Basic Car Insurance (2024)

What Is Basic Coverage for Auto Insurance?

Basic Car Insurance (1)You can buy many different types ofcar insurance policies. However, most basic car insuranceincludes liability protection. In fact, most states require a certain limit for these policies. They may also want you to have uninsured/underinsured protection and comprehensive coverage. To make sure you get full protection, you’ll want to talk with your insurance provider.

6 Basic Car Insurance Coverages

All state car insurancerequirements are different, including the minimum amounts needed for coverage. This means the price of your car insurance will vary, depending:

Basic Car Insurance (2)Generally, the six basic car insurance coverages you’ll need are:

1. Bodily Injury Liability Coverage

Bodily injury liability insurancecan help pay legal expenses if you cause an accident that injures another person. So, if you rear end another car and their passengers need to go to the hospital, this policy can help pay for their medical expenses. It can also help pay for lost wages if they can’t go back to work from an injury in the auto accident.

2. Property Damage Liability Coverage

Property damage liability insurancecan help pay to repair or replace damaged property after a car accident. For example, it can help pay to repair:

  • Houses
  • Vehicles
  • Offices

3. Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage

Medical payments coveragecan help pay for medical expenses for you, your passengers and your family members after a car accident, including:

  • Treatment
  • Rehabilitation
  • Funeral costs
  • Dental care

Keep in mind that this coverage isn’t available in every state. You may also want to get personal injury protection (PIP) to help pay for your medical expenses after a car collision. This insurance can help regardless of who is at fault for the accident.

4. Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coveragecan help pay for damages to your vehicle that are out of your control, like:

  • Fire
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Theft
  • Vandalism
  • Hitting a deer

5. Collision Coverage

Collision coveragepays for damages to your car if you’re in an accident with:

  • Another vehicle
  • Another object like a guardrail or embankment
  • Only your automobile like a rollover

6. Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage helps pay for injuries to you and your passengers if you’re hit by a driver that doesn’t have enough coverage or insurance. There are two types of this coverage:

  • Uninsured motorist property damage, which covers damage to your car if you’re hit by a driver with no insurance. It also covers hit-and-run incidents.
  • Uninsured motorist bodily injury, for help paying the cost of you and your passengers medical expenses if you’re hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver.
  • Underinsured motorist, for help paying the cost if you’re in an accident with a driver that doesn’t have enough insurance.

To file an underinsured motorist claim, call us at 800-243-5860 today.

Get a Quote for Basic Auto Insurance

Basic Car Insurance (3)To learn more about the AARP® Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford,1 get a car insurance quote today. You can also talk with The Hartford’s representatives 888-413-8970. They’ll be able to help you find the coverages you need at the right price.

Last Updated: September 21, 2023

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Basic Car Insurance (2024)

FAQs

What is the most basic insurance for a car? ›

Basic car insurance is a policy that only includes liability coverage. It helps cover the damage you may cause to other people and their property. That can include medical bills, repair or replacement of property and legal fallout. Almost every state has minimum basic auto insurance limits for their drivers.

What is the cheapest form of car insurance? ›

Cheapest Car Insurance Rates
Cheap Car Insurance CategoryCheapest Car Insurance Company (Among National Insurers)Cheapest Car Insurance Rate
Minimum LiabilityGeico$38 monthly
Full CoverageNationwide$119 monthly
After a Speeding TicketState Farm$156 monthly
After an AccidentState Farm$163 monthly
6 more rows
Apr 11, 2024

What does a basic car insurance policy include? ›

While different states mandate different types of insurance and there are several additional options (such as gap insurance) available, most basic auto policies consist of: bodily injury liability, personal injury protection, property damage liability, collision, comprehensive and uninsured/underinsured motorist.

What is NJ minimum car insurance coverage? ›

The minimum amount of New Jersey auto insurance coverage is $15,000/$30,000/$5,000. In the event of a covered accident, your limits for bodily injury are $15,000 per person, with a total maximum of $30,000 per incident. It also covers up to $5,000 for damage to another person's property.

