STATE LAW – AMERICAN SAMOA LIBRARY – GUIDE 02
American Samoa Compulsory Auto Insurance, 10/20/5 Minimum Limits & Proof of Insurance
American Samoa requires compulsory automobile liability insurance with 10/20/5 minimum limits for ordinary vehicles. This guide addresses proof requirements, registration consequences, minimum limits, statutory purpose, and the practical effect of low limits after a serious crash.
A certificate of insurance is tied to vehicle registration
A.S.C.A. § 22.2002, as published in the American Samoa Bar Association’s code repository, requires a person registering or continuing registration of a vehicle to file a certificate of insurance, or a bond satisfying § 22.2016. The certificate identifies the covered vehicles and effective date of the liability policy. The territorial Insurance Commissioner’s consumer FAQ also states that liability auto insurance is generally mandatory for operating a vehicle. Check the actual policy and the security method used for the particular vehicle.
The ordinary owner-policy amounts are 10 / 20 / 5
Section 22.2003(2) specifies $10,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in one accident, $20,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more persons in one accident subject to the per-person limit, and $5,000 for property damage in one accident. These are the amounts in the cited code text. They do not establish the amount of a particular loss, the coverage actually purchased, or the proceeds remaining after other claims. A serious crash may involve damages far above a statutory minimum.
Passenger transportation for hire has different amounts
Section 22.2003(3) separately addresses vehicles used to transport passengers for hire, including taxicabs. It specifies protection for the driver and fare-paying passengers with amounts of $10,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more persons in one accident, and $10,000 for property damage in one accident. Determine the vehicle’s use at the time of the crash before applying the ordinary 10/20/5 shorthand to a taxi or other for-hire vehicle.
Identify permissive users and obtain the full coverage record
Section 22.2003(2) addresses the named insured and other persons using the described vehicle with the named insured’s express or implied permission. Preserve evidence of ownership, permission, the trip and the driver’s relationship to the owner. Request the complete policy, declarations, endorsements, insurance certificate and any applicable bond. The Insurance Commissioner can provide information about insurer licensing and consumer complaints. Coverage, liability, direct-action procedure and historical applicability still require claim-specific review; the numerical minimums do not answer those questions.
Source review: October 15, 2026. The Insurance Commissioner directs readers to the Bar Association’s code repository. It is a code-text reproduction, not a certification of every later amendment. Verify the law and policy version applicable to the claim.
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