Insurance in Hawaii: State Rules and Requirements

Car insurance in Hawaii (40/80/20)

Minimum car insuranceFor policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, Hawaii requires at least $40,000 bodily injury per person, $80,000 per accident and $20,000 property damage (up from the old 20/40/10), plus $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP). Insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, which the buyer may decline in writing. Source
Fault systemHawaii is a no-fault state: each driver's own PIP pays their medical bills regardless of who caused the crash, and a lawsuit against the other driver is limited to more serious injuries. Source

Business insurance rules in Hawaii

Workers’ compensationAny employer with one or more employees, full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary, must provide workers' compensation unless the employment is specifically excluded by law. Employers buy coverage from private insurers or qualify to self-insure; Hawaii is not a monopolistic state and does not allow opting out. Source
Contractor licensingThe Contractors License Board (Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, DCCA) licenses contractors and requires proof of general liability insurance (at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence for bodily injury, and $50,000 for property damage) plus workers' compensation coverage, or a sole-proprietor exemption form when there are no employees. The board can also require a surety bond, and a license is forfeited if insurance or bond coverage lapses. Source

Home insurance in Hawaii

Home insurer of last resortHPIA was created by the legislature in 1991 for homes in the lava zones on Hawaii Island and now provides basic property coverage statewide to owners who cannot get it from private insurers. Hurricanes are the main catastrophe exposure, along with volcanic lava flow on the Big Island. Source

Disasters, floods, hail, tornadoes and earthquakes in Hawaii

Hawaii disasters, floods, hail, tornadoes and earthquakes, from federal records
Measure	Hawaii	Rank among the states	Detail
Federal major disaster declarations since 2000	21	#35 (tied) of 51	Most often for severe storm (8), flood (5), earthquake (2). Maui County has been in 12 of them.
National Flood Insurance Program claims, 2005–2025	2,677	#33 of 51	$100.4 million paid; 26% of claims with a known flood zone were outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
Hail reports, 2016–2025	2	#51 of 51	0 of them 2 inches or larger. Largest stone 1.25 inches, Honolulu County, March 2023.
Tornadoes, 2016–2025	0	—	0 rated EF2 or stronger; 41 recorded since 1950.
Earthquakes of magnitude 4.0+, 2000–2025	213	#4 of 51	Largest: magnitude 6.9, 18 km SSW of Leilani Estates, Hawaii, May 4, 2018.

From the public FEMA, NOAA, Storm Prediction Center, USGS and FMCSA records behind each linked report; ranks count all 50 states and Washington, DC unless noted.

Look up the storm history of any county in Hawaii.

Worth knowing in Hawaii

After Hurricane Iniki in 1992, private insurers stopped writing hurricane coverage, so the state ran its own Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund. The fund stopped issuing policies in 2002 once private insurers came back. Hawaii is also one of the few states where lava-zone location decides whether a home can get private coverage.

Hawaii’s insurance regulator

Insurance in Hawaii is regulated by the Hawaii Insurance Division, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, which handles consumer complaints and licenses insurers and agents.

Sam Alishahi holds a nonresident insurance producer license in Hawaii (NPN 21022298), so requests from Hawaii are handled by him directly.

Common questions

What is the minimum car insurance in Hawaii?

For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, Hawaii requires at least $40,000 bodily injury per person, $80,000 per accident and $20,000 property damage (up from the old 20/40/10), plus $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP). Insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, which the buyer may decline in writing.

Is Hawaii a no-fault state?

Hawaii is a no-fault state: each driver's own PIP pays their medical bills regardless of who caused the crash, and a lawsuit against the other driver is limited to more serious injuries.

Do employers in Hawaii need workers’ comp?

Any employer with one or more employees, full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary, must provide workers' compensation unless the employment is specifically excluded by law. Employers buy coverage from private insurers or qualify to self-insure; Hawaii is not a monopolistic state and does not allow opting out.

What can a Hawaii homeowner do if no insurer will write the house?

HPIA was created by the legislature in 1991 for homes in the lava zones on Hawaii Island and now provides basic property coverage statewide to owners who cannot get it from private insurers. Hurricanes are the main catastrophe exposure, along with volcanic lava flow on the Big Island.

Sources

General information as of October 2026, not legal advice; confirm current rules with the agency.

Tell me what you need insured.

Home, car, business, trucks or something harder to place. One request, and I take it from there.

Alishahi Insurance · Saman Alishahi, independent insurance broker, 439 N Canon Dr, Penthouse, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. General information, not a quote or a promise of coverage.

Insurance in Hawaii