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We've compiled these frequently asked questions to help you out.
Your car insurance bill will look very different depending on the type of coverage you get. For example, if you choose to get full coverage, this typically includes a combination of comprehensive, collision and liability coverage. It also provides coverage for most scenarios, including damage to your car from the weather, an at-fault accident, hitting an animal or vandalism. Or, you could elect for minimum coverage. Minimum car insurance requirements vary from state to state.
Other factors such as gender, marital status, education, and home ownership can play a role. Age can be a determinant, as insurance companies generally charge higher rates for drivers in their 20s, according to NerdWallet’s most recent rate analysis. Your car make and model, whether you’ve been in an accident or have a recent speeding ticket, or even whether have poor credit can also influence the cost of your coverage.
We recommend that drivers get quotes from three or more companies to find the lowest rate possible.
1. Liability insurance
If you cause a car accident, your liability insurance covers the other driver’s bills for property damage, injuries or even death. Almost every state requires this coverage for all drivers, and you’ll need proof of insurance to legally drive a new vehicle.
There are 2 types of liability insurance: bodily injury, which covers the medical expenses from an accident you caused, and property damage, which covers the repair costs to other vehicles, fences, mailboxes or buildings from an accident you caused.
These two types of liability insurance offer different coverage amounts, usually written as three numbers. For example, 100/300/50 means a policy offers up to $100,000 of bodily injury coverage for each person injured, a $300,000 total possible payout for all bodily injury expenses per accident and a $50,000 total payout for property damage per accident.
2 & 3. Personal injury protection and medical payments coverage
Personal injury protection, or PIP, and medical payments coverage, or MedPay, cover you and your passengers’ medical expenses after a car accident no matter who was at fault. These types of car insurance differ from bodily injury liability coverage because they’ll pay out no matter who caused the accident, up to your policy limits.
Personal injury protection, sometimes called no-fault insurance, may also cover funeral costs, child care or lost wages due to injuries from an accident. PIP or MedPay is required by law in no-fault states.
4 & 5. Uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage pays for expenses that result from an uninsured driver hitting you. Underinsured motorist coverage, on the other hand, pays when the at-fault driver’s insurance limits are too low to cover all of the injuries or damage they caused. Some states require a minimum amount of uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
6 & 7. Collision coverage and comprehensive coverage
Collision and comprehensive insurance are optional in every state, but they may be required in certain situations, like if you financed or leased your vehicle. The limit on these coverage types is the value of your car at the time of the wreck, and those limits pay to fix your car or pay out its value if it’s stolen or damaged beyond repair.
Collision insurance pays for damage to your car after an accident, regardless of who was at fault. It will also pay for damage to your car from hitting a pothole or an object like a tree. Comprehensive insurance pays out if your car is stolen or damaged by anything other than a car accident. That includes damage from storms, floods, falling objects, explosions, earthquakes, vandalism or hitting an animal (deer, raccoon, armadillo, etc.).
Comprehensive and collision coverage generally come with a deductible, which is an amount you’ll have to pay out of pocket for each incident before your insurer pays anything. Choosing a higher deductible means your premium will be lower.
8. Gap insurance
In most cases, a new car’s value can drop faster than the loan balance at first. If you total a new car that hasn’t been paid off, gap insurance will cover the difference between what the car is worth, which would be covered by comprehensive or collision insurance, and how much you still owe on your loan. If you’re leasing a car, the leasing company will typically require you to carry gap insurance.
$10,000 property damage liability per accident and $10,000 personal injury protection.
Liability insurance: Every state except Virginia requires at least a minimum amount of liability insurance. This coverage helps pay for any damage you cause to another driver, their passengers or any property, such as their car. There are three components to car insurance liability coverage:
Personal injury protection: Roughly 20% of states require PIP, which covers medical expenses for the insured and their passengers if they’re in an accident, regardless of fault. PIP may also cover lost wages or other benefits that health insurance doesn't. PIP is often associated with “no-fault” states, where each party is responsible for his or her own damages in an accident.
