Liability Insurance — Colorado
Liability insurance pays for damage and injuries you cause to others in an accident — it does not cover your own vehicle or medical bills.
Free to compare
What Is Liability Insurance Insurance?
Liability insurance covers the other party's expenses when you cause an accident. It has two parts: bodily injury liability pays for medical bills, lost wages, and legal fees if you injure someone; property damage liability pays to repair or replace the other driver's vehicle or damaged property. If you're reinstating after suspension, the state verifies you have active liability coverage before processing your reinstatement — and many suspended drivers must also file an SR-22 certificate proving continuous coverage for the required period.
Who Needs Liability Insurance Insurance?
Liability coverage is required to reinstate your Colorado license after any suspension, regardless of whether you own a vehicle. You must show proof of continuous coverage for the period specified by the state — often the entire suspension term plus additional months depending on the violation. If you're filing an SR-22, you need liability coverage from a carrier willing to file electronically with the Colorado DMV, and the coverage must remain active without lapse or the carrier notifies the state and your reinstatement is revoked.
If you need to reinstate your license, you need active liability coverage starting before you apply for reinstatement — the state checks for current coverage and will reject your application if it's lapsed. If an SR-22 is required, buy coverage from a carrier that files SR-22 electronically in Colorado and confirm the filing is submitted within 15 days of your court or DMV deadline. If you don't own a vehicle, buy a non-owner policy instead of trying to insure a car you don't have; it satisfies the same state requirement at lower cost and covers you when driving borrowed or rental vehicles.
How Much Does Liability Insurance Insurance Cost?
- Driving record during the three years before reinstatement affects pricing more than older violations — a second suspension or at-fault accident during that window can double rates.
- Non-owner policies cost less than standard liability because you're not insuring a specific vehicle, but pricing still varies by your violation history and required filing period.
