Indiana Auto Insurance [Quotes + Definitive Coverage Guide]

Indiana is a place of beauty, with its expansive fields to its lush farmland. Enjoy going to auto races? Well, you’re in luck! Indiana is home to the world-renowned Indianapolis 500 every May. Race fans rejoice!

A race you shouldn’t have to endure, however, is the race to finding the right auto insurance that works for you. Researching insurance information can be really hard, and can take hours going through all the different websites and reviews. It can be an exhaustive search, but we’re here to help you with this important decision with our comprehensive guide.

More: Best Cheap Auto Insurance in South Bend, IN (2022)

What all will our comprehensive guide cover? We will dive into auto insurance coverage, providers, state rules, and more so you can get off to the races.

Don’t forget to use our FREE online tool above to compare rates in your area!

Indiana Auto Insurance Coverage and Rates

Having to sort through all of the information for insurance coverage can be extremely frustrating. Even more frustrating is to have to pay for coverage that you don’t even understand fully. We want you to feel comfortable with the decision you make, it is your money after all.

More: Best Cheap Auto Insurance in Griffith, IN (2022)

We’ve explained all of the major coverage types, rates, and insurance companies in Indiana. So keep reading for a break down of Indiana’s insurance coverage and rates below!

Indiana Minimum Coverage

State laws require that every driver is to have minimum coverage for auto insurance in Indiana on their car. What does this mean? Its coverage that ensures that in the case of an accident, a driver is able to pay off the costs for things such as injuries and property damage.

As of January 1, 2019, Indiana follows a minimum liability limit of what is referred to as a 25/50/25. Below is an explanation of what exactly a minimum limit like this means.

• $25,000 to pay for bodily injury per person
• $50,000 to pay for the total bodily injury per accident
• $25,000 to pay for property damage per accident

More: Auto Insurance in Evansville, IN (The Complete Guide)

This minimum liability is fairly typical in many states, with a higher amount for the injuries of multiple people than for property damage. Something to consider is that while these amounts seem pretty large, they are the MINIMUM amount. This amount can run out quickly in the event of a hefty accident, so it’s always a wise decision to purchase more than the minimum auto insurance plan. It ensures that you have the best protection.

Minimum coverage costs vary from state to state.

Forms of Financial Responsibility

Due to the insurance requirements in Indiana, there are forms that the law deems all drivers need to have that will prove their financial responsibility. In essence, it’s to prove that you have the minimum required liability insurance to be a lawful driver in the state of Indiana.

What are acceptable forms of financial responsibility? Any of the following would be deemed as legitimate proof according to Indiana:

• Valid Liability Insurance ID Cards
• Copy of Your Current Car’s Insurance Policy
• Valid Insurance Binder (a temporary form of auto insurance)

If you have at least one of these forms of financial security, you are able to operate your vehicle. Should you be pulled over in a traffic stop or are in an accident, you will have to show this financial security, along with your car’s registration and your driver’s license.

In the case that you do not have some sort of financial security documentation on you, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) will send a notification to request that you provide proof of financial responsibility. You may receive this notification due to any of the following situations:

• Auto accident
• Moving traffic violation within one year of receiving at least two other moving traffic violations
• Misdemeanor or felony traffic violation
• Traffic violation by a driver who has previously had their license suspended for failing to provide proof of financial responsibility.

In this instance, immediately contact your auto insurance provider and request that they electronically submit a Certificate of Compliance (COC) to the BMV. Should you not submit a COC within 90 days of the BMV’s mailing of the request, your driving privileges will be suspended. Once suspended, you will need to have your insurance provider or employer submit proof of financial responsibility, known as an SR-22 form, in order to get that suspension removed from your driving record. Your suspension will be continued until your insurance provider files an effective SR-22 form.

Moral of the story? Always have your proof of insurance with you when you’re driving!

Premiums as a Percentage of Income

How exactly are premiums calculated for a particular state? Well, it’s actually based on a term known as ‘per capita disposable income’. What does this mean? Think about it this way; think of your annual incoming salary as one lump sum. So say you make $50,000 after taxes. This is considered your ‘disposable income’. So combine your disposable income with that of all the other people in your state, average that out, and that is your average per capita income.

