Auto Insurance Terms - Help Me Understand?

Question

Can you explain these terms?

Comprehensive

Collision

Property Damage Liability

Bodily Injury Liability

Medical Payments

Uninsured Morotists

Bodily Injury

Thanks

Answer 1

Comprehensive- pays for physical damage to your vehicle which is caused by losses not covered under Collision coverage. Frequently referred to as "Other Than Collision". Examples: glass breakage, deer collision, theft, vandalism

Collision - pays for damage to your vehicle when it collides with another object.

Property Damage Liability- pays for property damage that other people incur due to your negligence. This coverage does not pay for your car.  You can not be liable to yourself.

Bodily Injury Liability - pays for bodily injury/death that other people suffer due to your negligence.  You (as the driver of your vehicle) can not recover from this coverage. Again, you can't be liable to yourself.

Liability coverage is referred to in a fraction. Although the numbers may be different - their place in the fraction means the same thing.  Using the fraction 50/100/25 as an example:

The first number (50,000) is the most that can be paid to any one person as a result of bodily injury. So if you die - the most  you can be paid is 50,000.

The second number (100,000) is the most that can be paid to all parties involved in an accident for bodily injury. So if you cause an accident with a bus and every person on that bus is killed, your policy will pay no more than 100,000 for the total off all their claims (and no more than 50,000 to any one of them).

The last number is property damage liability. This does not have a per person limit. This limit (25,000) is the most that can be paid for all property damage liabilty claims in any 1 loss.

Medical Payments - pays for medical bills only for passengers in your vehicle. Will also pay if you are a pedestrian that is struck by another car. This coverage pays regardless of fault.  This coverage does not pay for pain and suffering, lost wages. Usually sold with a limit of 1000 or 5000.

Uninsured Motorist - bodily injury and property damage available. This coverage pays when you sustain bodily injury and/or property damage caused by another motorist. However that motorist does not have a valid insurance policy. This coverage steps in to pay what the other persons policy should have paid (had he had insurance).

Under-Insured Motorist coverage - sometimes is a separate coverage from insured motorist. In some states, it is a part of uninsured motorist. This pays  if you sustain bodily injury/property damage caused by another motorist who has a valid insurance policy, however, the limits of his coverage are not sufficient to cover the damages in the loss. This coverage will pick up where the other guys policy ran out.  

For more information, ask your insurance agent to give you a copy of your auto policy. The words are defined in there in more detail.

Answer 2

Comprehensive - Any thing other than Collision (i.e. hail, vandalism, theft)

Collision - Contact with a fixed object (i.e. another vehicle, house, fence, animal)

Property Damage Liability - The amount your insurance company will pay out in an At Fault accident to repair the other persons vehicle or property (i.e. fence, house, mailbox)

Bodily Injury Liability - The first number is the total amount we will pay in medical expenses per person in an At Fault accident to the other party. The second number is the total amount we will pay in medical expenses per accident in an At Fault accident to the other party.

Medical Payments - The amount your insurance will pay for your medical expenses in an At Fault accident.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist - This coverage is deductible free & is incase some one hits you that is uninsured or underinsured you will have that coverage with out having to pay your deductible.

I hope you can understand this. If not you can email me with any questions!

Answer 3

Comprehensive = something that happens to you car that doesn't involve another auto (a limb crashes down in a storm)

Collision = Your car strikes another or vice versa

Prop Dam Liab = You slam into something, like someones house or someones car

BI Liab = Someone riding in your car is hurt when it gets hit or you hit someone or something. You are liable for their injury

Med Payment - This pays for medical treatments for someone hurt in your car

UI Motorist = some jack *** hits you and has no insurance (none) so your coverage covers what they should of covered.

Bodily Injury = cuts bruises broken bones dismemberment death and the like

Answer 4

YOUR AGENT should be explaining these to you.  If you don't have an agent, read your policy.

In order to explain them propertly, you'd ALSO need the policy form and state, as coverages can vary by policy form, and state.

Answer 5

This is basically what the coverages are in my state. They may slightly differ in your state. Check with your agent or read the definitions in your policy jacket.

Comprehensive:

Damage to your vehicle from damage caused by an occurence other than collision; glass breakage, fire, theft, collision with an animal, falling objects, hail, flood.

Collision:

At fault collision with another vehicle, tree, pole, road hazard such hitting an object on the road which does damage to your vehicle. Damage from other than comprehensive damage.

Property Damage Liability:

Liability that you incur as a result of collision with someone else's property; such as a another vehicle, fence, house, any type of property which is owned by another person or business.

Bodily Injury Liability:

Liabilty that you incur as a result of injuries, or death, to another person in your at-fault accident.

Medical Payments:

Pays for medical treatments, up to the stated limitsper person, of anyone, including the driver, inside the insured vehicle, whether sick or injured, regardless of fault. Also, there is coverage if someone gets injured as a result of bodily contact with the exterior of your insured vehicle. This is considered a "good will" benefit. In other words, if your insurance pays for medical treatments, it may prevent a lawsuit.  

Uninsured Motorist Property Damage:

Covers your vehicle for damage, for an accident caused by an uninsured driver/vehicle. Also, it pays for damage related to a hit and run accident.

Unisured Bodily Injury:

Covers you the driver, or other passengers in your insured vehicle for bodily injury caused by an uninsured driver/vehicle, or by a hit and run driver. Also, it will cover you as a pedestrian if you struck by an uninsured driver, or by a hit and run driver.

There is also another coverage called Underinsured Motorist Property Damage and Bodilty Injury. This coverage pays for damage to your vehicle, or for bodily injury for damage incurred by a driver/vehicle that is under insured. In other words, he/she does not have enough Property Damage/Bodily Injury Liabilty Coverage to pay for damages as a result of his/her at-fault accident.

Answer 6

Good responses so far.  The Financial Services Commission of Ontario has a great site on Auto insurance.  Canada Insurance Source also has a summary.