Saturday, April 25, 2009

What Is Liability And Collision Car Insurance?

By Amy Nutt

As the population increases, more cars are filling the highways. With so many vehicles on the road, chances of car crashes have significantly increased. Even if you think you are a good driver, car insurance is vital for every car owner. Car insurance is required by law in all states and protects you if an accident occurs. Without insurance, you risk having to pay enormous costs in the event of a car crash. Liability Insurance and Collision Insurance are two important types of car insurance that everyone should understand.

Liability Insurance

The laws in most states require a car owner have at least liability insurance on any vehicle they drive. Liability pays for damages resulting from an accident where you have been deemed responsible.

Liability insurance is divided into two categories:

Bodily injury liability covers the policyholder or another covered policyholder if someone else is injured during a car accident. Bodily injury covers loss of wages, medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, pain and suffering, and other expenses associated with the accident. Property damage liability covers the policyholder or another covered policyholder if they damage someones car or property during a car accident. If you crash into someones property such as a house or fence, liability insurance will pay for repairs. State laws usually mandate minimum amounts, but higher amounts are recommended.

If you are in an accident where you are not necessarily at fault and the other driver does not have liability car insurance, you are protected by insurance known as uninsured motorist coverage.

It is suggested that you acquire at least $500,000 or $1,000,000 liability. You will rest easy knowing that you will be covered for all damages

Collision Insurance

Collision insurance is the insurance which pays for damages to your car if you are in an accident and you are deemed responsible. Your insurance policy will pay for costs up to the fair market value of your vehicle. You are covered in such instances as when your car hits another vehicle, when your car hits property such as a lamp post, and if your car hits a parked vehicle.

Advantages of having car insurance include:

If you car is leased or financed, the lender may mandate that you have collision insurance If you have a new car, collision coverage will pay for any repairs or replacements you need

Collision coverage is optional and deductibles vary from $250, $500, and $1000. If you have an old car that is not in great shape, coverage will only pay for the cash value of the car. Collision coverage is not required by law. However, if you are involved in a collision, you will be responsible for fixing any damage or replacing your car.

The amount you pay for car insurance depends on the make and model of your car, your driving record, your age, gender, marital status, and where you reside. When you decide to purchase car insurance make sure you compare quotes from at least three insurance companies. Ask insurers how much liability and collision insurance needs to be purchased to meet your individual or business needs. Check the terms and conditions to make sure they meet state regulations.

When you drive a car, you are carrying a tremendous amount of responsibility. You never know when an accident may happen. You may think you are a great driver, but that does not mean that all of the others on the road are great drivers. It is important to protect yourself in case of an accident. Without car insurance, you may end up in a financially devastating situation that will stay with you for many years.

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Utah Auto Insurance Requirements and Savings

By Steve Turner

Before you purchase a Utah auto insurance policy, do some research to make certain that you are getting all that you need at the best price. Find out what the insurance requirements are for the state of Utah, as well as the different options and discounts that may be offered by individual insurance companies.

Here are some of the requirements for insurance coverage in Utah. Your policy must include $25,000 worth of bodily injury coverage per person for injuries resulting from your actions, and $50,000 of bodily injury coverage for all injuries you cause. You must also carry $15,000 worth of property damage coverage for any damage caused to another's car or property.

While these may be the minimum requirements to be legal, you should consider adding more to give yourself some financial security. Personal injury protection (PIP) will pay for your medical bills and damage to your property no matter who is responsible for the damages. This is just one of the options available when considering increasing your coverage benefits.

Collision coverage covers damage to your car and property when you have been in an accident regardless of who was at fault. Comprehensive coverage covers damage to your car because of things such as theft and vandalism. Uninsured motorist coverage covers damage to your car and your medical bills if you are involved in an accident with an underinsured, uninsured, or hit-and-run driver.

Because there is such a wide difference in rates from insurance provider to insurance provider, it is important to compare rates from many different companies. You can do this by calling each provider and asking for a quote, or checking to see if they have a website that offers an online quote request form. The quickest way would be to find an insurance comparison website that will obtain multiple quotes for you at one time.

If you increase your deductible you will in turn lower your premium rate. The deductible is the amount that you will pay in the event of an accident before the insurance company will pay out any benefits. Raise this as high as you can to obtain the lowest rate possible.

To realize even more savings ask your provider what discounts that they offer. Many will give discounts for things such as having a clean driving record, an anti-theft device installed in your vehicle, or having your homeowners and auto insurance coverage through the same provider.

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