Accident Settlement Calculator

Home › States › Minnesota

Minnesota Car Accident Settlement Calculator

In Minnesota, you generally have 6 years to file an injury lawsuit, you recover nothing if more than 50% at fault, and drivers must carry at least $30,000/$60,000 in injury liability; it is a no-fault state, so your own PIP pays first. Enter your numbers below to see what a Minnesota claim may be worth and what you would actually take home.

1

Your accident

How serious is the injury?
2

Your costs so far

That's all you need for a first estimate. Rough numbers are fine.

Optional: make the estimate more accurate fault, insurance, lawyer fee
3

Fault and future costs

4

Insurance

5

What comes out of it

Minnesota rules in 30 seconds

If you were partly at faultYou get nothing if you are more than 50% at fault
Details & exceptions

Minnesota uses modified comparative fault: an injured person can recover if their fault was not greater than the fault of the person they are suing (so 50 percent or less), and damages are reduced by their percentage of fault. At 51 percent or more, they recover nothing. Unlike many states, Minnesota compares the plaintiff's fault with each defendant separately rather than with all defendants combined, so a plaintiff who is more at fault than a particular defendant cannot recover from that defendant.

Compare fault rules in all states →
Deadline to file a lawsuit6 years from the accident
Details & exceptions

Minn. Stat. 541.05, subd. 1(4)-(5): 6 years for injuring personal property and for 'any other injury to the person or rights of another' not arising on contract. Minnesota courts apply this 6-year period to negligence-based personal injury claims such as ordinary car accidents. The 2-year period in Minn. Stat. 541.07(1) ('libel, slander, assault, battery, false imprisonment, or other tort resulting in personal injury') is read as limited to intentional (and strict liability) torts (Sipe v. STS Manufacturing, Minn. 2013, found through secondary sources). Wrongful death: within 3 years after the date of death, but no more than 6 years after the act or omission (Minn. Stat. 573.02, subd. 1). Claims against cities, counties and other municipalities require written notice to the governing body within 180 days after the loss or injury is discovered (Minn. Stat. 466.05, subd. 1); claims against the State require notice within 180 days as well (Minn. Stat. 3.736, subd. 5).

Compare deadlines in all states →
Other driver's minimum insurance$30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident
Details & exceptions

Property damage minimum: $10,000. Minn. Stat. 65B.49, subd. 3(1): residual liability coverage of not less than $30,000 for bodily injury to one person, $60,000 for injury to two or more persons in one accident, and $10,000 for property damage in one accident. Subdivision 3 was last amended in 2002 (Laws 2002, c. 234), which changed coverage wording but left the dollar limits as they were. Bills to raise the minimums were introduced but not enacted: SF 2639 (2025, to 60/120) and HF 3482 / SF 3630 (2026, to 100/200/30 with UM/UIM 75/150). A Big I MN (Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Minnesota) 2026 session review says HF 3482 did not receive a hearing. The revisor's page for 65B.49 shows no amendment to subdivision 3 after 2002.

Compare minimums in all states →
Who pays your medical billsYour own PIP insurance first (at least $40,000)
Details & exceptions

Minn. Stat. 65B.51, subd. 3: a person cannot recover noneconomic damages (pain and suffering) in a car accident claim unless (a) reasonable medical expenses exceed $4,000 (excluding diagnostic x-rays and rehabilitation costs), or (b) the injury results in permanent disfigurement, permanent injury, death, or disability for 60 days or more ('disability' means inability to engage in substantially all of the person's usual daily activities). Economic loss beyond basic economic loss (no-fault) benefits can be claimed without meeting the threshold, and the tort recovery is reduced by no-fault benefits paid or payable (65B.51, subd. 1). Required basic economic loss (PIP) benefits are $40,000 per person: $20,000 for medical expense and $20,000 for income loss, replacement services, funeral and survivor's loss (Minn. Stat. 65B.44, subd. 1); income loss is paid at 85 percent of gross income up to $500 per week (subd. 3).

