A few days ago, I was sitting at a stoplight when another vehicle was rear-ended by a commercial lawn care truck. The force pushed that vehicle into mine. Thankfully, no one suffered life-threatening injuries, but there were still injuries, medical treatment, and real disruption to our lives.
This event led me down a rabbit hole into how outdated Missouri’s minimum insurance requirements have become. Today, Missouri only requires drivers to carry liability insurance with limits of $25,000 for property damage, $25,000 for injuries to one person, and $50,000 total for injuries in an accident involving multiple people. This is commonly called “25/50/25” coverage. This law was made in the 1960s! Think about that for a moment. $25,000 in 1960 could cover a lot of damage, but a single new pickup truck can cost more than that. Many SUVs and electric vehicles cost far more. In a multi-car accident, the damage can easily exceed $50,000.
Because my car and another car were both hit, the damage added up fast. My car was a 2024 Honda Civic that starts around $30,000, and the other vehicle starts around $29,000. That is roughly $59,000 in vehicle value between just two cars, yet the business owner’s truck only carried Missouri’s minimum $25,000 in property damage coverage. So who is supposed to pay the rest?
I had to file a claim through my own insurance company, which likely means my rates could go up. I assume the other driver had to do the same, which means their rates may go up too. Because of this negligent driver, we are both left dealing with the fallout. If I had not carried full coverage, I could have been left entirely without a car. They also did not pay for a rental, which meant I had to go a week without reimbursement for transportation. So now I am out of a car, out of pocket on expenses, and stuck dealing with the disruption this caused to my life. And that does not even include the personal side of it, missing work, dealing with chiropractor visits, and managing the mental side effects like brain fog and memory problems after the crash.
What this negligent driver did to us is unacceptable, and Missouri law should not leave innocent people holding the bill when damages so clearly exceed the minimum required coverage. I believe Missouri should modernize its insurance requirements. Minimum coverage limits should reflect today’s vehicle values and repair costs, not those from decades ago. Raising the property damage minimum to $70,000 or more would provide much better protection for negligent drivers and businesses. Personal responsibility matters. If someone causes damage, the innocent party should not be left holding the bill because the law allows inadequate coverage.
Rear view of a red Honda Civic showing major damage after a multi-vehicle rear-end crash in Columbia, Missouri.
Rear view of a black Chevrolet Equinox with significant rear-end damage after being hit in a multi-vehicle crash.
Front view of a white commercial work truck with visible front-end damage after a multi-vehicle crash in Columbia, Missouri.
