Car insurance in New York (25/50/10)
- Minimum car insuranceNew York requires $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $10,000 for property damage, plus $50,000 of mandatory no-fault (PIP) coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage is also required at the same 25/50 bodily injury minimums. Source
- Fault systemYour own no-fault coverage pays medical bills and lost wages up to $50,000 regardless of who caused the crash, and you can sue for pain and suffering only if you have a serious injury as defined in the Insurance Law. Source
Business insurance rules in New York
- Workers’ compensationVirtually all employers in New York must carry workers' compensation for their employees, and most employers must also carry disability and Paid Family Leave benefits coverage. Coverage can be bought from a private insurer or the New York State Insurance Fund, or an employer can be approved to self-insure; New York is not monopolistic. Source
- Contractor licensingNew York has no statewide general contractor license; licensing is handled locally. In New York City, for example, home improvement contractors are licensed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and must join its Trust Fund or post a $20,000 surety bond, and show workers' compensation coverage or an exemption. Source
Home insurance in New York
- Home insurer of last resortCoastal areas of New York face hurricane and windstorm losses, and homeowners policies there can carry separate hurricane or wind deductibles. Flood is not covered by a standard homeowners policy. Source
Disasters, floods, hail, tornadoes and earthquakes in New York
| Measure | New York | Rank among the states | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal major disaster declarations since 2000 | 44 | #10 (tied) of 51 | Most often for severe storm (23), flood (6), hurricane (5). Delaware County has been in 18 of them. |
| National Flood Insurance Program claims, 2005–2025 | 109,287 | #5 of 51 | $5.4 billion paid; 31% of claims with a known flood zone were outside FEMA’s high-risk zones. |
| Hail reports, 2016–2025 | 775 | #31 of 51 | 29 of them 2 inches or larger. Largest stone 3 inches, Broome County, June 2022. |
| Tornadoes, 2016–2025 | 110 | #29 of 51 | 8 rated EF2 or stronger; 536 recorded since 1950. |
| Earthquakes of magnitude 4.0+, 2000–2025 | 1 | #28 of 51 | Largest: magnitude 5.3, 8 km NNW of Au Sable Forks, New York, April 20, 2002. |
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 New York.
Worth knowing in New York
New York pairs a $50,000 no-fault auto system with a serious-injury threshold for lawsuits, and its employers must carry state disability and Paid Family Leave coverage on top of workers' compensation.
New York’s insurance regulator
Insurance in New York is regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services, which handles consumer complaints and licenses insurers and agents.
Sam Alishahi holds a nonresident insurance producer license in New York (NPN 21022298), so requests from New York are handled by him directly.
Common questions
What is the minimum car insurance in New York?
New York requires $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $10,000 for property damage, plus $50,000 of mandatory no-fault (PIP) coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage is also required at the same 25/50 bodily injury minimums.
Is New York a no-fault state?
Your own no-fault coverage pays medical bills and lost wages up to $50,000 regardless of who caused the crash, and you can sue for pain and suffering only if you have a serious injury as defined in the Insurance Law.
Do employers in New York need workers’ comp?
Virtually all employers in New York must carry workers' compensation for their employees, and most employers must also carry disability and Paid Family Leave benefits coverage. Coverage can be bought from a private insurer or the New York State Insurance Fund, or an employer can be approved to self-insure; New York is not monopolistic.
What can a New York homeowner do if no insurer will write the house?
Coastal areas of New York face hurricane and windstorm losses, and homeowners policies there can carry separate hurricane or wind deductibles. Flood is not covered by a standard homeowners policy.
Sources
- New York: Minimum car insurance
- New York: Fault system
- New York: Workers’ compensation
- New York: Home insurer of last resort
- New York: Contractor licensing
- New York: insurance regulator
General information as of October 2026, not legal advice; confirm current rules with the agency.