Required Auto Insurance, $15/30/5 Liability & $5,000 Medical Benefits in Pennsylvania

Use the 15/30/5 liability framework for required financial responsibility

The Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law defines financial responsibility in 75 Pa.C.S. §1702 as the ability to respond in damages in amounts of $15,000 for injury to one person, $30,000 for injury to two or more persons in an accident and $5,000 for damage to others’ property. Section 1786(a) requires covered motor vehicles that are operated or currently registered to have financial responsibility.

These liability amounts concern responsibility for damage to others. They do not establish the full insurance available after a crash. Obtain the declarations, policy, endorsements and accident-date coverage records, and check the vehicle and any applicable statutory exception.

Keep the $5,000 medical benefit separate from liability

Section 1711(a) requires a $5,000 medical benefit in the qualifying liability policies it describes. It expressly excepts recreational vehicles not intended for highway use, motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, motorized pedalcycles and like vehicles. Do not apply the ordinary automobile medical-benefit requirement to every vehicle without checking that language.

The medical benefit is separate from the 15/30/5 liability limits. Coverage, payment priority, eligible treatment and other first-party benefits require additional review. Preserve medical bills, insurer notices, payment records and any explanation of benefits so the medical claim can be traced independently of the liability claim.

Check UM/UIM offers, rejections and lower-limit requests

Section 1731 requires the offering of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and makes purchase optional. The statute provides separate rejection language and requires the specified forms to be on separate sheets, signed by the first named insured and dated. It also states consequences when the insurer cannot produce a valid rejection.

Section 1734 separately addresses a named insured’s written request for lower UM/UIM limits. Obtain each rejection or lower-limit request, the policy and renewal documents. A declarations-page entry or an oral explanation does not by itself resolve whether a particular rejection or selection satisfies the governing law.

Review tort selections and other coverage independently

Section 1705 separately addresses full-tort and limited-tort choices. A tort selection is not the same as selecting liability limits, rejecting UM/UIM or determining the first-party medical benefit. Its effect on an individual claim depends on the statute, the selection and the facts.

Investigate household, employer, commercial, umbrella and excess policies when applicable. This guide verifies only the cited statutory overview. It does not determine a particular waiver’s validity, a serious-injury exception, assigned-claims eligibility, later judicial history or the amount recoverable in an individual case.

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VictimsGuide does not provide legal services or create an attorney-client relationship. Insurance requirements, deadlines, remedies and controlling authority can change. Verify current primary authority, policy language and the law applicable to the particular event before legal reliance.