Every state has its own minimum requirements for car insurance and it is illegal to drive in the state without fulfilling these requirements.

Mandatory car insurance coverage is set by the state to insure you, your family and your vehicle. The state of North Carolina also has its own set of requirements laid down by the authorities.

A few states offer options other than car insurance to cover bodily injuries and property damages, but not the state of North Carolina. You are allowed to get auto liability coverage through an insurance company or broker only.

If you are driving in the state of North Carolina you must have liability insurance of $30,000 for injury per person per accident, a total of $60,000 for injury or death of two people or more per accident, and $25,000 to cover property damages.

The limits are exactly the same for uninsured drivers' insurance. This basic coverage is referred to as 30/60/25 coverage with 30/60 UM limits.

These amounts are the minimum required by the state law of North Carolina and the maximum that your car insurance company will pay, unless you have taken higher coverage limit.

More detailed information is available by calling North Carolina Department of Insurance at http://www.ncdoi.com or contacting their Raleigh office by calling 800-546-5664.

The bodily injury liability will cover the medical expenses of people injured in the accident caused by your fault. It also includes bills for legal proceedings, compensation for lost wages sustained by the victims. In case of a death, the funeral charges are also included in this liability.

Bodily injury liability does not cover you or the passengers of your vehicle. Therefore, you may want more comprehensive coverage for yourself, your family and other passengers in your vehicle.

A type of coverage known as PIP which stands for Personal Injury Protection covers you and the passengers in your vehicle against any damage and injury. It also covers other members of your family who may be passengers in another vehicle involved in an accident.

The property damage coverage is important for repairing or replacing any property that you may damage during an accident.

You can also add collision coverage to your policy if you have a car that has significant value or has been financed by a lender. The coverage will protect the lender's investment.

Uninsured and under-insured coverage provides immense help if you have an accident with an uninsured driver, or if you are a victim of a hit and run accident. This coverage cannot be less than the bodily injury liability purchased and it cannot exceed $1 million.