Basic car insurance is exactly what it sounds like: It’s the base level of car insurance needed to own and operate your car. Simple, right?
Well, sort of. Here’s the thing: There are many different types of car insurance available and what you choose will depend on your driving habits and needs. So, while basic car insurance is the most basic option, it isn’t necessarily super easy to understand.
For instance, every state has its own requirements for the minimum level of insurance needed, so when setting up your coverage you have to make sure you’re at least following or exceeding that limit.
Then there are a host of other considerations.
With the many nuances of basic car insurance in mind, we’re here to help you understand what you need to know about this type of coverage.
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There are six types of basic car insurance coverage and each state will require you to have some if not all of these coverages. It’s a lot, sure—but these regulations are in place to protect you and other people.
This is the most important type of basic car insurance coverage because if you get into an accident and cause injury to someone else, you can be sued for large amounts of money. If you’re unable to cover it, your personal assets could be used to cover the amount. By buying more than the state-required minimum of bodily injury liability coverage, you can protect your savings and assets.
No matter who is at fault, medical payments or personal injury protection can cover any such expenses. A note: medical payments aren’t available in every state so you may need to purchase personal injury protection.
Property damage liability coverage includes damage to someone else’s car, but also other fixtures like telephone poles, fences, garages, and more. This insurance type will help cover the repair or replacement costs. Accidents are unpredictable so it’s good to have coverage for property damage too since the costs that can result from damage to someone’s property can add up quickly.
Uninsured insurance also helps if the other driver has insurance, but not enough. There are two subtypes of this coverage: One that covers damage to your vehicle from this type of driver and a type that covers bodily injury from an accident with this type of driver.
Uninsured underinsured motorist coverage also applies in cases of hit and runs, as well as if you’re a pedestrian hit by this type of driver.
Essentially, any physical damage other than hitting an object or another car is covered under this insurance type. Like collision insurance, comprehensive coverage typically has a separate deductible.
Additional types of car insurance include:
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If it’s an option, getting all six of these types of insurance is your best bet to ensure you’re fully covered should the unexpected happen?
Where you live will also dictate which types are more important than others. For example, if you live in an area with unpredictable weather, comprehensive might be important to ensure your car is protected from the elements. Many basic auto insurance policies include these six types of coverage automatically, although they may be priced separately and vary in limits/deductibles.
In the end, it all comes down to choosing the basic auto insurance that’s right for you and your driving habits. If you rarely ever drive and just want to ensure you have the minimum amount of coverage for occasions you are on the road, you may want to exclude some of these coverage options. But if you drive daily, your safest route is to ensure you’re covered for all six types with basic full coverage insurance.
Having more coverage than you think you need is always ideal, because having to pay out of pocket or risk losing your savings and assets is not worth saving a few bucks a month. Basic auto insurance is designed to ensure everyone on the road has a minimum form of coverage, to help protect us all.
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Basic car insurance is the minimum car insurance you need to drive a vehicle. Whether you’re an occasional driver without a vehicle or a daily driver, basic car insurance helps protect you, your passengers, and other drivers on the road.
Basic car insurance typically covers at a minimum personal liability and also sometimes uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage and comprehensive coverage. Many basic car insurance policies cover all six forms of coverage: personal liability, comprehensive, collision, uninsured/underinsured motorist, property damage and personal insurance protection. These six types help cover anything that can happen to you or anyone else you encounter on the road.
All car insurance providers offer basic car insurance, so getting some type of basic car insurance is fairly easy. Make sure you know exactly what is covered and specify what you’re looking for upfront in order to get an accurate, tailored quote. We can help. Get a basic car insurance quote from us today.
Hollay Ghadery Hollay Ghadery is a writer and editor who is passionate about financial literacy as a means to personal fulfillment. Hollay has over 18 years of experience creating content about a range of topics related to personal finance, including insurance, investing, banking, and credit cards. When Hollay isn't writing, she's spending time with her four children, two dogs, and three goats.