For the state of Indiana, the average per capita income is $39,364. Averaging this value out, this means that the average monthly disposable income (monthly per capita) is approximately $3,030.33.

What does this mean for you in terms of auto insurance? Well, the average Indianan citizen pays about $728.93 per year for their auto insurance. This means that a monthly full coverage premium for auto insurance in the state of Indiana is about $60.74. So subtract that from your $3,030.33 average disposable income, and that leaves you with $2969.59 for everything else you need for the month. Your rent/mortgage, health insurance, food, electricity/water, etc. All of that from that remaining $2969.59 total.

In summary: On average, Indiana citizens will pay $60.74 per month for their auto insurance

The average American citizen pays approximately $981 per year for their auto insurance. Indiana’s average is actually lower than the national average, which is great for Indiana citizens! This means that you will pay less than the average American for your auto insurance.

We want you to maximize that disposable income for yourself and your family, so finding the best rates for the optimal prices is going to be key!

Average Monthly Auto Insurance Rates in IN (Liability, Collision, Comprehensive)

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The information listed above is what Indiana citizens can expect to pay annually for each coverage type. This data is pulled from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, one of the leading sources on the matter.

Keep in mind with this information, however, that this data was pulled from 2015. Rates in 2021 will likely be higher than these values. Indiana made our list of the best states for full coverage auto insurance, however, which means Indiana rates are lower than average.

It’s vital for you to have the required insurance, but having additional coverage is something for you to highly consider. Consider it your extra pillows should you fall on a hard place.

So what kind of extra coverage can you get? The next topic we will cover is the main kinds of coverage options that you can add in addition to your basic insurance plan.

Additional Liability Coverage

There are several add-on coverage types that are optional in the state of Indiana: Med Pay, Uninsured, and Under-insured Motorist.

This all sounds fancy, but what exactly does this stuff do and how would it benefit you? Well, for example, you happen to get into an accident with someone without insurance. They’re supposed to have their basic insurance, but they don’t, so they have to pay out the wazoo to pay for the costs of the accident. Maybe even go bankrupt in the process. What would that mean for you? Well if the accident was that person’s fault, and you happened to be injured, they’re not going to be able to pay for your medical bills. They likely won’t even be able to help pay for the property damage to your car. So if your car also happened to be totaled, all of those costs are now dumped onto you!

Indiana currently has a 16.7 percent of uninsured drivers in the state. How high is this percentage? It ranks as the 8th highest percentage in the United States!

Imagine this percentage of uninsured drivers driving out there next to you, and think about what could happen if they can’t pay for an accident they caused.

Referring back to the table above, what does all of this information mean to you? Well, in short, a loss ratio basically means that a company with a high loss ratio of over 100 percent loses money. So this high loss ratio company is having to pay out too many claims and is at risk of going bankrupt. A company that has a low loss ratio, on the other hand, isn’t pay out enough claims. Applying this to the state of Indiana, you can see that both the Med Pay and Uninsured/Under-insured have both increased over the years.

This is ironically good news. The top United States insurance companies have typically had loss ratios that have ranged from 94-122 percent in 2015. Indiana is well below these numbers, but Med Pay and Uninsured/Under-insured ratios are starting to slowly increase. Definitely something to keep an eye on!

Moral of the story for this section? Consider adding Med Pay and Uninsured/Under-insured Motorist coverage and try to avoid companies that have too high or too low loss ratios.

Add-Ons, Endorsements, and Riders

So we’ve already delved into what additional coverage you can add to your minimum coverage in previous sections, but what else is available for you to add?

We’ve collected a list of some of the most affordable coverages you can add to your plan.

Check any of the following additional coverage options to learn more:

• Guaranteed Auto Protection 
• Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP)
• Rental Reimbursement
• Emergency Roadside Assistance
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
• Non-Owner Auto Insurance
• Modified Auto Insurance Coverage
• Classic Auto Insurance
• Low-Mileage Discount

These options are obviously additional. However, they can make wonderful additions to your policy. The more the merrier, right?

