Many countries require that you purchase car insurance, so it’s easy for insurance companies to create faulty, overpriced policies. When you buy car insurance, you need to understand exactly what you’ re getting for your money as well as what is not covered by your insurance. When you buy insurance, you pay for what they call a “policy.” There are many kinds of policies, and many companies combine several of them into a bundle when they sell you theirs. Here are some of the common ones:
Liability:
Liability coverage protects you from expenses related to physical harm to others and their vehicles. Depending on where you live, you may have to purchase various amounts of liability insurance. Make sure the policy you choose complies with these laws!
Collision:
This insurance covers the damages that happen to your vehicle in a crash.
Medical Coverage:
Regardless of fault, this insurance pays for the medical expenses related to an accident.
PIP (Personal Injury Protection):
this insurance covers your medical expenses, as the insured driver.
Uninsured motorist:
this type of insurance pays for damage to your car when the person at fault does not have liability insurance.
Underinsured motorist:
this type of insurance pays for the damage to your car when the person at fault does not have enough liability insurance.
Rental Reimbursement:
this insurance provides a certain allowance for a rental car after your car has been damaged due to a car accident.
Before you decide on a policy, consider exactly what the insurance company offers in all of these areas. Sometimes, the wording in insurance policy documents is complicated, so get a friend or even a lawyer to read it with you to make sure you don’t accidently misunderstand something. Also, use common sense. If your car is older, it might not make sense to purchase a deluxe, full-service collision insurance package. However, this is absolutely necessary for a newer luxury car. You should consider other insurance policies unrelated to cars that you already pay for so that you do not double-count insurance. For instance, your health insurance might already pay for accident-related treatment.
Most importantly, you need to carefully read your insurance policy to make sure that it really does do what it promises. Even if the heading over a certain section says “collision insurance,” you shouldn’t assume that the company will provide the insurance you want. Read it and understand every part of what you are paying for so that you’re not surprised by costs in the event of an accident.