What Does Auto Insurance Cover?
Auto insurance coverages

The simple act of driving is the most dangerous thing many Americans are willing to do. Each year there are almost five million traffic accidents which only cause property damage. Three million Americans are hurt in car accidents every year, and they pay an average of $57,000 for hospital care for their injuries.

Auto insurance protects you against the risks you face on the road. In this article we’ll explain many of the auto insurance coverages you should strongly consider including in your policy. In addition to guarding you against financial ruin, they may just make your life easier one day.

 

Liability Coverage

Liability coverage is the all-important type of insurance which can cover you when you are responsible for a collision. Property damage liability goes into effect when you have to pay for damage to vehicles, buildings and other private or public property. Bodily injury liability pays for the medical care, loss of income and pain and suffering another person may incur as the result of the accident.

Both liability coverages are crucial for all motorists, as anyone can make a minor mistake which has major legal and financial implications. Millions of people have crashed cars only because they sneezed!

 

Collision Coverage

A collision with another vehicle isn’t the only thing that can damage or destroy your own vehicle. Collisions with fixed objects such as trees, utility poles and traffic barriers account for approximately 20 percent of driving fatalities, and they also cost millions in property damage every month.

Hopefully, you are not injured after striking a fixed object with your car – but the financial implications from such a collision can still prove disastrous. That is why you should add collision coverage as it can pay for the repairs or replacements you may need. Even following an accident that involved another driver.

 

Comprehensive Coverage

A collision isn’t the only threat you face on the road. A misfortune which doesn’t involve an accident can just as easily destroy your vehicle in an instant. Comprehensive coverage can compensate you for damage to your vehicle resulting from theft, vandalism, fire, hail, flooding, falling objects or striking a deer or other unlucky animal.
 
Auto insurance may also include roadside assistance, such as towing and jump starts, and a diminishing deductible. This financially rewards you for successfully avoiding accidents and traffic violations.

 

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

It wouldn’t matter if every state required drivers to purchase auto insurance. So long as people can break the law, you will need uninsured motorist coverage.
 
Ideally, the other driver’s insurance would cover the costs of damage to your vehicle and your medical bills when you’re involved in an accident they are held responsible for. Uninsured motorist coverage can compensate you for your losses in the event that the at-fault motorist neglected to purchase their own insurance, or purchased insurance that is inadequate to make you whole again.

 

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Also known as “no-fault insurance,” personal injury protection (PIP) is the part of a car insurance plan which protects you and your passengers should either of you have to pay for medical care or other expenses resulting from a collision.

Even if you and your family members are not currently covered by health insurance, PIP can cover the medical care you both require following an accident. But hospitalization isn’t the only potential consequence of a car accident. That’s why PIP can also compensate for lost wages, child care, and even funeral expenses.

 

Minor Violation Forgiveness

Receiving a traffic citation can have a dramatic impact on the amount you must pay for car insurance. A ticket for speeding, failing to yield, making an illegal turn or failing to stop at a red light can easily increase your rate by over 20 percent.

Minor violation forgiveness offers peace of mind that making a single mistake won’t mean having to pay hundreds more for auto insurance. This coverage option applies once per policy. When minor violation forgiveness goes into effect, it renews three years after the most recent traffic violation.

 

Rental Reimbursement

Most people on Earth say they would find life harder if they lacked access to a car. You are one of them, which is why you should consider including rental reimbursement on your auto insurance policy. It can cover the costs of the vehicle you would rent to get by while you are repairing or replacing your damaged car or truck.

 

Medical Payments Coverage

Cars and trucks can be replaced, but nothing can substitute for your and your family members’ well-being. When you include medical payments coverage in your auto insurance package, you’re ensuring that most necessary medical expenses will be covered whether you or your family member are a driver, a passenger, or even a pedestrian involved in an accident – regardless of who was at fault.

 

If you are looking for car insurance in Sioux Falls, Brandon or Tea, SD, then we welcome you to contact McKinneyOlson Insurance today. Our agents are standing by to help tailor the auto insurance policy best suited to your unique needs, just like we’re standing by to assist our clients with their claims 24/7, 365 days a year.