5 Car Insurance Tips

Your Ads here! How much you pay for auto insurance depends o­n several factors, including your age and marital status, where you live, and what you drive. You can't do anything about your age, and few people will move just to lower their insurance premium. You can, however, choose a vehicle that costs less to insure. In this article, we'll give you all of the helpful tips you need when getting car insurance.

1. Know Your Coverage Types

What is your car insurance actually insuring? Although you're buying a single insurance policy covering a specific vehicle, a number of components make up the final cost:

Bodily injury liability: Covers injury and death claims against you, and legal costs, if your car injures or kills someone.
• Property damage liability: Covers claims for property that your car damages in an accident. Because liability coverage protects the other party, it is required in all but three states.
• Medical payments: Pays for injuries to yourself and to occupants of your car. This is optional in some states. In "no-fault" states, personal injury protection replaces medical payments as part of the basic coverage.
• Uninsured motorist protection: Covers injuries caused to you or the occupants of your car by uninsured or hit-and-run drivers. "Under-insured" coverage also is available, to cover claims you may make against a driver who has inadequate insurance. In some states, as many as 30 percent of drivers are uninsured.
• Collision coverage: Covers damage to your car up to its book value. Collision coverage carries a deductible, which is the amount per claim you have to pay before the insurance takes effect. The lower the deductible, the higher the premium.
While it is legally optional, a lending institution or leasing company usually requires collision coverage.
• Comprehensive (physical damage): Covers damage to your car from theft, vandalism, fire, wind, flood, and other non-accident causes. Comprehensive also carries a deductible.