In every state in the United States, you are required to carry at least a minimum amount of car insurance. The purpose of this minimum amount of coverage, referred to as Liability coverage, is put into place in order to protect other drivers. In other words, if you are in an accident and it is your fault, the cost of the damages you inflict on the other driver will be covered up to the limit on your policy. The damage you receive, on the other hand, is not covered by Liability insurance.
Although it is not legally required, obtaining Collision and Comprehensive insurance is a wise decision if you have a vehicle that is of value. With Collision insurance, the cost of repairing your vehicle if you are in an accident that is your fault is covered. With Comprehensive insurance, on the other hand, the cost of repairing your vehicle if it is damaged in just about any other way is covered. Therefore, you can prevent yourself from taking a gigantic financial hit if you include Collision and Comprehensive insurance to your policy.
For most car insurance policy holders with a clean driving record and a solid credit history, adding Collision and Comprehensive insurance to their policies does not cost much more than just having Liability. In addition, the peace of mind it brings in knowing that the cost of your vehicle is taken care of is worth every penny for many drivers.
If you have a lien holder on your car, you will be required to carry Collision and Compressive insurance because the lien holder wants to be sure its investment is protected. You can further protect your personal assets by purchasing GAP insurance if you owe more on the car than the cars listed value. This way, if the car is damaged to the point that it is considered totaled, you will receive enough money from your insurance to pay off the total amount of your debt rather than just what the listed value of the vehicle is. This will help prevent you from remaining in debt for a vehicle that you no longer own.
Having insurance will also help prevent going in debt because it will cover your medical expenses if you are in a car accident that is your fault. Medical expenses can be quite costly and, without the help of insurance, you can face an insurmountable debt that can leave you needing to file for bankruptcy. With the help of insurance, you can prevent this from happening to you.
Although no one likes the idea of having yet another monthly bill to pay, car insurance is necessary in order to legally drive in any state. In addition, for peace of mind and protection of your assets, it is a good idea to purchase more than just what you are legally required to have.