Understanding Coverage Types

When you purchase uninsured motorist coverage as part of a policy, it affords coverage for you and all members of your family who reside in your household with you. It would also include any minor children of yours who do not reside with you or your children who are away at college.

You do not have to be an automobile driver or passenger in order to be eligible for benefits. Your automobile UM policy applies even if you were a pedestrian, bicyclist, motorcyclist, or bystander, so long as the motorist who caused your injuries was uninsured or underinsured.

Your uninsured motorist coverage also applies for the benefit of other passengers in your car or other people driving your car with your permission, and who are injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver.

Uninsured motorist vehicle coverage comes into play whenever anyone who is insured is injured by a driver who is identified as an uninsured or underinsured (does not have enough insurance to pay for the damages caused). An uninsured driver includes a hit-and-run driver, so long as there is some actual contact from the hit-and-run driver's vehicle. This coverage is an individually priced component of your overall policy. This coverage is NOT required by the state of California.

This coverage pays for cost of repairs to your vehicle subject to a limit of $3,500. UMPD coverage pays for the property damage to your car when there is a collision with an identified uninsured or underinsured driver.

If you have collision coverage, this coverage can pay the deductible that is associated with a collision. Your insurance company is required by law to include uninsured motorist coverage as part of every automobile policy written, unless you specifically decline it, in writing.

This coverage is an individually priced component of your overall policy. This coverage is NOT required by the state of California.

Collision coverage pays for damage and or replacement of your covered vehicle in an accident regardless of who causes the accident. Collision Coverage applies if your vehicle is hit by another vehicle or if it hits other objects that cause damage to your vehicle. There are various deductible options to choose from for this coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for damage or replacement of your covered vehicle resulting from a non-collision, such as vandalism, theft, or fire damage caused by animals, and glass breakage. There are various deductible options that you can select for this coverage.

Keep in mind that not every non-collision related loss is covered under Comprehensive. For instance, your damages are not covered if they are caused by wear and tear, freezing, mechanical breakdown or road damage to tires by potholes. Also, certain property such as CDs, cellular phones and other personal items are not covered.

If you have done any customization you do to your vehicle after it is purchased such as adding rims and tires, a custom paint job, car stereo, etc., you should notify your insurance company of these modifications, or they may not be covered.

There are many factors that will affect the cost of coverage including, but not limited to: the value, type and performance of your car, the age of the drivers on the policy and their driving records and your ZIP code. This coverage is an individually priced component of your overall policy. This coverage is NOT required by the state of California.