Insurance
Car Insurance in Rhode Island
Published September 24, 2026 · Last updated October 1, 2026
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The short answer
Rhode Island drivers paid about $1,391 a year for car insurance in 2023. That's the 5th highest average in the country. Compared with income, it's also one of the least affordable states: about 1.90% of household income in 2021, against a U.S. average of 1.50%.
Here's what Rhode Island requires, the uninsured motorist rules that can work in your favor, and the penalties for driving without coverage.
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What Rhode Island requires
Rhode Island lets you meet the minimum in one of two ways:
| Option | Limits |
|---|---|
| Split limits | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for injuries, plus $25,000 for property damage |
| Combined single limit | $75,000 total for injuries and property damage in one crash |
A combined single limit is one pot of money for everything in a crash, instead of separate caps for each person and for property.
Uninsured motorist coverage: matched to your liability
In Rhode Island, your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage must equal your bodily injury liability limits. So if you buy 100/300 in liability, your UM is 100/300 too, unless you choose otherwise.
Lowering it takes a signature. You can pick lower UM limits in writing, but not below the state minimum. The only way to drop UM to zero is to buy just the minimum required coverage and sign a state-approved advisory notice.
Underinsured counts too. Rhode Island's UM also covers drivers whose insurance is less than the damages you're owed. About 12.4% of Rhode Island drivers had no insurance at all in 2023.
Property damage UM is optional. You can reject the property damage part of UM in writing, which may make sense if you already have collision coverage.
Stacking: more UM if you insure more than one car
Rhode Island allows stacking. If you pay a separate UM premium for each car, on one policy or on several policies with the same company, you can collect up to the combined total of those limits.
Example: you insure two cars with the same company, each with $100,000 of UM per person. If you're badly hurt by an uninsured driver, you may be able to collect up to $200,000.
When you compare quotes, ask whether each car carries its own UM premium. Moving cars to different companies could mean losing the stacking benefit.
Penalties for driving without insurance
Rhode Island's penalties climb with each offense:
| Offense | License and registration suspension | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| First | Up to 30 days | $100 to $250 |
| Second | Up to 6 months | $500 |
| Third or later | Up to 1 year | $1,000 |
Just forgot your card? If you were cited only for not having proof, you have one business day to show you had valid coverage. If you do, the citation is withdrawn.
Paying less in a high-cost state
You can't change Rhode Island's averages, but you can change your own price:
- Compare several quotes with the same limits. In a high-cost state, the gap between companies can be large.
- Keep your UM setup in mind. Keeping cars with one company can preserve stacking, which may be worth more than a small discount elsewhere.
- Raise your deductibles if you could cover them after a crash.
- Ask about bundling with home or renters insurance.
See how to lower car insurance for more ideas.
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Want more protection above your car insurance? See umbrella insurance. Need to file proof of insurance after a suspension? See SR-22 insurance.
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Sources
- NAIC auto insurance data (2023) and IRC affordability index, via Insurance Information Institute
- Rhode Island General Laws §31-47-2, Definitions (financial security minimums)
- Rhode Island General Laws §27-7-2.1, Uninsured motorist coverage
- Rhode Island General Laws §31-47-12, Penalties
- Insurance Information Institute, Uninsured motorists (IRC 2023 data)