Auto Insurance
Liability Insurance
Bodily Injury Liability Insurance protects you against claims of other people who are injured when you are at fault. It does not protect you against damage to you personally or your car. It protects you from their damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. You will also be covered for damages if the accident was caused by a member of your family living with you or a person using your car with your consent.
Bodily injury liability insurance is purchased with specific benefit limits. These limits address how much money the insurance company is committed to pay for any one victim in an accident and limits the amount they must pay for multiple victims. Most states require you to purchase minimum amounts of bodily injury coverage. If you raise your coverage your premiums will increase because the insurance company will be assuming a higher risk.
Property Damage Liability Insurance pays for any damage you cause to the property of others. It could be a dented fender, broken window, or damaged property. The insurance company will pay the claim whether you were driving your car or whether it was driven by another person with your consent. Property damage liability insurance is purchased with specific benefit limits. Most states require you to purchase minimum amounts of property damage liability insurance.
Medical Payments Coverage pays for the medical and funeral expenses for you or others injured or killed in an accident while riding in or driving your car even if you cause the accident.. Claims include all reasonable hospital, surgical, chiropractor, X-ray, dental, professional nursing, prosthetic, and funeral expenses. It also covers you or members of your family if you are struck by any auto while walking or while riding in another auto.
Uninsured motorists coverage is protection for you. This coverage pays you if you are injured by a driver who does not have auto insurance or by a hit-and-run driver. This coverage takes the place of the insurance the other driver should have purchased but did not, or covers the amount the other driver's insurance does not cover. Uninsured motorists coverage is purchased with specific benefit limits. Most states require you to purchase minimum amounts of coverage. This coverage does not protect the other driver and may not cover damage to your vehicle.
Physical Damage Coverage
Physical damage is covered by either Collision coverage or Comprehensive coverage.
Collision Coverage pays for physical damage to your car as the result of a collision with an object or another car. This coverage is expensive and is optional but may be required by your lending institution or lessor. The higher the deductible, the more you will save on the cost of coverage. Collision coverage only covers your financial expenses for repair of your damaged car. If the repair cost exceeds the current value of your automobile the insurer will "total" the car and pay you only what the car is worth, not what it would cost to repair.
Comprehensive Coverage pays for damage to your car other than the result of an accident, such as, theft, fire, severe weather, flood, and vandalism. It is not as expensive as collision coverage and the cost can be reduced as you increase the deductible. This coverage is optional but may be required by your lending institution or lessor.
Optional Coverages
Rental Reimbursement Coverage usually pays a specific amount for a specific number of days while your car is being repaired.
Towing Coverage pays the cost of towing your car to the repair shop.
Auto loan/lease gap coverage — coverage available by endorsement to an auto policy that applies to increase the amount of recovery in the event of a total loss to a covered auto that is subject to a loan or lease agreement and the amount of outstanding indebtedness on the auto is greater than what the insured could recover under ACV or cost to repair or replace.