In today's world, anyone who drives a car must have insurance coverage. There are a number of options available and at CWI we'd love the opportunity to answer any of your questions. Below is a quick description of some of the basic terms:

Liability Coverage (Liability)

Bodily Injury Liability - Covers other peoples bodily injuries or death for which you are responsible. It also provides for a legal defense if another party in the accident files a lawsuit against you. Claims for bodily injury may be for such things as medical bills, loss of income or pain and suffering. In the event of a serious accident, you want enough insurance to cover a judgment against you in a lawsuit, without jeopardizing your personal assets. Bodily injury liability covers injury to people, not your vehicle. Therefore, it is a good idea (and usually a company requirement) to have the same level of coverage for all of your cars. Bodily Injury Liability does NOT cover you or other people on your policy. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy. It is mandatory in most states.
 

Property Damage Liability - Covers you if your car damages someone else's property. Usually it is their car, but it could be a fence, a house or any other property damaged in an accident. It also provides you with legal defense if another party files a lawsuit against you. It is a good idea to purchase enough of this insurance to cover the amount of damage your car might do to another vehicle or object. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.

Physical Damage Coverage (Comp & Collision)

Comprehensive Coverage (Comp) - Covers your vehicle, and other vehicles (in limited scenarios) you may be driving for losses resulting from incidents other than collision. For example, comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car if it is stolen; or damaged by flood, fire, or animals. It pays to fix your vehicle less the deductible you choose. To keep your premiums low, select as high a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy. This is not required by a state, but if you have a loan or a lease then the lien holder will require it.
 

Collision Coverage (Collision) - Covers damage to your car when your car hits, or is hit by, another vehicle, or other object. Pays to fix your vehicle less the deductible you choose. To keep your premiums low, select as large a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket. For older cars, consider dropping this coverage, since coverage is normally limited to the cash value of your car. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy. This is not required by a state, but if you have a loan or a lease then the lien holder will require it.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

As the name implies, this coverage kicks in when you're involved in an accident with someone who has little or no insurance. Just like primary insurance, your coverage can vary depending on the options you select when setting up your policy. At a minimum, you should have Uninsured Motorist/Bodily Injury coverage. This covers you, the insured members of your household and your passengers for bodily/personal injuries, damages, or death caused by an at-fault uninsured or hit-and-run driver. If you are involved in an accident where the other driver is at fault but has no insurance, your policy will cover your medical expenses, up to the limit on your policy.

Remember, there are many options to consider when choosing auto coverage and the friendly staff at CWI will be happy to help you select the coverage that's right for you.

Personal Injury Protection Coverage (PIP)

Personal Injury Protection - Covers within the specified limits, the medical, hospital and funeral expenses of the insured, others in his vehicles and pedestrians struck by him. The basic coverage for the insured's own injuries on a first-party basis, without regard to fault. It is only available in certain states. Depending on the state, the covered parties below and the amount of protection may vary.

There are many different types of automobile insurance coverage beyond what we've covered here and we'll be glad to answer all your questions and help you find the right policy for your needs.