Auto Insurance: Beyond Minimum Coverage

First-time car owners are usually first-time auto insurance purchasers too. While simply buying the state minimum coverage might seem to be the simplest solution, it also means missing out on necessary coverage. Read on to learn the different sections of a complete auto insurance policy from Com-Co Insurance Agency Inc of Mount Prospect, IL and why you should go beyond the state minimum requirements for liability and property damage.

Bodily Injury Liability

The coverage referred to as bodily injury liability pays the medical bills of those you cause injury to in an accident who are traveling in another vehicle or are pedestrians. This coverage applies to the driver(s) specifically named on the policy.

Medical Payments

Also referred to as personal injury protection (PIP), medical payments insurance pays the medical bills of the driver and their passengers. It can also provide lost wages payments or the cost of replacing the services provided by an injured party. In some cases, it covers funeral costs.

Property Damage Liability

Property damage liability pays for damage a driver named in the policy causes to another person’s property. It includes vehicles, fences, mailboxes, etc.

Collision

You’ll need collision coverage to pay for repairs to your own vehicle. While deer collisions are covered by comprehensive, collision handles the repair costs if your vehicle collides with another vehicle and it is your fault.

Comprehensive

Comprehensive coverage covers repairs due to other items besides another vehicle or stationary object, such as birds or deer. It covers catastrophic events like earthquakes, explosions, falling objects, fire, flood, hail, missiles, riot, vandalism, and windstorms.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays for your damages if you’re hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver. It also covers your injuries if you’re struck as a pedestrian or the victim of a hit-and-run.

Contact Com-Co Insurance Agency Inc of Mount Prospect, IL to learn more about how the right auto insurance coverage can protect your vehicle and you. With the right policy, you’ll have peace of mind knowing everything that could go wrong is covered.

Why is Auto Insurance Required by Law?

Auto insurance is something that is required by law in almost every state in the United States. Each state has its own requirement when it comes to the basic coverage that you have to have to comply with insurance laws. There are also federal regulations that have to be followed for a car to be considered legal to be driven on the streets. For those in the Mount Prospect, IL area, the agents with Com-Co Insurance Agency Inc. can help you find the policy that is going to work for you.

Why is auto insurance required by law?

For starters, it is necessary so that other drivers are covered if they are in an accident with you that is not their fault. This is the main reason that you have to have auto insurance. Without it, the fault and payment of bills and insurance premiums to have cars replaced and repaired would fall to the people that were in the accident even if it was not their fault.

Insurance that is required by law is put in place to protect other drivers so that the cost of medical bills does not fall solely to the injured to pay. It is important that you take the time to make sure you comply with insurance law so that you can be sure you are not going to be in violation if you are pulled over by police or should you be in an accident. Each state has a liability threshold that your policy must meet which is usually around $10,000. This means that if there is an accident, there is $10,000 coverage for medical bills for the other driver.

For those in the Mount Prospect, IL area, Com-Co Insurance Agency Inc. can help. Reach out to our Illinois offices to speak with an agent and learn how you can get started on a policy.

How Much Auto Insurance Do You Need?

Whether you have owned a vehicle in the Mount Prospect, IL area for some time or you are a new driver, one of the biggest concerns you probably have is making sure that you have the proper auto insurance coverage. In Illinois, it is illegal to drive without the state minimum requirements for your coverage. If you fail to have this auto insurance, you can end up paying a lot in fines an even lose your license. However, you can easily get set up with the right amount of coverage from policies you can get with Com-Co Insurance Agency Inc. 

How Much Auto Insurance Do You Need?

In order to remain compliant and not get into any legal trouble, you need to have the following coverages for your auto insurance:

  • $20,000 in coverage for bodily injury per person and per accident
  • $40,000 in coverage for bodily injury for all persons per accident
  • $15,000 in coverage for property damage liability
  • $20,000/$40,000 in coverage for uninsured motorist for bodily injury
  • $25,000/$50,000 of  underinsured motorist coverage
  • $15,000 in coverage with a $250 deductible for uninsured motorist property damage

It is important to note that these are the current state minimum requirements. However, these minimum requirements can change at any time, so it is always a good idea to verify with your insurance provider that you are still compliant at least every six months that you are covered.

The state minimums are the lowest amount of coverage that you should have for your auto insurance policy. However, you may decide that you need to have more coverage or would like to have more. Either way, we can help you find the perfect policy here at Com-Co Insurance Agency Inc., serving Glenview and Mount Prospect, IL. We can provide you with a free quote and can even make sure that it fits within your budget. Be sure to reach out to us today to learn more and get started!