What is the penalty for driving without insurance in Alaska?

If you are caught driving without insurance in Alaska, you may face a $500 fine, a 90-day license suspension, and your vehicle registration could be suspended after the first offense. Penalties for repeat offenses include a 1-year license suspension and an SR-22 requirement.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Alaska

Other penalties for driving without insurance in Alaska include vehicle impoundment and an SR-22 requirement for three years. In addition to the legal consequences, you can expect your car insurance premium to go up.

Penalties for Driving Without Proof of Insurance

Not having car insurance and not being able to prove that you have it are two different violations. If you have insurance but cannot prove it when you get pulled over or at the scene of an accident, the DMV may suspend your driver’s license, your privilege to drive, or your privilege to obtain a license. Your vehicle may be impounded, too. You may be able to get these penalties waived if you can prove you carried the proper insurance coverage after you are cited. In Alaska, you have 15 days to prove you had liability insurance in effect at the time of a crash. 

Driving without car insurance at all is much more serious, and the penalties are more severe. To avoid these consequences, make sure you meet Alaska’s minimum car insurance requirements.

Required Car Insurance in Alaska

• $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person
• $100,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident
• $25,000 in liability coverage for property damage

Best Car Insurance in Alaska After a Lapse in Coverage

• Western National Mutual Group
• USAA
• State Farm
• GEICO
• Allstate

Drivers in Alaska pay an average of $975 per year to maintain the minimum amount of coverage. That’s nothing compared to the consequences of driving without insurance, especially if you get into an accident.

What Happens If You Get Into a Car Accident Without Insurance in Alaska?

1. If you get into an accident, all penalties will apply.

If you get into an accident while driving without insurance in Alaska, you will incur the penalties for driving without insurance no matter who is at fault. In addition, driving uninsured can make it difficult to be compensated for damages if you are not at fault and can have long-lasting and life-changing consequences if you are at fault.

2. If the accident is your fault, you’ll have to pay for all the damages out of your own pocket.

In addition to the legal consequences of driving without insurance, you could easily be responsible for tens of thousands of dollars or more in damages to your vehicle, the other driver’s car repairs and hospital bills, and your own medical care. You could face mounting debt or even bankruptcy, especially if the other driver doesn’t carry uninsured motorist coverage or personal injury protection.

3. Even if you were not at fault or only partially at fault, there will be other consequences.

Driving uninsured doesn’t negate the other driver’s fault entirely, but you’re almost certainly going to be penalized and unable to recover everything you would be entitled to if you had insurance. In at-fault states such as Alaska, the driver who caused the accident is usually responsible for damage to your car and any medical treatment you may need. However, Alaska is a “no pay, no play” state, which means drivers cannot pursue certain damages after an accident, regardless of fault, if they were uninsured at the time the accident occurred. Specifically, no pay, no play in Alaska means you cannot recover non-economic damages (e.g., pain and suffering or emotional stress) if you were driving uninsured, unless the at-fault driver was intoxicated, acted with intent, or fled the scene.

To learn more, check out WalletHub’s guide on driving without car insurance.