another profile was $1,757. Both used 100/300 liability and deductibles of $500 to $1,000, so compare only like with like. Our guide on full coverage versus liability only explains when the extra cost is worth it, and how much car insurance costs covers what drives prices.

What if no insurer will cover you?

Insurers pick their customers, yet the division’s consumer guide says they may not turn you away over your credit bureau rating, age, sex, marital status, home address or similar traits. If one company says no, the agent is required to offer you a spot in the Hawaii Joint Underwriting Plan.

The plan is a pool that every motor vehicle insurer in the state joins. It is meant for drivers who cannot find a company or who have several accidents or convictions. It is a last resort and usually costs more. For ways to climb back to standard rates, see our high-risk driver guide.

What happens if you drive without insurance in Hawaii?

You can be ticketed and fined if you cannot show a valid insurance card. An uninsured owner must hand the registration certificate and plates to the county director of finance, and cannot drive the car until it is insured again.

We could not confirm the exact fine or suspension from the statute. Treat any number you see on a blog with caution. Ask the court clerk, your county finance office or the Insurance Division for current penalties.

What about teen drivers?

New drivers aged 16 and 17 hold a provisional license first. They generally cannot drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless a parent or guardian sits beside them, with a school or work exception. Adding a teen is often the biggest price jump a household sees. Read our teen driver guide before you add one.

Who regulates insurers, and where do you complain?

The Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) oversees the insurance companies that sell in the state. You can reach it at 808-586-2790 or 1-844-808-DCCA. It publishes an annual premium comparison guide and a yearly list of customer complaint ratios, which are worth a look before you pick a company. The division website is at cca.hawaii.gov/ins.

Which Hawaii page fits your situation?

• Insuring a home as well? See Hawaii home insurance, and the bundling guide.
• Need to check your limits? Use the liability limit checker.
• Worried about a gap on a financed car? Read about gap insurance.

We do not yet publish separate Hawaii pages on SR-22 filings or cheap cover. Hawaii sources we could check did not describe an SR-22 process, so ask the county licensing office.

What to do next

1. Find your declarations page and write down the liability limits, PIP amount and whether UM and UIM are listed.
2. Check the policy start date. If it began before January 1, 2026, note when it renews and expect the limits to double then.
3. Decide on UM and UIM by weighing your savings and health cover, not just price.
4. Get quotes from at least three insurers for the same limits, same deductibles and the same use of the car.
5. Ask each one about discounts for renewal history, safe driving, bundling and mileage.
6. Keep a current insurance card in the car.
7. If something goes wrong with a claim, write to the insurer first, then contact the Insurance Division.

Bottom line

If you only want to stay legal, the minimum is 40/80/20 plus $10,000 PIP. If you own a car you could not replace, or have savings you would hate to lose in a lawsuit, buy higher limits and keep UM. Compare at least three companies, because price gaps within an island are larger than gaps between islands.