Average Auto Insurance Rates by Age & Gender in IN

Did you know that there are other outside factors that determine your auto insurance rates? Factors you wouldn’t have even fathomed could be considered in the first place. Factors such as whether you’re male or female if you’re married or single, and even how old you are.

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A lot of data, but all of this shows the average annual rates for a variety of demographics in Indiana. A couple of interesting points to note:

• Married females tend to pay roughly the same, if not slightly more for certain companies, as married males
• Single 17-year-old males pay significantly more than single 17-year-old females
• Single 25-year-old males pay only slightly more than single 25-year-old females

A lot of insurers are trying to eliminate these biases by having a similar rate for both genders. You can see, for example, that insurers such as American Family Mutual, First Liberty Ins Corp, and State Farm Mutual Auto have the exact same rates for both married males and females. Age though still seems to play a huge part in insurance rates in the state of Indiana. It appears that single 17-year-old males are the hardest hit with insurance companies.

Highest and Lowest Insurance Rates by ZIP Code

So we’ve seen how demographics play a role in your insurance rates, but did you know your location can also play a factor?

Below is a complete list of the cheapest and most expensive ZIP codes in Indiana along with the average cost of insurance by providers in those locations. If you’re curious as to how your ZIP code ranks, take a look at the rates below.

Lafayette has a number of the cheapest ZIP codes.

Highest and Lowest Insurance Rates by City

Next, let’s take a look at how much insurance costs by city.

Lafayette, the city with the cheapest ZIP codes, is also the cheapest city for auto insurance.

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Indiana Auto Insurance Companies

Given all of this information, who exactly is the best insurer for you in the state of Indiana? You want to get the best bang for your buck, and with an insurer who’s going to give you the most for your money. The last thing we want is for you to spend your hard-earned money for anything less than the best coverage and rates for you.

We’ve searched through all of the biggest auto insurance companies in Indiana to help you in your search! We’ve covered everything from the companies’ ratings, to the complaints they’ve received, their AM Best Rating, and more.

Off to the races!

The Largest Companies Financial Ratings

There is a rating specifically for an insurer’s financial strength known as the AM Best Rating. It helps to let you know, the consumer, essentially how reliable that particular insurer is financially. Below is a list of the largest insurance companies in Indiana by market share and their AM financial ratings.

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We talked in a previous section about the loss ratio, and how a company shouldn’t have too high (over 100 percent) or too low of a loss ratio. Fortunately, none of the companies listed are in danger of going bankrupt due to too high of a loss ratio.

Companies with the Most Complaints in Indiana

The data listed below shows the ranking for auto insurance providers in the state of Indiana based on their complaint ratios. Data was gathered from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and Indiana’s Department of Insurance, between the years of 2012 and 2014.

Indiana Auto Insurance Rates by Company

Below is data for auto insurance rates by insurance providers

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Cost of Commutes by Carrier

How far you drive can factor into your rates as well for some companies, though they don’t affect your rates as much as some other factors.

Most insurance groups are roughly around the same annual average, with the major differences in commute and annual mileage being the provider themself. Notably, the largest leap in price is with Liberty Mutual, which has a larger spike in price than some of the others do.

Coverage Level Rates in Indiana

Having the lowest coverage because of the lower cost may be tempting, but what does that entail? Are you still getting the most coverage for that? Or are you simply paying for that lower price?

So, for example, the data above states that the average annual cost for a USAA high coverage plan only differs by $120.46 from that of the low coverage plan. You’d be getting a high coverage plan to cover all of your basis and only be paying slightly more than you would be for the low coverage plan.

Without doing your homework, you could be paying for a low coverage plan when you could be getting a lot more coverage for only slightly more money

Credit History Rates

Not-so-surprisingly, your credit history can play a major factor in what kind of insurance rate you will pay.

According to Experian, the average credit score for those who live in Indiana is 667, with an average of 2.88 credit cards and an average balance of $5,581 on those credit cards.

Want to know something cool though? Indiana is one of the top 10 states with the lowest credit card debt! Keep up the good work Indiana!

Driving Record Rates

How well you drive can play just as big of a factor as all of the other factors combined. The better your driving record, the lower your insurance rates will be.