Is $100 a lot for car insurance? ›

Our cost estimates show that 35-year-old married drivers with good credit and clean driving records pay an average of $144 per month for car insurance. Paying around $100 per month for quality auto coverage is a good deal.

What's the cheapest car to insure for a first car? ›

Cheap cars to insure for new drivers 2024
  • Fiat Panda.
  • Ford Fiesta.
  • Hyundai i10.
  • Kia Picanto.
  • MG 3.
  • SEAT Ibiza.
  • Skoda Fabia.
  • Toyota Aygo X.
Mar 25, 2024

Who typically has the cheapest insurance? ›

USAA, Nationwide, Travelers, Erie, Geico and Progressive are the cheapest car insurance companies nationwide, according to our analysis.

Who is cheaper, Geico or Progressive? ›

Both Geico and Progressive offer cheap car insurance to drivers across the country. Geico's rates are typically lower overall, but Progressive tends to offer better prices to high-risk drivers. High-risk drivers are those with a recent DUI, at-fault accident or speeding ticket on their driving record.

What is the #1 auto insurance in the US? ›

Currently, the largest car insurance company in America is State Farm. Major auto insurance companies offer financial stability and a variety of coverage plans. To find cheap car insurance rates, you'll need to compare quotes from various providers.

Which type of car insurance is best? ›

Yes, the premium for comprehensive care insurance is on the higher side when compared to the other types of car insurance in India. This is only because comprehensive car insurance offers more protection for your car than other types of motor insurance.

How does basic insurance work? ›

Basic car insurance provides the minimum protection allowed by your state's laws. Depending on the state you live in, it typically covers property damage for another driver and may cover injuries for them and their passengers or you and your passengers.

Which states have no fault insurance? ›

No-fault insurance states

In total, there are 12 no-fault states in the U.S. They are Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Utah. The minimum PIP insurance requirements for these states is as follows.

Who has the cheapest car insurance in New Jersey? ›

Who has the cheapest car insurance in New Jersey? Geico has the cheapest car insurance quotes in New Jersey for most drivers. A minimum-coverage policy from Geico costs around $49 per month, while full-coverage insurance from Geico costs $97 per month, on average.

Can you be denied car insurance in NJ? ›

If you are denied auto insurance coverage, the agent or company must state a reason. Common reasons include: You do not meet any of the company's acceptance criteria*. The insurer is a “membership company” that only covers certain categories of drivers.

Is NJ a no-fault state? ›

New Jersey is one of only 12 no-fault car insurance states. To make things more complicated, it uses a unique “choice” no-fault law. You may need assistance from a car accident attorney to understand New Jersey's complex no-fault system and recover fair financial compensation after your car crash.

What is the cheapest category for car insurance? ›

So it's important to understand insurance groups – after all, there are 50 of them in total. Cars in group 1 are the least risky from an underwriter's perspective and the cheapest to insure. Those in group 50 are the riskiest and most expensive – usually higher performance models and luxury SUVs.

What is the lowest level of car insurance? ›

The minimum amount of car insurance you'll typically need is state-required liability coverage. This allows you to pay for some, if not all, injuries and damages you're liable for in an accident. The most commonly required liability limits are $25,000/$50,000/$25,000, which mean: $25,000 in bodily injury per person.

What is the most basic type of insurance? ›

The minimum requirement is third-party insurance which covers the cost of injury or damage to another person's car or property. However, you won't be protected if your own vehicle is damaged or stolen. You can increase your cover with third-party fire and theft or opt for a fully comprehensive policy.

Which of the following is the most basic type of automobile insurance? ›

Basic car insurance is known as liability insurance, and it has two main parts. Bodily injury liability insurance covers medical bills for other drivers in an accident where you're at fault, while property damage liability insurance takes care of damage to their vehicle.

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