See all no-fault states →
Cap on pain and sufferingNo cap for typical car accident claims
Details & exceptions

No general cap for typical car accident injury claims. Minnesota has no general cap on noneconomic damages in auto injury cases against private defendants. Recovery of noneconomic damages is instead limited by the no-fault tort threshold (see no_fault). Claims against the State and against municipalities are capped at $500,000 per claimant and $1,500,000 per occurrence for claims arising on or after July 1, 2009, and punitive damages are not allowed (Minn. Stat. 3.736, subd. 4; Minn. Stat. 466.04, subd. 1).

Uninsured motorist coverageRequired
Details & exceptions

Minn. Stat. 65B.49, subd. 3a: no policy may be issued or renewed unless separate uninsured and underinsured motorist coverages are included, each with minimum limits of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. HF 3482 (2026, not enacted) would have raised these to $75,000/$150,000.

Worked example: a typical Minnesota car accident claim

Another driver turned left into you at an intersection in Minnesota: $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury that healed in a few months. The insurer says you were 20% at fault for speeding slightly, the other driver has a $100,000 policy, and your lawyer takes 33%. We assume your injury meets the state's serious-injury threshold.

  1. Economic damages$20,000Medical bills + expected future treatment + lost wages.
  2. Left after your own PIP pays$0Minnesota uses no fault insurance. Your own coverage pays up to $20,000 of economic losses, which is not claimed again from the at-fault driver.
  3. Pain and suffering$20,000 – $40,000Multiplier method: economic damages × 2–3 for a moderate injury, minus the economic part itself.
  4. Total claim value$20,000 – $40,000Economic + pain and suffering.
  5. After your share of fault$16,000 – $32,000Minnesota uses modified comparative negligence (51% bar): you recover nothing if you are 51% or more at fault; otherwise recovery is reduced by your 20%.
  6. Limited by available insurance$16,000 – $32,000At-fault policy limit $100,000 + your UM/UIM $0.
  7. Estimated take-home$9,720 – $20,440Minus attorney fee (33%), case costs and medical liens.

You would take home about $15,080 ($9,720 – $20,440), after the 33% fee and $1,000 in case costs, on top of the $20,000 your own PIP pays.

Typical figures (midpoint of a moderate injury multiplier), no medical liens. Run your own numbersor see the same crash in every state.

How much time do you have to file?

General personal injury deadline only. It can be shorter for claims against a city, county or state agency (often a written notice within months), and longer for minors. Check with a lawyer before relying on it.

Deadline traps in Minnesota

The 6-year lawsuit deadline is not the only clock. These are the ones people miss:

Crash with a government vehicle or on a public road180 days

Give written notice within 180 days after the injury is discovered: to the city or county's governing body for local claims, or to the Attorney General for State claims. Time while the injured person is incapacitated by the injury does not count.

Minn. Stat. 466.05, notice of claim against municipalities (Revisor of Statutes)Minn. Stat. 3.736, subd. 5, notice of claim against the State (Revisor of Statutes)

If the injured person is a child

Being under 18 pauses the clock, but never more than 1 year past the 18th birthday, so a child has until the later of 6 years after the crash or age 19.

Minn. Stat. 541.15, disabilities (Revisor of Statutes)

How fast a Minnesota insurer must respond

Minnesota's Unfair Claims Practices law protects both policyholders and third-party claimants: acknowledge in 10 business days, accept/deny or explain the delay within 30 business days, and pay an agreed settlement within 5 business days.

Minn. Stat. 72A.201, subd. 3-5, regulation of claim practices (Revisor of Statutes)

If an insurer misses these deadlines, you can file a complaint with the state insurance department. Compare all states:insurance claim deadlines by state.

Next steps after a Minnesota crash

How no-fault insurance affects a Minnesota claim

In Minnesota, your own personal injury protection (PIP) coverage pays your medical bills and lost wages first, regardless of who caused the crash. You can generally pursue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering only if your injury meets the state's threshold. Tick the threshold box in the calculator if that applies to you.

