Today , mandatory car insurance seems like an inescapable part of daily life . But for nearly 40 years after the invention of the motor car , drivers didn ’ t need to be covered

Massachusetts becomes the first US state to pass compulsory automobile insurance legislation , marking it as a trailblazer among the 50 states .

Carl Benz applies for a patent for his latest invention : a vehicle that ’ s powered by an engine . And , with that , the motor car is born .

Despite this , it wouldn ’ t be Germany , the country of Benz ’ s birth , that would be first to introduce mandatory car insurance for drivers .

At the same time , Connecticut introduces a law that requires drivers to prove they can pay for damage , but only after they ’ ve been in a crash .

The UK becomes the first country to introduce compulsory car insurance when it passes the Road Traffic Act . Owners and drivers must now be insured for their liability in causing injury or damage to third parties when they ’ re on the public road . Germany introduces mandatory car insurance nine years later .

14 January 2023