Indiana, the 19th state, is home to world-class sports events such as the Indianapolis 500, the 400 Brickyard, Formula One, the RCA Tennis Championships, NFL, NBA and NHL teams. Needless to say, Indiana residents and tourists can always find something to do. Sometimes known as “The Crossroads of America”, Indiana’s waterways, train stations and railroads are some of the best in the U.S. Drivers can find attractions year-round across the state.
NAIC.org reports that the state’s auto insurance premiums have been consistently below the national average, and reflect the national average cycles accurately. Here is what you can expect to pay for car insurance throughout the state of Indiana based on vehicle type and your current city:
Costs by County:
Sedan:
SUV:
Coupe:
Truck:
Hybrid:
Adams
$579
$527
$651
$622
$677
Allen
$589
$534
$648
$620
$680
Bartholomew
$580
$528
$648
$621
$674
Benton
$673
$615
$761
$725
$791
Blackford
$579
$527
$651
$622
$677
Boone
$589
$534
$656
$629
$686
Brown
$631
$575
$713
$683
$740
Carroll
$579
$527
$651
$622
$677
Cass
$579
$527
$651
$622
$677
Clark
$639
$584
$707
$674
$737
Minimum Requirements for Car Insurance in Indiana
Indiana’s Department of Insurance states that Indiana law requires liability coverage on all vehicles. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may be refused in writing.
Liability Coverage minimums:
$25,000 per single bodily injury or death.
$50,000 per multiple bodily injury or deaths.
$10,000 for property damage.
New Driver License Requirements
Indiana requires all drivers to obtain a state drivers license within 60 days of residency. New drivers and drivers with no out of state license must first apply for a learner’s permit to enable the applicant to learn to drive. To obtain a learner’s permit, an applicant must:
Be at least 15 years old
Complete an approved driver education course
Pass the vision and knowledge tests
Log 50 hours of drive time including 10 hours of nighttime driving
If under 18 years of age, the applicant must provide an Agreement of Financial Responsibility.
A probationary license is a regular driver’s license issued to drivers under the age of 18. The license can be amended to remove the probationary restriction upon the driver’s 18th birthday. Probationary licenses hold the following restrictions:
All occupants in the vehicle must wear a seat belt
For the first 180 days, no passengers may be present unless accompanied by a licensed driver age 25 or older. This individual must be seated in the front adjacent to the driver
Cell phone use is strictly prohibited
The driver may not drive between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am for the first 180 days after being issued the license
After the first 180 days, the driver may not drive during the following times:
Sunday through Thursday after 11 pm
Monday through Friday before 5 am
Saturday and Sunday between 1 am and 5 am
The following conditions allow the driver to drive in the times listed above only when:
Accompanied by a licensed driver age 25 or older
Going to work, religious event or school
Vision Exam. Applicants must pass the exam with a visual acuity of at least 20/40 to obtain a license with no restrictions. Indiana provides multiple restrictions to allow drivers with varying eyesight driving privileges. For further information regarding vision restrictions, refer to the Indiana Driver’s Manual.
Knowledge Test. Consisting of multiple choice questions, the knowledge requires the applicant to demonstrate understanding of traffic signs, signals and regulations. Information included on the exam can be found in the Indiana Driver’s Manual.
Road Skills Test. Applicants taking the road skills test must provide a vehicle that is properly registered, insured, licensed and maintained. A licensed driver must drive the vehicle to and from the testing site.
The applicant’s skills will be tested in the following areas:
Driving in the proper lane
Following distance
Being overtaken and/or passed by another vehicle
Speed control
Demonstrate defensive driving techniques
Follow instructions and observing general traffic flow
Intersection approach
Backing the vehicle
Parallel parking
If the driver fails the skills test, he/she must wait 14 days to re-take the test. If, while holding a learner’s permit, the driver fails 3 attempts, the driver must wait 30 days to re-test.
Fees. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicle’s Fee Chart lists the following fees for Indiana drivers licenses:
Probationary license, 4 years, $14.50
Regular drivers license for applicants under 75 years of age:
4-year, $14.50
5-year, $16
6-year, $17.50
A regular drivers license for applicants ages 75 to 85 is valid for 3 years and holds an $11 fee
A regular drivers license for applicants over the age of 85 is valid for 2 years and holds a $7 fee
DUI & DWI Laws
BAC limit: .08 Indiana law has implemented a mandatory imprisonment sentence on all Operating While under the Influence (OWI) offense. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has provided additional information on its website. The following is a list of the state’s penalties for DUI convictions:
First Offense:
Minimum 60 days and maximum 1 year imprisonment
Minimum $500 and maximum $5,000 fine
License suspension of maximum 2 years
When involving under age passengers and/or injury collision, additional penalties are required
Second Offense:
Minimum 5 days and maximum 3 years imprisonment
$10,000 fine
License suspension of minimum 180 days to maximum 2 years
When involving under age passengers and/or injury collision, additional penalties are required
Third Offense:
Minimum 10 days and maximum 3 years imprisonment
$10,000 fine
License suspension of minimum 1 year and maximum 10 years
Ignition Interlock Device may be implemented
When involving under age passengers and/or injury collision, additional penalties are required
Increased fines, extended imprisonment and permanent loss of driving penalties occur for additional offenses.
Driving Resources
State Department of Insurance
Indiana Department of Insurance 311 W. Washington St. Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN, 46204 (317) 232-2385 www.in.gov/idoi Get Directions
Department of Transportation
Indiana Department of Transportation 100 N. Senate Ave. Room 758 Indianapolis, IN 46204 317-233-4688 www.in.gov/indot Get Directions
Department of Motor Vehicles
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles Indiana Government Center North Room 402 100 N. Senate Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46204 (888) 692-6841 www.in.gov/bmv Get Directions