From the table above, even one DUI on your record could mean additional thousands of dollars you’ll have to pay annually. Liberty Mutual, for instance, went up by almost $4000 PER YEAR for one DUI as opposed to a clean driving record.

Number of Insurers in Indiana

The number of insurers in the state of Indiana can also affect rates.

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You may be wondering, given the information in the table above, what exactly is the difference between domestic and foreign insurance? Well, in essence, domestic insurance is the type of insurance formed directly under Indianan law. Foreign insurance is formed under the laws of any other state in the United States. So if someone who is from North Carolina is driving through Indiana, they would be holding foreign insurance.

Indiana State Laws

Now that we have all of that information out of the way, we’ll move on to discussing Indiana state laws. Laws in and of themselves can be extremely confusing, especially very state-specific ones. After all, there are currently 50 states in the United States, and each state has laws that are very specific and unique to those states. There may be some who have lived in Indiana all of their lives and may need a refresh course on the laws, or there may be some of you who are brand new to Indiana and need to learn everything from the ground up.

Daunting as that may sound, we’re here to help break down all that you need to know about these laws in Indiana. We want to prepare you for what’s out there, the last thing we’d want is for you to get ticketed because of some law you didn’t even know existed! We’ve put together a comprehensive list of all the most important driving laws you’re going to want to know. Proceed to the next section and we’ll get started!

Auto Insurance Laws

Each state has the ability to determine the type of laws and thresholds that they would like to apply to their particular state. From things such as liability insurance required, to the system used for the approval of insurer rates, seat belt requirements, drunk driving laws, and even maximum speed limits.

As we had talked about in a previous section, Indiana required minimum coverage of 25/50/25 for all motor vehicles. Other types of proof of insurance that they are willing to accept are a bond, a deposit of money or securities, and a certificate of self-insurance.

High-Risk Insurance

Are you a high-risk driver? What does that even mean? Well, if you’ve ever had any of the following, you could be considered high risk:

• DUI
• Multiple Traffic Violations
• Driving while uninsured
• Any traffic violations that have resulted in a fatality or serious injury
• A high number of points on your driving record
• Over 70 years of age
• Own a ‘high risk’ vehicle (sports cars, etc)

These kinds of offenses can normally make it pretty difficult to find an insurer who will offer you coverage. However, the state of Indiana offers auto insurance through something known as the Automobile Insurance Plan (AIP). This plan was created for these high-risk drivers who couldn’t normally get insurance through the voluntary market, but who still need insurance. The program was created back in 1948 and has an agreement among all of the licensed auto insurance providers in the state, stating that they would accept a share of high risk driver who matched their particular share of the market. How does one qualify for this type of coverage, you may ask?

In order to be able to apply to AIP, you must show proof that you have applied to, and have been declined by a minimum of three different insurance companies within a 60-day period.

Something important to note: you may even be ineligible for AIP coverage if you have an unpaid premium from another auto insurance company OR if you have misrepresented any of the information you submitted in your AIP application. If you pay the outstanding premium for the other auto insurance company, you can re-apply any time. However, if you’re caught misrepresenting yourself, you will likely have to wait 12 months to reapply. So make sure you tell the truth when applying for this!

Low-Cost Insurance

To get low-cost insurance in Indiana, the best course of action is to obviously have a clean driving record. Currently, there are only three states in the United States who provide Low-Cost Auto Insurance programs to those individuals who fall under low-income; California, Hawaii, and New Jersey.

While Indiana doesn’t necessarily offer a government-sponsored insurance program for those low-income drivers, there are various organizations in the state who will help those in need. There is a nonprofit law firm, for instance, Indiana Legal Services, Inc. (ILS), which provides free legal assistance to those eligible for low-income in the state.

There are plenty of other ways in order to cut down on costs for auto insurance, so don’t get discouraged! Talk to your insurance provider to see if they offer any discounts. Common discounts include good driver discounts, anti-theft discounts, accident-free discounts, homeowners discounts, good student discounts, multi-car discounts, and more.

 

windshield coverage

Did you know that some states require insurers to have windshield coverage?

