When budget-conscious consumers search for a policy, they often assume that they will have to sacrifice on the amount or quality of the coverage they purchase in order to save money on car insurance. As long as you request auto insurance quotes through Chap Arnold, you will not have to face this trade-off between quality and price. On this page, we'll explain the typical coverages the best auto insurance policies include and how much of each you need to stay protected on the road.

auto insurance information

Liability Protection: Bodily Injury and Property Damage

The liability component of your auto insurance policy is what protects you when you harm someone else or cause damage to someone else's property with your vehicle. Required by all states, liability insurance comes in two forms: bodily injury liability and property damage liability. Bodily injury liability pays for the injuries or deaths in an accident for which you are at fault. Bodily injury will pay for things like the other drivers' doctor visits, hospital stays, burial expenses, lost wages, and so on. Property damage liability, on the other hand, pays for the physical damage your vehicle does to property, such as other vehicles, homes, traffic devices, etc.

If you want the best auto insurance, you need to carry ample amounts of both types of liability, not just the legal minimum. The auto insurance laws vary by state and are intended as minimums, not maximums. For example, in Missouri, the law requires drivers to carry liability protection of 25/50/10, but most insurance experts advise carrying 100/300/50, or $100,000 of bodily injury per person, $300,000 bodily injury per accident, and $50,000 of property damage. Remember that accident-related lawsuits can have extremely large judgments, just one of which could wipe out your valuable assets if you don't have enough liability coverage.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Certain states, including Missouri, also require drivers to purchase specific amounts of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage pays for the injuries of the driver and his/her passengers in the event of a collision with an uninsured or underinsured driver. Uninsured motorist coverage also has limits that specify the amount of coverage per person and per accident. For example, Missouri law requires drivers to carry $25,000 of uninsured motorist coverage per person and $50,000 per accident.

Medical Payments

Medical payments coverage, or personal injury protection (PIP), will cover the medical expenses of the policyholder and any passengers involved. The coverage applies regardless of fault. Most consumers who have adequate life, disability, and health insurance policies can exclude this coverage from their auto insurance coverage.

Collision and Comprehensive

The best auto insurance policies will also pay for repairs or a replacement vehicle if your car is damaged or stolen. The portion of your policy that takes care of these expenses is known as collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision pays for the damages to your car that result from a covered accident. Comprehensive pays for most other damages not caused by a collision. For example, comprehensive will pay for hail damage, flooding, theft, etc. Both of these coverages require a deductible that typically ranges from $100-$1,000.