Almost every state requires its licensed drivers to have a minimum amount of insurance coverage. The required insurance generally includes bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage in certain minimum amounts.
You are required to show proof of the minimum insurance coverage to a police officer when you are stopped for a moving traffic violation or involved in a traffic accident—and you may receive a citation if you are not able to show proof of insurance. And in some states you are required to show proof of insurance to register your car. In those states, the failure to register your car may result in an additional citation.
In New Mexico (NM), drivers are legally required to carry auto insurance that meets or exceeds certain minimum coverage amounts. The required coverage typically includes bodily injury liability and property damage liability. As of the knowledge cutoff in 2023, New Mexico requires bodily injury liability coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, and property damage liability coverage of at least $10,000. Drivers must provide proof of this insurance when stopped by law enforcement for a traffic violation or when involved in an accident. Failure to provide proof of insurance can result in a citation. Additionally, proof of insurance is necessary to register a vehicle in New Mexico, and driving an unregistered vehicle may lead to further citations.