Car insurance in Nebraska: what you need

Nebraska requires UM and UIM on every policy

In many states you can sign away uninsured motorist coverage. Nebraska law takes a firmer line: a policy cannot be issued or renewed without both uninsured (UM) and underinsured (UIM) motorist coverage, and the law has no provision for rejecting them.

The two coverages fill different gaps:

If you want more protection, state law says your insurer must sell higher UM and UIM limits when you ask in writing, up to a cap set in the statute. One detail to know: the per-accident UM/UIM minimum is listed differently in two official places. UM/UIM minimum per accident: statute says $50,000; one Department of Insurance page shows $25,000. The statute's figure is used on this page; the Nebraska Department of Insurance can confirm what applies to your policy.

Our uninsured motorist guide explains how insurers calculate UIM payments and how stacking works where it is allowed.

Ways to prove financial responsibility in Nebraska

Most drivers meet Nebraska's requirement with an insurance policy, but the DMV accepts several forms of proof of financial responsibility. You must show it at the County Treasurer's office when you register and carry it in the vehicle.

Trailers, snowmobiles, boats and campers carried on trucks are exempt, because the vehicle doing the pulling or carrying must be insured. Insurers also report coverage to a state insurance database, which the DMV uses to support online registration renewals. The DMV warns that the database is updated on a regular cycle rather than daily, so keep your insurance card.

What happens after a No Proof of Insurance ticket

A conviction for No Proof of Insurance automatically suspends your license or operating privileges. Because the citation goes to the vehicle's owner, the DMV advises drivers who did not own the car not to plead guilty.

If you actually had insurance on the date of the ticket, you can send the DMV a copy of the citation and a signed letter of verification from your insurer, and the DMV may remove the suspension.

If you were uninsured, reinstatement usually requires these steps:

1. Buy a policy and ask the insurer to file an SR-22 certificate for each vehicle registered in your name.
2. Keep the SR-22 on file with the Nebraska DMV for 3 years from the citation date, even if you move to another state.
3. Pay the $50 reinstatement fee.
4. Keep the policy active: if the SR-22 lapses, the DMV suspends your privileges again.

The SR-22 guide explains what the filing costs and how it affects your premium.

Nebraska costs and uninsured drivers

NAIC data put Nebraska's average expenditure per insured vehicle at $981.06 in 2023, below the national average of $1,281. The average premium with collision and comprehensive was $1,183.88, also below the U.S. figure of $1,438, or roughly $99 a month.

About 9.5% of Nebraska drivers were uninsured in 2023, below the national rate of 15.4%. Mandatory UM and UIM coverage means every insured driver has at least some protection against them.

Safety on Nebraska roads

IIHS counted 251 crash deaths in Nebraska in 2024, or 12.5 per 100,000 people, above the national rate of 11.5 per 100,000 people. Measured by miles driven, the rate was 1.15 per 100 million miles, slightly below the national 1.19 per 100 million miles. Rural roads accounted for 65% of deaths, above the U.S. share of 41%.

On long rural drives, animal strikes and hail are common causes of damage to your own car, and both are usually covered by comprehensive coverage rather than liability. Neighboring states set different rules, so compare Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Colorado and Wyoming.