Basics of Auto Insurance

• Bodily Injury to Others

  protects you, or someone you allow to drive your car, from legal liability if you accidentally injure or cause the death of someone else while operating your car. 

  Reading: Basics of Auto Insurance

  It only covers losses if the accident occurs in Massachusetts and does not cover the injury or death of a passenger in your car. 

  You must buy at least $20,000 per person and $40,000 if more than one person is hurt.

   

• Personal Injury Protection (also known as PIP) 

  covers medical expenses, up to 75% of lost wages and replacement services up to a limit of $8,000

  .

  Massachusetts is a no-fault state which means no matter who causes the accident, PIP will pay these expenses for you or anyone you let drive your car, anyone living in your household, passengers in your vehicle and pedestrians

  .

• Bodily Injury Caused by Uninsured Auto 

  protects you, anyone you let drive your car, and household members and passengers (

  who are not covered under another similar Massachusetts policy)

   against loses caused by an uninsured or unidentified (“hit and run”) driver. You must buy at least $20,000 per person and $40,000 total for all people injured by the uninsured auto in the accident.

• Damage to Someone Else’s Property,

  also known as Property Damage,

   pays for damage to another person’s property when you, a household member or another driver you allow to use your car cause accidental damage to another person’s property.

  You must purchase a policy that has a minimum limit of $5,000.

Optional Coverages:
The losses that a person injured in an car accident incur and the damage to place from an accident sometimes may be a lot greater that the indemnity provided by the mandatary coverages. For most drivers, the minimum levels of policy will not give them enough protective covering and they may want to insure themselves for other types of losses that may result from automobile accidents. For those reasons, people choose to purchase higher limits of property damage and bodily wound coverage, to purchase collision and comprehensive coverage, or to purchase other types of coverage. An insurance agentive role or early indemnity professional can help you determine what types and levels of coverage you need. Agents and companies must inform you in simple speech of your coverage options when you apply for an automobile insurance policy, or if you have questions at any time .
All companies offer the watch coverages that you may wish to buy :

• Additional coverage for bodily injury to others, raising the limit to $35,000 for one person and $80,000 for all those hurt in the accident, providing bodily injury coverage for passengers in your car, and covering you if the accident occurs outside Massachusetts.

• Comprehensive and Collision coverage subject to a deductible of $500 unless you have an excessive history of claims. Collision coverage pays for damage to your auto that is caused by the

  physical contact of your auto with another object, such as another vehicle or property like a guard rail

  .  

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  Collision coverage will pay for damage to your car no matter who caused the accident.  Limited collision will pay for such damage in certain circumstances. 

  Comprehensive coverage pays for direct and accidental damage or loss to your vehicle that is caused by something other than a collision, such as

  vandalism, fire and theft, falling objects, larceny, or contact with a bird or animal.

   Comprehensive coverage also covers glass breakage not related to a collision. 

• Medical payments of at least $5,000. 

  Medical payments  coverage pays for

  reasonable expenses for necessary bodily injury medical expenses and funeral services to anyone in your auto resulting from an accident, or if you or a household member is struck by an auto or while in someone else’s auto at the time of an accident.

Some of these coverages may be subject to authoritative limitations and exclusions. For case, if you are insuring a used secret passenger automobile, an insurance company may require it to be inspected before providing comprehensive insurance. The inspection may be deferred for ten calendar days – not including legal holidays and Sundays. If your car is not inspected within the command time, these coverages will be mechanically suspended. You may besides be required to buy collision and comprehensive examination coverage if you have a loanword on the car .
Other Optional Coverages:
Automobile insurers may offer extra optional coverages that you may want. You can learn more about all of the options available to you from each caller in which you are concerned. This includes coverages such as :

• Coverage for substitute transportation such as a rental car while your car is being repaired from a collision or comprehensive claim.

• Coverage for towing and labor when your car breaks down.

• Accident forgiveness.

• Roadside assistance.

• Auto loan/lease coverage, also known as Gap insurance. Gap insurance helps pay off your auto loan if your car is totaled or stolen and you owe more than the car’s depreciated value.

• Pet coverage.

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Remember, your premium will increase if you choose to purchase higher limits of coverage or optional coverages. You should consult with your agent or insurance company about the coverages and amounts that best fit your financial needs while ensuring that you have the coverage you want should an accident occur.