What does full coverage auto insurance cover?
Full coverage car insurance covers your vehicle and the people who drive it in most scenarios. It also protects you financially if another driver causes an accident that damages your car or property.
The right full coverage policy depends on your needs and state regulations. Usually, you can combine several types of coverage to find the best balance between premiums and deductibles.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance, or “other than collision” coverage, covers damage to your vehicle from accidents that don’t involve a crash with another car. These include incidents such as fire, theft, vandalism or hailstorms.
This type of coverage is usually bought in conjunction with collision insurance as part of full coverage auto insurance. It is also typically required by lenders if you have a loan or lease on your car.
Some providers even offer optional add-ons such as rental car reimbursement and towing if you’re unable to drive your car after a comprehensive event. Whether you opt for these or not will depend on the policy you choose and your budget.
Costs for comprehensive insurance will vary depending on your state and the amount of the deductible you choose. A higher deductible will generally result in lower premiums, while a lower deductible will be more expensive.
In addition to being a good idea for newer vehicles, it may be worth it for drivers who live in high-crime areas or in areas with natural disasters such as wildfires. This coverage can help cover the cost of replacing your vehicle if it’s damaged, which will save you the hassle of having to go out and buy a new car after an incident.
This coverage will also pay to repair or replace your windshield if it is damaged by hail. The insurance company will typically pay for the actual cash value of your vehicle, minus the deductible you choose.
Comprehensive insurance can also cover the cost of replacing your car if it’s stolen. This coverage can also be a good option for people who travel frequently, as it will pay for rental cars while yours is being repaired.
However, as your car’s value depreciates, this type of coverage becomes less useful. It will never pay out more than the vehicle’s actual cash value minus your deductible, so you’ll probably want to drop it at some point. This can be done by evaluating your car’s value and your budget.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance covers the cost of repairing your car, or replacing it if it’s totaled. It’s usually an optional coverage, but it’s a good idea to have collision coverage to avoid paying thousands of dollars out of pocket in the event of a car accident.
Depending on the type of collision coverage you buy, it may cover your car if it’s hit by another vehicle, an object or even a highway median. It also helps pay for repairs if your car is in a rollover. And it can help cover the cost of repair or replacement if you are involved in a collision with a tree, guardrail or pole — even if the other driver is at fault.
When it comes to collision coverage, you’ll need to decide on a deductible amount. The lower the deductible you select, the lower your premium will be. However, you should choose a deductible that is high enough to be affordable if you need to file a claim.
A higher deductible will increase your monthly premium, but will save you more money in the long run if you do have to file a claim. If you’re not sure how much to select for your deductible, talk to an insurance agent about it.
If you’re looking for more information about auto insurance, contact an independent agent or a Travelers representative. They can answer your questions and provide quotes for insurance policies that are right for you.
Many people consider collision insurance to be an important part of their coverage package. It’s particularly helpful for drivers of higher-end cars or vehicles that keep their value well.
In addition to repairing or replacing your car, collision insurance can help pay for the medical expenses of people who are injured in an accident with your car. You can also use it to pay for the costs of a rental car and other related expenses if you are out of commission during an accident.
You can also get a collision deductible waiver in some states. If you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, this waiver will waive your deductible and help cover the cost of repairs.
Liability insurance
Full coverage auto insurance covers all of the major types of coverage. It includes liability insurance, comprehensive and collision insurance, as well as rental reimbursement and emergency roadside assistance.
Liability insurance is the part of your car insurance policy that protects other drivers if you cause an accident. The two main types of liability insurance are bodily injury liability and property damage liability.
Bodily injury liability covers medical expenses for people who are injured in an accident, and property damage liability covers the costs of repairing or replacing damaged vehicles and other property. In some cases, it also covers lost wages and legal fees if the injured party files a lawsuit.
Some states require all motorists to carry liability insurance. If you don’t, you could find yourself paying thousands of dollars in damages if you’re found at fault for an accident.
While liability insurance is not the cheapest component of your auto insurance policy, it is often the most important. It is also the only component of your car insurance policy that you can use to file a claim if you are involved in an accident.
A lot of people choose to only carry the minimum liability insurance requirements required by law in their state. This may save money in the short term, but it could leave you with unpaid bills if you’re involved in an accident that causes severe injuries or property damage.
If you’re looking for a way to keep your costs low, consider opting for a lower liability limit and combining it with other types of insurance. You can purchase additional optional types of liability insurance, such as underinsured motorist coverage, which pays your medical bills if the other driver is at fault in an accident but doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your bills.
In addition to liability insurance, many states require drivers to have uninsured motorist coverage. This coverage will pay for your medical bills and property damage if the other driver is uninsured or underinsured.
Finally, many states require young drivers to carry full coverage auto insurance as a condition of their driving license. This can make it a good idea to have your children maintain this coverage even if they’re off at school.
Uninsured motorist coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage spares you from shelling out your own money to pay for damages and medical bills after a car accident caused by a driver who does not have liability insurance. It is available as an optional addition to a full coverage auto policy.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) is an important type of protection to have if you live in a state where there are a high percentage of uninsured drivers on the road. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners reports that more than one in eight drivers nationwide is uninsured, and the rate can vary by state.
UM helps cover you and your passengers in the event of a collision with an uninsured driver. It also covers other costs that you might incur because of an accident, like childcare costs or lost wages if you’re unable to work as a result of your injuries.
In most states, UM is required by law. In some, you can choose to reject it in writing or opt out of it altogether. Generally, UM is included in a standard liability plan that also includes property damage protection.
Personal injury protection and medical payments coverage are also options. These types of coverage are often referred to as MedPay and will pay for your medical bills no matter who was at fault in the accident.
This is an affordable option to add to your auto insurance plan. It could also help you pay for the cost of repairing your vehicle in an accident that was caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver.
You’ll need to decide if you need the coverage in order to make sure you have enough to cover the expenses that might arise after an accident. For example, if you have the minimum limits that are required in your state, you’ll need to buy more UM than your limit to be certain your bills are covered.
You may want to consider adding a separate UM/UIM property damage coverage to your policy if your state requires it. This is an important safety measure to have, as the average claim payment for UM/UIM property damage is $32,879, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.