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Finding the Right Coverage for Your Car

When purchasing a new auto insurance policy, you will select the coverages and limits you want to carry on. You can speak with a licensed insurance agent or an insurance company directly or utilize an online rater such as A-MAX Insurance to determine what coverages you must carry in your state and which ones are optional for you. Be sure to compare auto insurance quotes from different carriers to ensure that you get the auto insurance coverage you need at a price you can afford.

Every state has a minimum liability insurance coverage limit required for your car to be registered and legally driven. However, the minimum liability coverage limit is not always the best option. You should buy as much liability insurance coverage as possible. Suppose you get into a serious accident and cause injuries to others or substantial damage to their property. In that case, minimum liability limits can be exhausted quickly, leaving you financially exposed because you will be responsible for paying the portion of the claim that your carrier doesn't cover out of your own pocket.

If you lease or finance a newer car, the lender through which you have your loan will require you to carry comprehensive and collision coverage until your lease or loan is paid off. If you do not have a lease or loan on your car, the comprehensive and collision coverages are optional but not something you should necessarily decline. If your car still holds a substantial value, you will want to be able to have it fixed in the event of a claim. You can determine the actual cash value of your vehicle on the Kelley Blue Book website. When your car is damaged by animals, fire, theft, vandalism, or weather, comprehensive coverage will pay to repair or replace your vehicle once your deductible is satisfied. If your car is damaged by another vehicle or other object, the collision coverage on your policy will pay to repair or replace your vehicle once your deductible is satisfied. When you select this coverage, be sure to pick a deductible that you can afford. Though selecting higher deductibles will decrease your insurance premiums, they are not a good choice if you cannot afford to pay the deductible you chose when your car has been damaged.

Optional Car Insurance Coverage Worth Considering

In addition to liability coverage and physical damage coverage, there are a few other coverages that you may want to consider purchasing on your car insurance policy.

• Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay): This coverage will pay for the medical expenses that you and your passengers incur in a car accident, whether you caused the accident or not, up to the limit you select on your policy. This coverage is similar to Personal injury protection (PIP) coverage but only covers medical expenses.

• Personal Injury Protection Coverage (PIP): Personal injury protection is required in some states, but it is optional in others. Like MedPay, PIP coverage will pay for your and your passengers' injuries in the event of a car accident up to the limit you select on your policy. The advantage to having PIP coverage instead of MedPay coverage is that PIP also covers things such as loss of work, funeral expenses and death benefits for people injured in your car, and coverage for things that you cannot do while recovering from your injuries such as childcare, housekeeping, and transportation.

• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: UM coverage is required in some states, but it is optional in others. It will pay for your and your passengers' injuries if you are hit by a driver who does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance to pay for your and your passengers' medical expenses after an accident.

• GAP Coverage: GAP coverage is part of a car insurance policy's physical damage section. If you are financing or leasing your car, you may owe your lender more than it is worth if it is totaled in an accident. In this case, GAP coverage will pay your lender for the difference between your car's actual cash value at the time of an accident and the loan amount that you have left on the car.

• Rental Car Reimbursement Coverage: This optional coverage will pay for you to rent a replacement vehicle for a set amount per day for a set number of days while your car is being repaired from a covered claim on your car insurance policy.

• Roadside Assistance Coverage: This is optional coverage you can buy on your car insurance policy in case your vehicle is disabled or needs to be towed. Roadside assistance coverage pays for things like towing, jump-starting a dead battery, flat tire repair, locksmith services, delivery or fuel if you run out of gas, and more, depending on your insurance carrier.

• Towing Coverage: This optional coverage will pay for your disabled vehicle to be towed up to a limit that you have set on your policy.

Consult with your insurance agent or insurance company to determine if you need or want to add any of these coverages. Some insurance companies offer additional optional coverages that you can select as well.

Tips to Save on Full Coverage Auto Insurance

Car insurance costs vary greatly among insurance companies, and full-coverage car insurance is much more expensive than liability-only car insurance. Once you determine the coverage limits you need, ensure you get all the discounts you qualify for on the policy to get the best possible car insurance rate. Many auto insurance companies give discounts for paying your premium in full or putting it on an automatic payment plan. You can also sign up for your insurance company's telematics program, if it offers one, where your driving habits are tracked through an app on your smartphone or by installing a small device in your car. There are discounts available if you have taken a defensive driving course, you're a good student, you own a home, or you're a veteran, among many other things.

An account discount is one of the largest discounts you can gain on your auto insurance policy. This discount is applied to your car insurance if you bundle your homeowner's or renter's insurance with the same insurance company. Be sure to ask your insurance company or your insurance agent to quote you for both lines of coverage so you can get this discount.

Full Coverage Auto Insurance FAQs

Q: What is the difference between a liability-only auto policy and a full-coverage auto policy?

A: A liability-only auto policy only provides the coverages necessary to ensure that the injuries you cause to others or the damage you cause to their property are covered by your policy. A full-coverage auto policy includes the liability coverage portion but also includes comprehensive and collision coverages to ensure that your vehicle can be repaired after an accident.

Q: Where can I buy full coverage auto insurance?

A: You can contact an independent insurance agent, speak directly to an insurance company, or compare rates using an online comparative rater such as A-MAX Insurance to purchase full-coverage insurance on your vehicle.

Q: How can I save money on a full-coverage auto policy?

A: You can save on your car insurance premium by taking advantage of all of the discounts available on the policy.