

Uninsured motorist insurance pays for medical expenses of you and your passengers if injured by someone driving without liability insurance. Mandatory in some states and optional in other states. Here are other types of car insurance that may be required in your state: Others, such as New York, require additional coverage types. Some states, such as California, require only liability insurance. Related: When to drop collision and comprehensive insurance What other car insurance could be required?

This is the amount subtracted from your payout if you make a collision or comprehensive insurance claim, such as $500.Įven if you own your car outright, it’s worth considering buying collision and comprehensive insurance if you want coverage to replace or repair your car if it’s damaged due to a problem covered by your policy. You don’t need to choose a collision or comprehensive amount-your coverage will be based on the value of your vehicle, or the payout to you if your car is totaled. State laws don’t require you to carry collision and comprehensive insurance, but if you have a car lease or loan, your leasing company or lender usually requires this coverage. Do you need collision and comprehensive insurance?Ĭollision and comprehensive insurance are often sold together and cover a wide range of problems, like accident damage to your own vehicle, car theft, collisions with animals, floods, fires, hail, vandalism and falling objects (like a tree branch). 15 = $15,000 of property damage liability coverage per accidentīuying only your state’s minimum amount of liability car insurance could be a costly mistake because these amounts are usually inadequate if you cause an expensive accident.30 = $30,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident.15 = $15,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person.Liability limits are written as a group of three numbers, such as 15/30/15, and breaks down to mean: A general rule of thumb is to buy enough liability insurance to cover what could be taken from you in a lawsuit. Understanding liability insurance limits is critical to choosing the right amount of car insurance. It also covers the cost of your legal defense and judgments and settlements if you’re sued because of an accident. Liability car insurance is required in most states and pays for accidental property damage and injuries you cause to others. How to choose the right amount of liability insurance

How to Calculate Your Car Insurance Coverage Needsīecause a car insurance policy can be made up of several components, the best way to calculate how much car insurance you need is to look at each one separately.
