An Intro to Auto Insurance

Nest Insurance Agency wants you to drive with the coverage you really need, so you and your ride remain safer. Texas has auto insurance minimum coverage requirements, but making sure that your vehicle really has the coverage it needs means purchasing more than the minimum. This blog explains the different kinds of coverage, such as collision, comprehensive and PIP, and why you would want to purchase them to drive more safely around Amarillo, TX.

A basic auto insurance policy only covers liability and your damage to another vehicle. There are six types of coverage you need to consider:

  • bodily injury liability,
  • collision,
  • comprehensive,
  • personal injury protection (PIP),
  • property damage liability,
  • uninsured/underinsured motorist.

Your basic or minimum coverage includes bodily injury liability coverage. It covers injuries that the policyholder or designated driver cause to another person.

You may want to purchase medical payments, also known as, personal injury protection (PIP) coverage which pays for the medical bills of injuries to the designated driver and their passengers. Some PIP policies cover medical payments, service replacements and lost earnings, plus funeral costs.

Another basic policy coverage, property damage liability, pays for damage you as a driver cause to another person’s property. It could be their car, fence, garage, etc.

You might want to purchase collision insurance to pay for any damage to your car, truck or motorcycle that stem from colliding with an inanimate object another vehicle, tree, fence, etc. It sometimes covers pothole damage, too. This type typically has a separate deductible.

Another type to add, comprehensive coverage,  reimburses you for damage not from a collision or theft losses. If you hit a deer or other animal, this policy type covers it. It also applies to damages from earthquakes, explosions, falling objects, fires, flood, hail,  missiles, riot damages, vandalism, and windstorm. If your windshield gets cracked or shattered, this policy type covers it. It also typically has a separate deductible.

Finally, think about adding underinsured motorist coverage. This reimburses you or a designated driver if struck by an uninsured driver or under-insured driver. It also protects if you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident.

Contact Nest Insurance Agency of Amarillo, TX to learn more about auto coverage and if full coverage is right for you.