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical car accident settlement in Minnesota?
It depends on the bills, the injury and fault. Worked example: with $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury, 20% of the fault and your own PIP paying first, a Minnesota claim against the other driver is worth about $24,000, and the injured person takes home about $15,080 after a 33% attorney fee and costs. At 51% fault, the same claim pays nothing in Minnesota.
Is Minnesota an at-fault or no-fault state for car accidents?
Minnesota's car insurance system: No-fault. Minn. Stat. 65B.51, subd. 3: a person cannot recover noneconomic damages (pain and suffering) in a car accident claim unless (a) reasonable medical expenses exceed $4,000 (excluding diagnostic x-rays and rehabilitation costs), or (b) the injury results in permanent disfigurement, permanent injury, death, or disability for 60 days or more ('disability' means inability to engage in substantially all of the person's usual daily activities). Economic loss beyond basic economic loss (no-fault) benefits can be claimed without meeting the threshold, and the tort recovery is reduced by no-fault benefits paid or payable (65B.51, subd. 1). Required basic economic loss (PIP) benefits are $40,000 per person: $20,000 for medical expense and $20,000 for income loss, replacement services, funeral and survivor's loss (Minn. Stat. 65B.44, subd. 1); income loss is paid at 85 percent of gross income up to $500 per week (subd. 3).
Is there a cap on pain and suffering in Minnesota car accident cases?
No general cap for typical car accident injury claims. Minnesota has no general cap on noneconomic damages in auto injury cases against private defendants. Recovery of noneconomic damages is instead limited by the no-fault tort threshold (see no_fault). Claims against the State and against municipalities are capped at $500,000 per claimant and $1,500,000 per occurrence for claims arising on or after July 1, 2009, and punitive damages are not allowed (Minn. Stat. 3.736, subd. 4; Minn. Stat. 466.04, subd. 1).
What happens if I was partly at fault for an accident in Minnesota?
Minnesota follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar: you recover nothing if you are 51% or more at fault, and otherwise your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Minnesota?
Generally 6 years for personal injury and 6 years for property damage. Minn. Stat. 541.05, subd. 1(4)-(5): 6 years for injuring personal property and for 'any other injury to the person or rights of another' not arising on contract. Minnesota courts apply this 6-year period to negligence-based personal injury claims such as ordinary car accidents. The 2-year period in Minn. Stat. 541.07(1) ('libel, slander, assault, battery, false imprisonment, or other tort resulting in personal injury') is read as limited to intentional (and strict liability) torts (Sipe v. STS Manufacturing, Minn. 2013, found through secondary sources). Wrongful death: within 3 years after the date of death, but no more than 6 years after the act or omission (Minn. Stat. 573.02, subd. 1). Claims against cities, counties and other municipalities require written notice to the governing body within 180 days after the loss or injury is discovered (Minn. Stat. 466.05, subd. 1); claims against the State require notice within 180 days as well (Minn. Stat. 3.736, subd. 5).
What is the minimum car insurance in Minnesota?
$30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $10,000 for property damage. Minn. Stat. 65B.49, subd. 3(1): residual liability coverage of not less than $30,000 for bodily injury to one person, $60,000 for injury to two or more persons in one accident, and $10,000 for property damage in one accident. Subdivision 3 was last amended in 2002 (Laws 2002, c. 234), which changed coverage wording but left the dollar limits as they were. Bills to raise the minimums were introduced but not enacted: SF 2639 (2025, to 60/120) and HF 3482 / SF 3630 (2026, to 100/200/30 with UM/UIM 75/150). A Big I MN (Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Minnesota) 2026 session review says HF 3482 did not receive a hearing. The revisor's page for 65B.49 shows no amendment to subdivision 3 after 2002.
What is the deadline to file a claim against the government in Minnesota?
180 days. Give written notice within 180 days after the injury is discovered: to the city or county's governing body for local claims, or to the Attorney General for State claims. Time while the injured person is incapacitated by the injury does not count.
How long does an insurance company have to respond to a claim in Minnesota?
Minnesota's Unfair Claims Practices law protects both policyholders and third-party claimants: acknowledge in 10 business days, accept/deny or explain the delay within 30 business days, and pay an agreed settlement within 5 business days.

Related

Official sources