About $123 a month
Personal auto, full coverage (reference)
MoneyGeek Hawaii average at 100/300/100 limits, 2026; personal vehicles, not a commercial rate
Hawaii · state requirements
Commercial auto insurance in Hawaii
For Hawaii contractors, delivery businesses, tour operators and haulers: the 2026 minimums, no-fault rules, PUC filings for for-hire work and what to have ready for a quote.
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What similar businesses pay
- Personal auto, full coverage (reference)
- About $123 a month
- Driving uninsured, first offense
- $500 fine
Published benchmarks, not quotes. Your price depends on underwriting.
Cost
What commercial auto insurance in Hawaii costs
$500 fine
Driving uninsured, first offense
HRS 431:10C-117, current statute; at least $2,000 for a repeat within five years
We could not verify a published Hawaii median for commercial auto, so the figures above are reference points, not business rates. MoneyGeek’s 2026 Hawaii average for a personal full-coverage policy at 100/300/100 limits is about $123 a month; work vehicles are rated separately on use, weight, radius and drivers. The Insurance Division says moving to the new 40/80/20 minimums may raise premiums by about 25% on average for many drivers. For-hire property carriers start far higher, at the PUC’s 250/750/250 floor.
What moves your price
- The 40/80/20 minimum in force since January 1, 2026, double the old 20/40/10
- Whether you haul for pay and need PUC limits of 250/750/250, or carry passengers and need seat-based limits
- Vehicle type, weight and value, and whether a lender requires collision and comprehensive
- How much PIP you buy above the $10,000 minimum and whether you keep UM and UIM
- Each driver’s record and experience, and how many drivers use each vehicle
- Where vehicles are garaged and how many miles they run each day
Hawaii
What’s different in Hawaii
The minimums doubled to 40/80/20 in 2026
Policies that are new or renew on or after January 1, 2026 must carry at least $40,000 per person and $80,000 per accident for injuries and $20,000 for property damage, under HRS 431:10C-301. The Insurance Division warns that serious accidents can still exceed these amounts.
PIP pays the first $10,000, whoever caused the crash
Hawaii is a no-fault state. Every policy carries personal injury protection of at least $10,000 per person for medical and rehabilitation costs regardless of fault, per HRS 431:10C-103.5 and the Insurance Division. Insurers may sell higher PIP limits.
$5,000 in benefits opens the door to a lawsuit
HRS 431:10C-306 lets an injured person sue after a death, a significant permanent loss of use, permanent serious disfigurement or once PIP benefits incurred reach $5,000, counting workers’ comp paid. Property damage claims are never limited by no-fault.
Uninsured motorist cover stays on unless you reject it in writing
Under HRS 431:10C-301, a vehicle registered or garaged in Hawaii carries uninsured motorist cover at the bodily injury floor unless a named insured rejects it in writing. Underinsured cover must be offered with its premium shown, up to your liability limits, with an option to stack.
Your employees are exempt from the fine; the owner is not
HRS 431:10C-117 excuses an employee driving the employer’s vehicle in the normal scope of work, so an uninsured work vehicle lands on the owner or registrant. The fine is $500 for a first offense and at least $2,000 for a repeat within five years, plus a license suspension or a six-month nonrefundable policy; repeat offenders also face up to 30 days in jail, loss of plates or impoundment.
Hauling for pay needs PUC authority and higher limits
The Public Utilities Commission requires a certificate for any motor carrier that transports people or property for compensation on public highways, and HAR 6-62-8 bars operating until proof of security is on file. Property carriers need at least $250,000 per person, $750,000 per accident and $250,000 for property damage.
Coverage
Coverage Hawaii businesses need
Auto liability at or above 40/80/20
Pays for injuries and damage your vehicles cause to others. State law and PUC filings rely on it, and contracts often ask for far more than the minimum.
How commercial auto works →Personal injury protection
The no-fault part of the policy: at least $10,000 per person for medical and rehabilitation costs, with higher limits available from many insurers.
How commercial auto works →Uninsured and underinsured motorist
Pays your drivers and passengers when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little. It stays on at the floor unless you reject it in writing.
How commercial auto works →Collision and comprehensive
Pays to repair or replace your own vehicles. The Insurance Division notes a lender or leasing company may require them even though the state does not.
How commercial auto works →Motor truck cargo
Hawaii’s required liability excludes property being transported by or in the charge of the insured, so goods and materials you carry need their own cover.
Hired and non-owned auto
Covers liability when employees use their own cars for errands or you rent a vehicle for work.
How commercial auto works →Umbrella or excess
Adds limits above your auto liability when a general contractor, hotel or shipper asks for more than your primary policy carries.
How umbrella / excess works →Workers’ compensation
Covers employees hurt on the job, including behind the wheel. Comp benefits paid for a crash injury count toward the $5,000 tort threshold.
