What car insurance costs in Hawaii

Hawaii's 2023 premium against the U.S.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) reports the premiums insurers actually earned in each state, and its most recent state year is 2023. Hawaii's average expenditure was $888 per insured car, only 5% above the $844 of 2022, the smallest increase of any state or D.C. in the table. Expenditure combines liability-only and fully covered cars; a car carrying all three main coverages averaged $998.

Every line came in under the national average. Liability was about 37% lower, collision about 10% lower, and comprehensive, at $117, was roughly half the U.S. figure and the lowest in the 2023 table. The NAIC doesn't say why. Keep in mind that 2023 liability prices reflect the old 20/40/10 minimum, so a minimum-limits policy today buys more coverage and, per the Insurance Division, costs more.

Hawaii's required coverage since 2026

For personal auto policies that start or renew on or after January 1, 2026, Hawaii requires bodily injury liability of at least $40,000 per person and $80,000 per accident and property damage liability of $20,000 per accident. The Insurance Division explains that the old 20/40/10 limits were set many years ago and no longer kept pace with medical and repair costs.

• Personal injury protection (PIP) of at least $10,000 is still mandatory. It covers your own medical and rehabilitation costs regardless of fault, which is the no-fault part of Hawaii's system.
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage must be offered to you. You can reject each one, but only in writing.
• Collision and comprehensive aren't statutory minimums, though a lender or leasing company may require them.

The Insurance Division also points out that a serious crash can exceed even the new limits. To see how higher liability or uninsured motorist limits would change your bill, read our guide to limits and deductibles.

Rate review and the credit ban

Insurers must file their rates and any rate increase requests with the Hawaii Insurance Division, which reviews them to make sure they are not excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory. The Division also publishes a yearly Motor Vehicle Premium Comparison Guide that lists premiums from the insurers selling in Hawaii. Insurer rate filings can be looked up from the Division's website.

Credit plays no part. Hawaii Revised Statutes § 431:10C-207 forbids basing any auto standard or rating plan, directly or indirectly, on a credit bureau rating. If you've moved from a state where credit counted, your score won't follow you into a Hawaii quote; see our page on credit-based insurance scores for how other states handle it.

Free coverage and the joint underwriting plan

Hawaii runs a joint underwriting plan, supervised by the Insurance Commissioner, for drivers who can't reasonably get insurance at regular rates or can't get it at all through ordinary channels. AIPSO, which administers such plans, lists it as the Hawaii Joint Underwriting Plan. The same plan carries one of the state's consumer programs: free minimum coverage for some drivers on public assistance.

Licensed drivers who receive public assistance in the form of direct cash payments, or Supplemental Security Income, can get coverage through the plan, and no premium is charged for the mandatory minimum PIP, bodily injury and property damage coverage. The program does not include the uninsured and underinsured motorist offers. Our overview of state low-cost auto insurance programs compares it with programs elsewhere.

Getting a lower Hawaii premium

1. 1 Start with the state's comparison guide. The Insurance Division's Motor Vehicle Premium Comparison Guide shows what insurers charge; use it to pick two or three companies, then request quotes on the same coverage.
2. 2 Ask about the discounts the Division lists: a defensive driving course, a claims-free record, a vehicle with advanced safety features and membership in an eligible group. None is required by law, so amounts vary by insurer.
3. 3 Rethink the deductible. Collision is already below the U.S. average here, but a higher deductible can still trim it; the deductible break-even calculator shows how long it takes to come out ahead.
4. 4 Call the Insurance Division with problems. Its consumer line is 1-844-808-DCCA (3222), and the Division publishes complaint ratios by insurer and takes complaints online.

Questions drivers ask