Driving without insurance in Nebraska
Like most states, Nebraska requires drivers to purchase a certain amount of car insurance in order to drive legally. The penalty for driving without insurance in Nebraska may include fees, the suspension of your license and jail time. Bankrate’s insurance editorial team took a deep dive into the world of Nebraska vehicle regulations to help you understand the requirements for Nebraska car insurance.
Is driving without insurance illegal in Nebraska?
In order to comply with Nebraska state law, you must have car insurance for any vehicle you will be driving on public roads. Driving without insurance is illegal and can result in multiple penalties — including the loss of your driving privileges.
If you are driving without a license in Nebraska or without insurance and are stopped by law enforcement officers, you will be unable to present documents showing that you are licensed and insured. In this case, the officer is likely to issue you a citation that immediately suspends your license and registration, and you will be liable for all state-mandated penalties.
Minimum insurance required in Nebraska
Auto liability insurance provides crucial protection for drivers if they are involved in an accident and are determined to be responsible for injury to others or damage to their property. Nebraska requires that drivers in the state must carry at least the set minimum amounts of liability coverage.
Nebraska auto insurance laws require the following:
$25,000 per person for bodily injury
$50,000 per accident for bodily injury, meaning for more than a single person
$25,000 per accident for property damage
The average cost of minimum-coverage insurance in Nebraska is $513. This is lower than the national average of $644. Full coverage, which includes optional collision and comprehensive insurance, can be purchased in Nebraska for an average cost of $2,119, which is also below the national average of $2,314.
As accidents can quickly exceed these limits, minimum coverage likely won’t provide sufficient financial protection for you and your family if you are at fault in a serious accident. Consider consulting a licensed car insurance agent to discuss how much coverage you need before choosing the right Nebraska car insurance company for you.
Penalties for driving without insurance in Nebraska
You are likely to face several penalties if you are found to be driving without at least the minimum amount of coverage in Nebraska. Generally, it is considered a misdemeanor offense to drive without insurance. But if you have multiple convictions or you are driving without insurance after a serious accident that resulted in injury or death, you could be charged with a felony.
License suspension
Your license and driving privileges will be automatically suspended if you are convicted of having no proof of insurance. This is only the case, however, if you own the car you were driving. If you are not the owner, you will need to explain this to the court and plead innocent. If you do have insurance but didn’t have proof of your policy with you when you were stopped, bring your proof to the court within ten days of receiving the ticket. Your citation should then be dismissed, and there will be no cost to have your license and registration reinstated.
Fees
Once your license has been suspended, you will need to pay a $50 fee to reinstate your license, payable to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The fees may not be the only financial penalty, however. Insurers may charge more to drivers who have a history of infractions, and you may even be considered a high-risk driver by some, leading to higher average rates than drivers with a clean record.
SR-22 requirements
You may also be required to submit an SR-22 certificate to the DMV following your conviction for having no insurance. You will need to ask your insurer to submit this form for you. Simply stated, an SR-22 is proof of your financial responsibility, and it will remain a part of your driving record for three years from the date the ticket was issued.
Prison sentence
It is also possible to receive jail time for driving without insurance in Nebraska, especially if you have prior offenses or if your actions resulted in an accident causing injury or property damage. While jail time is not mandatory for a first offense of driving without insurance, it could be imposed at the discretion of the court, particularly if there are aggravating factors involved. The prison time may also increase with subsequent offenses.
Getting into an accident without insurance
Although being stopped without insurance may result in penalties in Nebraska, you may face more severe consequences if the lack of insurance was discovered following an accident, especially if you are at fault. Law enforcement officers will ask you for your proof of insurance when you are in an accident, and if you cannot supply it, you will be given a court date within ten days. Failing to present proof of insurance by your court date leaves you likely to receive some or all of the penalties listed above.
Having no insurance after an at-fault accident also leaves you liable for the costs of the accident, whether these are related to property damage or injury. Even a minor accident can result in significant costs, and you would need to find a way to pay these out-of-pocket if you do not have a valid insurance policy.
Having an accident without insurance can be financially disastrous. Even drivers on tight budgets should look for affordable car insurance that gives them adequate coverage if they are at fault in an accident. Finding the best car insurance for your needs may require some research, but you can often save on your insurance rate by shopping around and looking for discounts that will lower your premium rate.
Is Nebraska a no-fault state?
Nebraska is an at-fault, or tort, state rather than a no-fault state. What does this mean for you? Basically, at-fault states allow insurance companies to recover damage from the party that caused the accident.
It gets more complicated, though. Nebraska follows modified comparative negligence standards, which means the court can divide the responsibility for an accident among more than one party. Even if you are not insured, you will be responsible for the costs assigned to you by the court, which determines what percentage of the accident was your fault. If you have valid insurance, it’s likely that this would be covered by your policy.
Frequently asked questions
What if you provide false insurance information?Driving without insurance in Nebraska is illegal. If you’re caught, you could face fines, suspension of your license and other consequences. However, the penalties for lying about having insurance and providing false information to a law enforcement officer are even more severe, including steeper fines and potential jail time.
Should I report all accidents to my car insurance company?Deciding whether to file a claim will largely depend on how serious the accident is. For instance, you might file a claim if it will prevent you from paying out of pocket for damage to your vehicle or if people are injured. However, you may decide not to file if no other persons or vehicles are involved or the damage is extremely minor.
How long do you have to register a car in Nebraska?Nebraska law requires that you register and pay all sales taxes on cars within 30 days of buying the car. The fees and taxes may depend on your county, so the Nebraska DMV offers a motor vehicle tax estimator to help you get a sense of what you’ll owe. You also have to pay registration fees totaling $24.60. If you fail to register your car, there is a penalty for driving without registration in Nebraska. You may have to pay a fine of $25 and other penalties.
Is driving without a license illegal in Nebraska?Driving without a license in Nebraska is illegal, as it is across most of the U.S. A first conviction is a misdemeanor charge and leads to fines and potential license suspension. Subsequent offenses may have harsher penalties, especially if there are other factors involved—for example, if you are driving without insurance and have an at-fault accident. Then, you may face higher fines, the possibility of jail time and your vehicle could be impounded.