How workers’ compensation works →Rules
Hawaii requirements
Every vehicle answers to Hawaii’s motor vehicle insurance law, HRS chapter 431, article 10C. Businesses that carry people or property for pay also answer to the Public Utilities Commission, whose limits are much higher.
| Requirement | Applies to | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum liability | Every motor vehicle policy, new or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 | $40,000 per person and $80,000 per accident for injuries, $20,000 for property damage, under HRS 431:10C-301(b). |
| Personal injury protection | Every motor vehicle policy | At least $10,000 per person aggregate for medical and rehabilitation costs, regardless of fault, per HRS 431:10C-103.5. |
| Uninsured motorist | Vehicles registered or principally garaged in Hawaii | Included at the bodily injury floor unless a named insured rejects it in writing, per HRS 431:10C-301(b)(3). |
| Underinsured motorist offer | Every motor vehicle policy | Must be offered with the premium shown next to the offer; rejection requires your signature, per HRS 431:10C-301(b)(4). |
| Proof in the vehicle | Every driver | The Insurance Division says proof of coverage must be with you when driving. |
| Penalties for no insurance | Owners, registrants and drivers | $500 first offense, at least $2,000 for a repeat within five years, plus license suspension or a six-month nonrefundable policy (HRS 431:10C-117). |
| PUC property carrier limits | Carriers hauling property for compensation in Hawaii | $250,000 per person, $750,000 per accident and $250,000 property damage, filed with the commission before operating, per HAR 6-62-8. |
| PUC passenger carrier limits | Tour, shuttle and other for-hire passenger carriers | $100,000 per person; $200,000 per accident up to 7 seats, $500,000 for 8 to 25, $1,000,000 over 25; $50,000 property damage, per HAR 6-62-8. |
| PUC proof deadline | Approved PUC applicants | Proof of insurance is due within 120 days after the PUC’s decision and order, per the PUC’s motor carrier FAQs. |
| Vehicle markings | PUC-certified motor carriers | Name, logo or initials and PUC number on both sides of each vehicle, per the PUC. |
Compare commercial auto options in Hawaii.
One application, quotes from several insurers, reviewed by a licensed agent. Start with your email and finish later if you need to.
Pay less
How to lower the cost
- Quote two or three liability limits side by side: the Insurance Division says doubling limits to the new floor may add about 25% on average, so price the step above it at the same time.
- Decide on UM and UIM limits deliberately and keep the signed forms, since a written rejection stands until you change it under HRS 431:10C-301.
- Keep your PUC filing continuous: HAR 6-62-8 bars a for-hire carrier from operating without security on file.
- Check every driver’s record before hiring and every year after, and limit who drives each vehicle.
- Raise collision and comprehensive deductibles on older vehicles you could afford to repair.
- Compare quotes at renewal; Florin is an independent broker that compares options from several insurers.
Before you start
What underwriters ask for
- Vehicle list with VINs, years, weights, values and any lienholder
- Driver list with license numbers, dates of birth and years of experience
- Island and address where each vehicle is garaged
- What you carry, and whether you haul people or property for pay
- PUC certificate number, or USDOT number if you have one
- Current declarations page and UM and UIM selection forms
- Loss runs from your current and prior insurers
- The limits your customers or contracts require
Common questions
Commercial auto insurance in Hawaii: questions
Is Hawaii a no-fault state for business vehicles?
Yes. Every Hawaii motor vehicle policy includes at least $10,000 of personal injury protection that pays medical and rehabilitation costs regardless of fault, under HRS 431:10C-103.5.
When can someone sue my business after a crash in Hawaii?
An injured person can sue after a death, a significant permanent loss of use, permanent serious disfigurement or once PIP benefits incurred reach $5,000, under HRS 431:10C-306. Property damage claims are not restricted.
Do I need a PUC certificate to haul for pay in Hawaii?
Yes. The PUC requires a certificate for any motor carrier transporting people or property for compensation over public highways, with property carriers carrying at least 250/750/250. Taxis are outside PUC regulation.
How much insurance does a Hawaii tour van need?
PUC passenger carriers need $100,000 per person and $50,000 property damage, plus per-accident limits of $200,000 for up to 7 seats, $500,000 for 8 to 25 and $1,000,000 for more than 25, under HAR 6-62-8.
Will my employee be fined if my work truck is uninsured?
Generally not. HRS 431:10C-117 excuses an employee driving the employer’s vehicle in the normal scope of work, so the penalty falls on the owner or registrant.
Does Hawaii’s required liability cover the goods I carry?
No. HRS 431:10C-301 excludes property being transported by or in the charge of the insured, so you need cargo coverage for goods and materials on board.
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Sources (10)
- Hawaii Insurance Division: FAQ, auto insurance minimum limits (effective January 1, 2026)
- HRS 431:10C-301, required motor vehicle policy coverage (FindLaw, current as of 2025)
- HRS 431:10C-117, penalties (FindLaw, current as of 2025)
- HRS 431:10C-103.5, personal injury protection benefits (FindLaw, current as of 2025)
- Hawaii State Legislature: HRS 431:10C-306, abolition of tort liability
- HAR 6-62-8, motor carrier insurance requirements (Cornell LII)
- Hawaii PUC: FAQs for motor carriers
- Hawaii PUC: notice on doing business only with certified motor carriers (2017)
- Martin: Hawaii increases minimum auto limits (July 2024)
- MoneyGeek: best car insurance in Hawaii (2026)
Figures are published third-party estimates, not quotes. Coverage depends on policy terms and underwriting, and rules vary by state. Updated November 2026.