Auto Insurance - Cutting Through the Confusion
In every one of the United States, you need auto insurance to drive a car. But if you think you're going to get any kind of unbiased help from an insurance company as you try to educate yourself on how to pick which insurance is right for you, keep dreaming.
To an insurance company, you're a statistic. Their bean counters figure out what somebody "like you" is going to cost them, and then they charge you a rate based on being in one "pool" or another. That's fine, but it also means they're in business to make money, not to help you get the insurance that fits your needs best. Here's a little help.
An auto insurance policy typically has several different parts, corresponding to different types of insurance. You'll need to sign up for the types you must have (the minimum requirement in your state) and the additional ones you want.
Most states will require some kind of minimum Bodily Injury insurance. This insurance covers costs associated with claims by somebody you hurt in an accident, whether that's the other motorist or pedestrian you hit, or passengers in your car.
You'll probably either have to have or very much want to add some Liability or Property insurance to that. This insurance covers damage to property if you're at fault in an accident. Most states will require you to cover something like $10,000 to $15,000 of property damage, but that's really not enough. If you slam into a new Porsche, you'll want more insurance. Getting $30,000 to $50,000 worth or coverage is smart.
Collision insurance covers damage to your own vehicle if you cause an accident. If your car is over five years old, you might not need this. You'll have to Vampirella likely repair costs against the cost of maintaining your premium. If you finance a new car, you'll probably be required to buy some minimum level of collision coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car from things other than an accident with another vehicle. That could be 1982 Fleer baseball cards vandalism, running into a deer on the highway, etc. If your car isn't worth that much anymore, you probably don't need this. You should get it for new car, and if you borrow money for that car, you'll probably have to get it.
Uninsured (or Underinsured) Motorist insurance covers you if an uninsured or underinsured motorist causes an accident with you. Their insurance company is supposed to pay for the damage to your vehicle, but they may have no insurance at all, or inadequate insurance. In that case, you'll have to foot the bill. This insurance protects you from that unfortunately common reality.
Those are the major categories of auto insurance. You'll need to confirm what your current state requires, and determine whether you need all of those kinds of insurance for your vehicle based on its age, worth and likely repair costs. In many cases, you can dramatically reduce your premiums if you increase your deductibles on things like Collision insurance, and then save enough money in a reserve fund to cover the deductible.
Now you're armed and ready to navigate the auto insurance maze without fear.
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