Sources & Methodology
Last updated: April 2026
Primary Source Types
Every fact published on Coverage Criteria must trace to one of the following primary source categories:
| Content Type | Accepted Primary Sources |
|---|---|
| State auto / motorcycle insurance | State DMV · State Department of Insurance · State statute or administrative code |
| Gig-economy platform coverage | Platform's official insurance page · State DOI guidance on TNC/delivery coverage |
| Contractor / trade insurance | State licensing board · State contractor registry · State bond-requirement schedule |
| Business / professional liability | State DOI · SBA guidance · Applicable trade-board requirement |
| Compliance (SR-22, FR-44, DOT) | State DMV SR-22/FR-44 page · FMCSA registration/insurance pages · State admin code |
| Travel insurance | Destination government immigration / consulate page · EU Schengen Information System · Country MFA |
How We Verify Requirements
- Locate the primary source. For state insurance rules, this is typically the state's DOI website or the relevant section of the state vehicle code.
- Read the original statute or rule. We do not rely on secondary interpretations for coverage amounts, penalty figures, or mandate thresholds.
- Cross-check against official state summaries. State DMV and DOI pages often publish consumer summaries that confirm our interpretation of the statutory text.
- Record the "Last verified" date. Each article carries the date our editorial team last confirmed the information against the primary source.
How We Handle Conflicting Sources
Where a state statute and a DMV consumer summary appear to conflict, we consult the full statutory text and note any ambiguity in the article. We do not publish a requirement figure we cannot verify against a primary source.
Outbound Links and Citation Format
Where outbound hyperlinks to primary sources are included, they are manually verified before publication — a broken link to a government source is worse than no link because it undermines the article's credibility. Source citations without hyperlinks follow the format: agency name + document or statute reference (e.g., "California Vehicle Code §16029 — California DMV").
Adding and maintaining outbound links is an ongoing editorial effort. Articles published prior to our hyperlink standards may carry citation text only; these are updated as editorial capacity allows.
Update Cadence
US state legislatures generally run on annual or biennial cycles. We monitor known legislative sessions and regulatory dockets for changes affecting the insurance requirements we cover. Articles are re-verified at minimum annually. High-traffic articles and articles covering recently changed requirements are reviewed more frequently.
Limitations
We cover US-primary requirements (all 50 states + DC) with secondary coverage for UK, Canada, Australia, and EU/Schengen travel rules. Municipal and county-level insurance mandates are not systematically covered unless they are significant enough to affect most operators in a market (e.g., NYC TLC commercial insurance requirements).
Contact
If you believe a source citation is incorrect or outdated, please contact hello@coveragecriteria.com. We take source accuracy seriously and will review flagged content promptly.