Indiana does not require drivers to have windshield coverage. For vehicles that are less than 5 years old, you can choose OEM, aftermarket, or used parts in order to replace/repair a damaged windshield.

Just because it isn’t required, doesn’t mean it isn’t something for you to consider! What would you do if during a really cold winter storm, your windshield cracks from the cold? Well, if you have comprehensive insurance, there’s a high likelihood that your insurer will help cover that. They could repair or even replace your windshield, depending on your insurer. So definitely make sure to ask when you’re comparing plans to see if something like this is covered!

Automobile Insurance Fraud in Indiana

What is auto insurance fraud? Well, it’s the act of deceiving an auto insurance company for the purpose of some sort of monetary gain. It is, of course, a crime in the state of Indiana, as well as all of the other states in the country. Indiana has a fraud bureau, like most states, to help catch these individuals who commit this crime.

According to IIHS, there are two ways in which you can commit insurance fraud:

1. Hard fraud which includes faking an accident or making a false claim intentionally
2. Soft fraud which includes adding items onto a legitimate claim that don’t belong or even manipulating information on a policy to achieve a lower premium

Committing such a crime can lead to fines, community service, and even jail time. Moral of this story? Don’t try to add any “extra” things to your claim or try and fake something. Saving a few pennies isn’t worth putting you behind jail bars!

Statute of Limitations

How long do you have to file a claim after an accident? Each state is different in its requirements for this, but if you don’t file a claim within a certain time period, you won’t receive any of the money that you are owed. The time frame starts from the day of the accident you are into when you submit your claim.

For the state of Indiana, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims and property damage claims are both two years.

This means that from the day of your accident, you have two years to make your claim to an insurance provider. It may seem like a pretty long time to make a claim, but when life gets in the way and you’re dealing with the after-effects of the accident you’re in, it can seem like the blink of an eye. So the quicker you file your claim, the better!

Indiana’s “No Pay, No Play” Statutes

The state of Indiana found that there were many drivers who weren’t getting their required insurance, trying to fly under the radar. What this meant was that not having insurance didn’t really affect those drivers when they weren’t at fault in the case of an accident. Meaning? If you were driving without insurance, you could still make claims since you were not at fault for the accident. Even without your required minimum insurance. So, in July of 2015, Indiana enacted statutes that were intended to limit damages by uninsured drivers who had a history of driving without insurance. The statutes are commonly referred to as “no pay, no play”.

What does this do to uninsured drivers? Well, according to these statutes, that means that uninsured motorists can not collect non-economic damages from the at-fault driver/their insurance carrier. What are non-economic damages according to this statute?

• Emotion/Physical Pain and Suffering
• Physical Impairment
• Loss of Enjoyment/Companionship/Services
• Any other non-pecuniary loss

In case this didn’t encourage you to make sure you have insurance, the fact that this insurance law also applies to passengers too should! This means that regardless of whether the uninsured driver (with previous violations) was operating the vehicle, the statutes will still apply to you. There are some exceptions to the rule in this instance, such as the uninsured driver is someone who is less than 18 year old, or if the injury/damage was done intentionally. Long story short, even if you don’t get caught not having insurance in the state of Indiana, you could be hit big-time with costs should you get into an accident of some sort.

Vehicle Licensing Laws

As mentioned previously, it is required by law in the state of Indiana to have at least the minimum required insurance coverage. If you are caught driving without your insurance, there are pretty considerably strict penalties that you will be faced with. We know that money can be tight, but the penalties may help encourage you to think twice about skipping your auto insurance policy.

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Not only will your car’s registration be suspended so you can’t drive your own car, but your license will also be suspended. Meaning you can’t drive ANY vehicle! So while you may not have to necessarily pay a fine, you will automatically go from driving without insurance to not be able to drive at all! So be sure to always have your proof of insurance, driver’s license, and your car’s registration if you are ever pulled over by law enforcement.

Teen Driver Laws

How old do you have to be to start driving in the state of Indiana? Well, teens as young as 15 years old are able to get their learner’s permits. To get a license (or a restricted license), there are a few requirements teens have to meet:

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In addition to these requirements, teen drivers must also follow the following rules:

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Older Driver License Renewal Procedures

Just like there are rules for younger drivers, there are also rules for older drivers in Indiana.

