What Should I Know About Buying Car Insurance Online?

These days, if you Google the phrase "car insurance" on the Internet you'll get more than two hundred million results. To say that your choices for obtaining vehicle coverage are wide open would be an obvious understatement. The problem when looking to buy car insurance, whether online or off, is determining which type of policy is the best fit for your particular needs. This includes the coverage types and limits, the underwriting company rating, policy costs and more.

The Basics – Liability Only Insurance Versus Liability with Physical Damage Coverage

All states, with the exception of New Hampshire, require a minimum amount of liability insurance for each car driven on the road that may vary from state to state. Liability insurance covers bodily injury and/or property damage caused to another as a result of an accident determined to be your fault.
It's important to note that liability car insurance does nothing to compensate for your own bodily injury or property damage: Loss due to physical damage either by Collision and/or “Other Than Collision” or Comprehensive loss can be purchased along with out of pocket medical expenses or “MedPay.”

Full Comprehensive Options

Most auto insurance companies offer a full list of insurance add-ons, which you're free to accept or decline, depending upon your specific insurance needs. However, there are exceptions. In North Carolina, for example, it's required by law that each car insurance policy includes not only minimum liability coverage (30K, 60K, 25K) but also must include uninsured motorist coverage equal to the same minimum amounts.
While not required by law, add-on protection to a basic policy provides additional coverage that you may consider for added protection. If your vehicle is being leased or financed, you'll likely have no choice since your leasing company or finance provider will almost always require you carry comprehensive and collision coverage in order to protect their financial risk. Here's a quick look at some of these add-ons:

• Collision – covers collision-related damage to your vehicle when involved in an accident with another moving vehicle
• Comprehensive – covers damages to your car from non-collision incidents. This includes things such as vandalism, theft, acts of nature and more
• MedPay – covers medical expenses for injuries suffered by you or your passengers from an auto accident. Can work in conjunction with your regular health insurance to cover deductibles, co-pays, ambulance costs and other related out-of-pocket expenses  
• Towing and Rental Reimbursement are also available and some companies even offer Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage or “AD&D”

To order your car insurance online or to get a quote today, please visit Tom Needham Insurance.