After a car accident, it is essential to contact your auto insurer to get the ball rolling on your claim. Whether you are at fault or it is someone else’s fault, it is essential that you make sure you have enough insurance to handle the situation.
A periodic review of your insurance policy can help you to ensure you have adequate coverage, but it is equally important that you are clear on the type of coverage that you have.
Bodily injury liability
The Insurance Information Institute explains that every policy will have bodily injury liability coverage. This provides payments for injuries suffered by others in an accident you cause. Because medical care is so expensive, you need to ensure the set limit on your policy is as high as you can afford.
Property damage liability
Every policy also will have property damage liability. This provides coverage for damage you cause to the property of others in an accident. It does not cover damage to your own vehicle, but it covers others’ vehicles or other types of property, such as guardrails.
Additional coverage
While bodily injury and property damage are the basic coverage options, you can also get coverage for yourself and your vehicle. Personal injury protection provides for your medical expenses in an accident, and collision covers your property damage in an accident.
You may also want to get uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, which will pay for your losses in an accident with a driver who does not have enough insurance or who does not have any insurance coverage.