The general population of Indiana citizens only have to renew their drivers license once every six years, however, older drivers are required to renew their drivers license every three years for those aged 75-84 years old, and every two years for those 85 years old and over.

In addition to this, older drivers are also required to have proof of adequate vision EVERY renewal and are not permitted to mail their renewal or do it online, requiring that all older drivers have to come into the DMV to renew their license. So if you fall into this age range, don’t forget that you have to go in person to renew your license as well as making sure you have an appointment with your eye doctor.

New Residents

If you were to decide that Indiana was the place you wanted to make your home, you will need to get your auto insurance sorted out. As previously stated, Indiana requires a minimum liability insurance policy.

You will need to contact your insurance provider to make sure that you change your existing policy to match the Indiana minimum, as well as to make sure they give you your updated insurance cards. Make sure to put a star next to this item on your to-do list when you’re settling into your new home in Indiana!

License Renewal Procedures

As mentioned in the older drivers section, Indiana citizens are required to renew their license every six years. Fortunately, if you are not a teen/older driver, you can actually submit your renewal online. You don’t have to step foot in a DMV!

There is an online portal for the Indiana DMV where residents can renew their licenses online. No more long waits in the DMV office!

You will need to provide proof of adequate vision at least once every ten years, so you will still have to make at least one visit to the DMV in person. But when you only have to make an eye doctor visit and a trip to the DMV once every decade, the task doesn’t seem that daunting.

Negligent Drivers

Now let’s talk a little about negligent driving. Under Indiana law, a negligent driver is someone who is driving in a reckless manner that puts them and others/property in danger. Indiana takes these offenses very seriously, and drivers driving recklessly can be faced with some pretty hefty penalties.

If someone were to be injured due to negligent driving’ you can be fined up to $1,000, possible license suspension for up to a year, or even up to 180 days of jail time for just a first time offender. Penalties in the case of injury after the passing of a school bus are even higher with fines up to $5,000 and up to a year incarceration as well as a suspended license.

Avoid reckless driving as much as possible! Keep not only yourself safe, but other drivers on the road. Plus, a bad driving record can increase your rates, so even minor offenses can lead to increased rates.

Indiana’s Rules of the Road

We’ve gone over a good number of topics regarding rules and regulations of driving in the state of Indiana. But there are a few road-specific laws that we’re going to jump into now. Continue reading to learn more about Indiana’s rules of the road!

Fault versus No-Fault

A majority of states use what is known as the no-fault rule for accidents. This means that if a driver is injured during an accident, they must use their insurance to collect compensation for it up to the limit of their policy. They the costs of the injury exceed those limits, they can sue or file a claim from the driver at the fault of the accident for additional compensation.

So, for instance, let’s say that our friend Bob is driving down the road and is hit by Vicky, who wasn’t paying attention at the time. Vicky was at-fault during the accident, as she was the one who hit Bob. During this accident, Bob sustains neck injuries that will require surgery of some sort. Both drivers have insurance, so Bob collects money from his insurance company to pay for his surgeries. However, he hits his limit due to the severity of his injury, so he decides to sue Vicky for the additional costs.

This is not the case in Indiana. Instead of our friend Bob had to use his own insurance to pay for the injuries he sustained during the accident, as well as the damages to his car, he would use the insurance policy of the at-fault driver. Bob would use Vicky’s insurance policy to cover the costs of his surgery. Let’s say in this situation that Vicky actually doesn’t have any auto insurance. She would still have to pay for all of Bob’s injuries/damages, and would likely completely drain her bank account in the process. So making sure you have your insurance is vital in Indiana!

Keep Right and Move Over Laws

If you are driving in Indiana and are going slower than the speed limit, you will usually be required to keep in the right lane, with a few exceptions.

The move over laws in Indiana are fairly straight forward. It states that you should always move over for the following vehicles unless you are passing or are turning left.

