Basic Car Insurance

What Is Basic Coverage for Auto Insurance?

You can buy many different types of car insurance policies. However, most basic car insurance includes 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 insurance requirements are different, including the minimum amounts needed for coverage. This means the price of your car insurance will vary, depending:

Where you live
If you choose extra protection
Which insurance company you work with

Generally, the six basic car insurance coverages you’ll need are:

1. Bodily Injury Liability Coverage

Bodily injury liability insurance can 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 insurance can 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 coverage can 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 coverage can 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 coverage pays 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

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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