I know that I need car insurance to legally drive. But I’m not exactly sure when I’m covered, when I’m not covered, and basically how it all works. What can I do to start learning more about my car insurance?
can certainly seem confusing. But you can start learning more about your car insurance by researching car insurance terms, reading through your policy, and studying different
Liability coverage: Insurance that provides medical and property compensation to other drivers when you’re at fault in an accident.
Collision coverage: Insurance that pays to repair your vehicle after a collision, regardless of fault.
Comprehensive coverage: Insurance that pays to repair your car after non-collision incidents—like acts of God, vandalism, or theft.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist: Insurance that covers medical bills and damage if you’re in a collision with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
Any coverage you get also comes with limits, which means your policy will only pay up to a certain amount for any damage. If your liability limit is $50,000, then your provider will only cover up to that amount—and you’ll be responsible for any overages.
Most policies will also include deductibles, or the amount of money you pay before your insurance kicks in. For example, if you hit a pole and your car gets damaged—you may need to pay $500 for repairs before your provider helps cover the damage.
Once you learn more about the basics of car insurance, you can use
to start comparing quotes and exploring your different options.
A licensed broker, the Jerry app helps users compare personalized quotes from dozens of top insurers like Progressive and Nationwide in minutes. When you find a better rate, Jerry can help switch policies and even help cancel your old one!
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.