Passing on the right side is allowed under a few conditions such as:

• When the vehicle overtaken makes, or is about to make, a left turn
• Roadways with unobstructed pavement that isn’t wide enough for two vehicles

These laws were enacted in order to prevent construction workers or other pedestrians from having to deal with cars weaving onto the shoulder. Safe roads make everyone happy!

Speed Limits

One of the most common moving traffic violations is for speeding. One of the most frustrating tickets to get, speeding tickets can add needless points against your license as well as cost you the money you could be using elsewhere. Getting familiar with the speed limits in various areas of Indiana can help keep you out of trouble and ticket free!

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These limits are only the MAXIMUM speed limits for each type of road. Limits may vary from roadway to roadway depending on where you are in Indiana, so make sure you pay very close attention to any posted traffic signs.

Seat Belt and Car Seat Laws

At the core of seat belt and child safety seat laws in Indiana, safety is the most important thing. They want to keep you and your children protected in the best ways possible.

If you don’t follow the rules in place for these things, you could find yourself paying a fine. So avoid all of that and make sure you are familiar with the rules!

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There are currently no state laws regarding restrictions on riding in cargo areas of a pickup truck.

Ridesharing

Most people in today’s society are familiar with ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft. If you were to work for such a company, you will need to have ride-sharing insurance as well as a vehicle inspection. Before you start working for any of these types of companies, make sure to ask your provider if they provide ride-sharing insurance. If not you might have to find a different insurer who offers this type of insurance.

Here is a list of insurers we’ve found for you in Indiana who offer ride-sharing insurance:

• Allstate
• Erie
• Farmers
• Geico
• Safeco
• State Farm
• USAA

Automation on the Road

When you hear the term ‘automation on the road’, you likely are thinking of something like self-driving cars. This isn’t the case just yet, but more think more along the lines of features such as cruise control or vehicle detection. Not as fun to think about, but some states have rules and regulations on these types of technologies. Indiana is one of 19 states who have regulated platooning technology. What in the world in that? It’s something that will allow groups of individual trucks/buses to travel together when there are set distances between them at electronically coordinated speeds.

Aside from this, Indiana currently does have any other laws managing the use of automated vehicles.

Safety Laws

Now we’re going to move onto laws regarding safety on the road in Indiana. That includes some of the big-ticket items such as DUI’s, marijuana, and distracted driving.

DUI Laws

In 2017, there were 220 total alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in the state of Indiana alone. A staggering number, but a reason as to why these types of laws are in effect in the state, to prevent such statistics in the future. There a few key things to note for the DUI laws in Indiana, seen in the chart below.

There are very specific penalties that happen when someone is caught driving under the influence, or as Indiana calls it Operating While Intoxicated.

If you drink and drive in Indiana, you will have to pay thousands of dollars in fines, license suspensions, and even jail-time.

A second offense DUI is considered a felony in the state of Indiana.

If all of this information didn’t already make you cringe, just think about the fact that you will ALSO have to pay for increased premiums from your insurance providers with a DUI. Save yourself, as well as others, the heartache and don’t drive while under the influence. Have that drink when you’re in the safety of your own home, OR if you find yourself out on the town you can always phone a friend. Ride-sharing services, such as Uber and Lyft as mentioned previously, are also available if you want to go out and party on a Friday night. They will take you home and you won’t risk having to deal with getting slapped with a DUI offense.

Marijuana-Impaired Driving Laws

As of recently, a lot of states have been legalizing the use of marijuana. States such as California, Maine, and Colorado, for instance, have completely legalized the use of marijuana. Other states are more mixed, legalizing marijuana for medical use while keeping recreational marijuana use illegal. Then there are states, such as Indiana, where marijuana is still completely illegal.

When it comes to driving while marijuana-impaired, each state tends to vary depending on its current views on marijuana. In Indiana, however, they operate under a zero-tolerance for THC and metabolites policy. This means that you could get into some serious trouble. If you are caught, you could be fined or even imprisoned.

Distracted Driving Laws

Distracted driving can vary on an entire spectrum of things, but since the dawn of the smartphone and cellphone age, states have been cracking down on this particular aspect of distracted driving. Below are just a few of Indiana’s rules about distracted driving.

