The Jenkins Family Agency
Automotive Insurance Services in West Linn, OR
Auto Insurance is perhaps the most ubiquitous, and yet possibly the most misunderstood policy around. While anyone who regularly drives a car must have a policy, many people call an 800 number and just ask for a low price, or throw terms around like "full coverage", and the call center rep or online site isn't an expert to make sure that the client is covered adequately.
Liability Insurance Coverages:
Lets go over a few important key facts when it comes to understanding Auto Insurance. First, your coverage, your policy, and often even your deductibles are all separate and broken down into sections.
Liability coverage is the part of insurance policies that is mandated by the state. It is required to operate a motor vehicle. This coverage does not protect you except by protecting you from a lawsuit for damages if you are deemed responsible for an accident. It breaks down into Bodily Injury liability (applies to injuries to the bodies of others.) and Property Damage liability (damage to the property/autos of others or the state).
This is what protects you in the even that someone else causes an accident that affects you and your auto if the other driver does not have insurance, or has it, but it is not enough to cover the cost of the damages or hospital bills.
Part 1 of what people commonly call "full coverage" Collision Coverage pays to repair, replace, or total out your vehicle, but only applies if you are deemed responsible. This coverage comes with it own deductible.
Part 2 of "full coverage" is Comprehensive, which comes into play for events outside of the use of the vehicle, for example, if a tree falls on your car, or a branch hits your windshield, or hail falls from the sky, or it is caught in a wildfire, etc. This also comes with its own deductible.
This coverage isn't here to cover your rental car while you're traveling, it provides for you to have access to a rental car in the event that you are deemed responsible for an accident and you need a vehicle while your vehicle is being repaired or replaced.
These are the basics, there are many variations on these coverages out there and many ways to augment or reduce your coverages depending on your needs. But with these basics in mind your conversation with one of our Agents will be significantly easier!