Your auto policy may include six programs. Each coverage is priced separately.

One) Bodily Injury Liability

This program applies to injuries that you, the driver or policyholder, cause to someone else. You and your family members listed on the policy are also covered when driving someone else’s auto with their permission.

It’s very important to have enough liability car insurance, because if you are involved in a serious collision, you may be sued for a large sum of money. Definitely consider buying more than the state-required minimum to protect assets such as your home and savings.

2. Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

This coverage pays for the treatment of injuries to the driver and passengers of the policy holder's automobile. At its broadest, PIP can cover medical payments, lost wages and the cost of replacing services normally performed by someone injured in an automobile car crash. It may also cover funeral costs.

Three) Property Damage Liability

This plan pays for damage you (or someone driving the vehicle with your permission) may cause to someone else's property. Usually, this means damage to someone else’s vehicle, but it also includes damage to lamp posts, telephone poles, fences, buildings or other structures your car hit.

4. Collision

This policy pays for damage to your car resulting from a car crash with another auto, object or as a result of flipping over. It also covers damage caused by potholes. collision plan is generally sold with a deductible of $250 to $1,000—the higher your deductible, the lower your premium. Even if you are at fault for the collision, your collision coverage will reimburse you for the costs of repairing your vehicle, minus the deductible. If you're not at fault, your insurance company may try to recover the amount they paid you from the other driver’s insurance company. If they are successful, you'll also be reimbursed for the deductible.

Five) Comprehensive

This program reimburses you for loss due to theft or damage caused by something other than a accident with another vehicle or object, such as fire, falling objects, missiles, explosion, earthquake, windstorm, hail, flood, vandalism, riot, or contact with animals such as birds or deer.

Comprehensive automobile insurance is usually sold with a $100 to $300 deductible, though you may want to opt for a higher deductible as a way of lowering your premium.

Comprehensive vehicle insurance will also reimburse you if your windshield is cracked or shattered. Some organizations offer glass coverage with or without a deductible.

6. Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist program

This coverage will reimburse you, a member of your family, or a designated driver if one of you is hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver.

Underinsured motorist coverage comes into play when an at-fault driver has insufficient automobile insurance to pay for your total loss. This plan will also protect you if you are hit as a pedestrian.

Can I drive legally without automobile insurance?

NO! Almost every state requires you to have auto insurance. All states also have financial responsibility laws. This means that even in a state that does not require liability automobile insurance, you need to have sufficient assets to pay claims if you cause an collision. If you don’t have enough assets, you must purchase at least the state minimum amount of vehicle insurance. But auto insurance exists to protect your assets. Trying to see how little you can get by with can be very shortsighted and dangerous. The car insurance industry and consumer groups generally recommend a minimum of $100,000 of bodily injury protection per person and $300,000 per accident since chance events may cost far more than the minimum limits mandated by most states.

If you've financed your car, your lender may require comprehensive and collision auto insurance as part of the loan agreement.