Car Insurance Basics
Car insurance is basically insurance that drivers can purchase for any kind of vehicle in order to protect against losses sustained in traffic accidents. Auto insurance policies are, in reality, a bundle of different coverages. This insurance will usually cover the insured party, the insured
motor vehicle, and any third parties involved. Different policies will identify the situations in which each of these entities is covered.
Below are the specific coverages involved when you purchase car insurance.
- Liability Insurance: Liability coverage is the most basic and foundational coverage in car insurance policies and is required in most states. This coverage ensures that if you are the one at fault in an accident, your liability insurance will pay for the physical injury and property damage expenses of any third parties involved. This coverage includes legal bills. Remember that third parties can sue you for pain and suffering damages. Minimum insurance may not sufficiently cover you in more extreme cases, which is why many people recommend that drivers purchase more than the state minimum required. Liability coverage limits are usually conveyed with three numbers. For example, liability limits of 205010 indicate that there is coverage of 20,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, 50,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident, and 10,000 in property damage coverage per accident.
- Collision Coverage: In the case that you are in an accident, collision insurance will pay for the repairs that your vehicle requires. Collision coverage is usually the most expensive coverage that you will have to pay for. Insurance companies will declare a vehicle totaled or a write-off if the replacement would be cheaper than the repairs needed.
- Comprehensive Coverage: This coverage will pay for any damages to an automobile that were not caused by an accident. Qualifying damages include damages arising from carjackings, vandalism, natural disasters, and hitting an animal.
- MedPay, PIP, and No-Fault Coverages: MedPay will pay for the medical expenses of you and anyone else in your car after an accident, regardless of whose fault the accident was. PIP (Personal Injury Protection) and no-fault coverages are other forms of medical payment protection. They are broader than MedPay and may be required in certain states. These expanded coverages cover child care and lost wages.
- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists Coverages: UM (Uninsured Motorists) coverage will pay for injuries you have sustained if you are involved in a hit-and-run by a driver who does not have auto insurance, and is mandatory in many states. UIM (Underinsured Motorists) coverage will pay for you if the driver who hit you creates more damage than their liability insurance can cover.
- Supplemental Coverages: Rental reimbursement is an add-on that will cover rented vehicles in case of damage or theft. Auto replacement coverage ensures that your automobile will be fully repaired for replaced even if the costs are more than its depreciated value. Coverage for towing and labor covers you in case of an auto failure on the road where towing is necessary. These supplemental coverages are usually offered as separate items or included in larger policies.
Car Insurance: Types of Insurance You Need to Understand
With all this traveling in and out, back and forth around the maze that is the United States infrastructure, its easy to understand why auto insurance is required in order to own an operate a car. For car buyers, an effort needs to be made on the part of insurance companies to provide information on the different types of auto insurance available. These include bodily injury and liability, collision, comprehensive, full glace, liability, medical coverage, personal injury protection, and underinsured or uninsured motorist.
Liability insurance coverage is imperative to have as a driver. This insurance covers any injuries or damages to property that may occur during an accident. Two types of liability include bodily injury liability insurance and property damage liability insurance.
Medical insurance is different in that it focuses on the driver and passengers of the car. This will cover any medical treatment for the driver and the passengers. In addition, the medical insurance may or may not offer disability insurance and pain and suffering compensation.
Uninsured or under-insured drivers insurance will pay any costs that you or your passengers may experience if an accident should occur with a driver who is uninsured or underinsured.
Collision insurance deals with the cost of damage caused by a collision to your car that may affect the book value. Comprehensive deals more with damage caused by vandalism, natural disasters, theft or other kinds of damage.
There are several other types of car insurance. These include glass replacement insurance, towing insurance etc. These types of insurance are often not required and are not popular as they are often costly.
Now that you know what types of car insurance are out there, the next step is to find a credible insurance agent. The first place to investigate this is through family and friends. Referrals will help you sort those agents that you want to investigate further. You will want to speak with several different agents before you make your final decisions. Ask any and all questions you may have. That is what the agent is there for.
Car Insurance What Is Liability And Collision Insurance?
You know full well that its the law, but youve been driving around without car insurance for a while now. Why? Car insurance is of supreme importance to any driver, no matter how good you think you are. Accidents happen, plain and simple, and you need to be protected in case it does. Not all car insurance is the same, though, and you may be a little confused as to the concepts.
The first term you need to know is liability car insurance. This covers you from claims arising from an accident where theres bodily damage or damage to property. Generally, there are three main sections of any liability car insurance policy: bodily injury liability coverage, liability coverage for damage to property, and uninsured coverage. The first type of coverage protects you in the case of an accident, for which you are at fault, and others have been injured. Your liability car insurance company will pay any legitimate claims for medical expenses or lost wages. If youve run into someones wall, or the side of their house, youll need liability insurance for property damage, which will pay for repairs. In the instance where you are not necessarily at fault and the other driver does not have liability car insurance, you are protected by uninsured, or under-insured, motorist coverage.
Liability car insurance is not the same as collision car insurance. As you can see, nothing was mentioned about fixing your car in the above description. Thats because its not covered under a simple liability car insurance policy. Youll need collision car insurance, unless youre willing to pay out of your own pocket. Collision car insurance covers repairs to your car in the case of, you guessed it, a collision with another object. If youre one of those people who gets their kicks by running over poor, defenseless animals, this coverage isnt for you. Youll need comprehensive car insurance to fix that cracked headlight.
Generally, you can choose youre deductible rate, i.e., the amount that your car insurance company will pay out to repair your car. Typically, the higher the deductible, the lower the car insurance premium. You will definitely need collision car insurance if you are leasing a vehicle, if you own a fairly new car or if you are making payments to a finance company. Owners of much older cars may want to skip this form of car insurance altogether. If your car is totaled, the car insurance company will pay you that market value of your car, minus the value of your deductible. If you are able to absorb the cost of replacing your car yourself, you may want to forgo this.
