Auto insurance, like other types of insurance, is purchased to protect against loss. The loss may be to your own vehicle or the property belonging to someone else. In addition to property, there may be medical expenses or the loss of income. All states have established the types of insurance and minimum coverage amounts that drivers must have in order to operate or register a vehicle. Other types of car insurance may be required by lenders who finance a vehicle.

At minimum, state laws will require that you carry liability insurance. This consists of three categories of coverage and is normally stated as a series of three numbers. The first number is the maximum the insurance company will pay for injuries suffered by one person in an accident you cause. The second number is the maximum paid for injuries to two or more people injured in the same accident. The third number represents the maximum that will be paid for property damage. Liability does not cover your injuries or the damage to your car. It only covers losses suffered by others in an accident for which you are at fault.

Collision and comprehensive are typically required by your lender when you finance a car. These categories of insurance pay for repairs or replacement of your vehicle if it is stolen, vandalized or wrecked. While you still owe on your car, this type of coverage is primarily protection for the lender. After your note is paid, you have the option of keeping the coverage or dropping it. If your car still has substantial value, you might consider keeping the coverage. You will have to balance the worth of the car against the cost of the insurance.

Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage pays you for injuries or damages if the person causing the accident has no insurance or insufficient limits. Since the minimum liability limits are typically quite low, it is not uncommon for costs to exceed these limits. Uninsured or underinsured motorist is voluntary coverage in some states, while others require drivers to purchase it with their liability policy. Many states that do not require you to purchase it mandate that insurance companies offer it to you. If you refuse coverage, you may have to sign a waiver acknowledging that it was offered and you declined.

Personal injury protection covers the medical expenses for you and your passengers in the event of an accident. In some states, this is required as a modified type of no-fault insurance. Not all companies in all states sell personal injury clauses, however.

Your deductible is the amount you must pay yourself before the insurance company will pay. This is normally limited to comprehensive and collision. Policies with higher deductibles are less expensive. However, your lender may set the maximum deductible amount you can carry.

Other optional types of coverage can be added to your policy if you desire. If you have purchased a vehicle without a down payment, you might consider replacement value coverage. A car depreciates a great deal during the first year, so a serious accident can leave you owing more than the book value the company will use to make payment. Towing coverage will pay the wrecker fees if your car must be towed to a body shop, and some plans will pay if it just needs mechanical repairs. Rental car coverage will pay for a replacement vehicle while yours is being repaired or if it is stolen.

It is advisable to obtain several auto insurance quotes before you select a policy. Rates vary between companies, based primarily on their past history of losses. It is important to be sure that you compare identical features, including deductible amounts and liability limits. You may want to obtain a car insurance quote from the company with whom you have your homeowners’ policy. You can sometimes save money by “bundling” your insurance policies, but this is not always the case.

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Category: Finances
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