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So if you find yourself prone to checking your phone while driving, maybe put it into airplane mode to keep yourself fully focused on the road.

Indiana Facts You Can’t-Miss!

Now that we have mastered some of the laws in Indiana, we’re going to move onto some of the absolute must-know driving facts about Indiana. Owning and operating a vehicle is enough work as it is, but know exactly what you’re dealing with in Indiana will make life just a little bit easier for you. If you are able to know about all the risks associated with driving in Indiana, it can help you keep a close eye for any major risk factors. We want you to be as safe as possible!

Keep reading to find out more about the unique risks of driving in the state of Indiana!

Vehicle Theft in Indiana

Did you know that there are certain vehicle types and models that are more prone to vehicular theft in Indiana? While most insurance providers provide coverage in the case of your vehicle being stolen, it certainly doesn’t hurt to know if your car is going to be prone to theft.

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Depending on where you live, you might have an increased risk factor for vehicular theft. The FBI collected data in 2013 to see the number of vehicular thefts by city, which can be seen below:

Indiana’s Crash Report

Driving dangerous with risky/harmful behaviors plays a massive role in the number of fatalities we see on the road. We’re going to look at several different factors that play into Indiana’s fatalities such as speeding and underage drinking.

Below are the fatalities seen in the state of Indiana for each particular type of road over the years.

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Rural roads in Indiana see far more fatalities than urban roads.

Next, we’ll look at the different individuals that contribute to fatal crashes, such as vehicle type and pedestrian/occupants.

Below is the type of crash that has occurred, as this is also an important factor.

Next is the crash statistics by counties in Indiana.

Speeding is a notoriously big contributing factor to road-related fatalities. Below is the number of speeding fatalities by county.

Drunk driving is also a major contributor to crash fatalities. Below we’ve listed all of the fatalities involved a drunk driver.

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A completely heart-breaking fact is that included in these drunk-driving statistics are teen drivers. Indiana has seen a total of 61 DUI arrests for teen drivers under 18 years of age. Luckily though, compared to the rest of the United States, Indiana ranks at 41st for Underage DUI arrests

So, we’ve covered all of these fatalities in the state of Indiana and all that factor into these accidents. Now we’ll jump to EMS response time in Indiana!

EMS Response Time in Indiana

If you are injured during an accident, one of the first on the scene is going to be Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel. You want quick response times, as you may be in a dire situation and need help as soon as possible. There is unfortunately insufficient data regarding the response time in the state of Indiana.

Nationally, the average length of time between the call for help and the arrival of the EMS is approximately either minutes in urban areas. The average in rural areas is approximately 14 minutes.

The sooner you are able to make that call after an accident, the sooner you’ll be able to get the help you need.

Transportation in Indiana

Car Ownership

In Indiana, the average number of cars owned by citizens is two cars. Three-car and single-car households are the second and third largest car-owning populations respectively.

Commute Time

You have to be able to get to work right? Well, in Indiana the average commute time is 22.7 minutes.

This is a shorter commute (22.7 minutes) than the national average of 25.3 minutes for commuting.

Nearly two percent of Indiana commuters have a super commute of 90 minutes or more.

Commuter Transportation

How is it that you’re getting to work? Are you carpooling? Driving by yourself? Maybe you even work from home? Well, the most common method of travel in Indiana is to drive alone, according to a 2016 study. It showed that 83.2 percent of drivers are driving by themselves, and are only carpooling 8.53 percent of the time.

Top Cities for Traffic Congestion

The only city in all of Indiana that made the INRIX scorecard for global traffic was Indianapolis. Below are the specifics of the INRIX scorecard for Indianapolis.

In 2018 Indianapolis ranked 177^th on the INRIX charts, up from 162^nd the year before. Here are the statistics:

• Hours lost in congestion: 59
• Cost of congestion per driver: $826
• Inner-city travel time: Five minutes
• Inner-city last-mile speed: 13 MPH

We hope that this comprehensive guide was able to help you navigate the roads of Indiana. Now that you have been given all the tools to know more about Indiana’s insurance and state rules, you’re ready to jump behind the wheel!

Don’t forget to use our FREE online tool to help you start comparing auto insurance in your area today!