Arizona Auto Insurance

Arizona uses a Tort insurance system. If you have been found at-fault in an accident, you and your insurance company must cover the damages.

Mandatory insurance requirements

Arizona has some rather low Liability limits – only a ratio of 15/30/10:

• $15,000 in bodily injuries per passenger involved in the crash, but not more than $30,000 for the whole accident
• $10,000 in property damage.

Experts recommend that you buy a larger package. $10,000 in property damage, for instance, is much too little to cover the repairs of an expensive car that didn’t even get totalled.

Average insurance costs

The average Liability insurance in Arizona costs $1,319, which is more than 20% cheaper than the nation-wide mean value of $1,678. Phoenix and Tucson are some more expensive cities to be insured in, with averages of $1,700 and $1,514, while Yuma and Scottsdale seem to be two of the cheapest major cities, with mean costs of $1,360 and $1,485.

Use of cellphones when driving

Conducting text-based communication while driving a vehicle in Arizona is prohibited. It is also forbidden for school bus drivers to use mobile phones altogether. No other bans are in place, but authorities strongly recommend using a hands-free device or, better yet, pulling over when answering or making a phone call.

Teenage driving

Arizona uses the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system to allow teenagers to operate a car while still minimizing their risk of running into dangerous situations. You have to be 15 and a half years to be eligible for a restricted license. Restrictions are in line with the GDL recommendations:

• teenagers under 18 may not drive between 12am and 5am, unless accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or licensed driver over 21 having the parents’ written permission;
• teenagers under 18 may only drive unattended if they are on their way to/from school or work, a religious event or in case of an emergency;
• teenagers under 18 may not have other passengers below 18 in their car (except for siblings), unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Penalties for driving uninsured

If this is your first or second violation, you are subject to a fine of up to $1,000. Arizona has recently adopted the “three strikes law” – should you be caught without insurance for three times within three years, you will be subject to much harsher conditions in order to get your driving privileges reinstated. SR22 filing can and will most likely be one of the requirements.