When it comes to deciding on auto insurance for your vehicle it’s important to thoroughly consider each policy type before jumping to make a decision. Insurance premiums can be a big chunk of change out of your bank account each month, but unfortunately, car accidents are an everyday occurrence around the world, and getting caught without coverage can mean big trouble. You definitely don’t want to cut corners when it comes to making sure you have all of the insurance you need. Even if certain add-ons are going to cost you a bit more up front, they have the potential to save you from very large out-of-pocket expenses down the road.
Your auto insurance agent will more than likely go over all of the non obligatory policy options that go above and beyond the required liability coverage, and it will be up to you to make an educated decision on what you believe will be the most beneficial. While it may seem like a lot of it is unnecessary and just a ploy to get more of your hard-earned cash, you should keep in mind that some of these add-ons can be extremely useful if you ever find yourself in a sticky situation.
Roadside Assistance/Towing
Being stranded on the side of the road with a broken down vehicle will ruin just about anyone’s day, especially if you happen to be in the middle of nowhere at just that moment. What can make matters even worse is if you’re dealing with a car that is out of commission and have no way of getting it to a mechanic unless you pay a sizeable amount for towing up front. Most people don’t have that kind of expense worked into their budget, so their best option is to have it taken care of by a roadside assistance service. Auto insurance policies will offer this for an additional fee, and many car owners recognize the value in paying a little extra for someone to come to their rescue.
Personal Injury Protection
Some states require personal injury protection to be a part of your minimum coverage, but if yours doesn’t, it may be something you want to look into. This add-on varies from state in state in what and how much it will cover, but is designed to protect the insured and pay for necessary medical expenses in the event of a car accident. Your health insurance may not cover everything you need, and personal injury protection can fill in the gaps and take care of co-pays, lost wages and funeral costs.
Uninsured Motorist
Some drivers just aren’t as responsible as others and don’t bother to carry the appropriate amount of coverage that is required by law. Defensive driving won’t always be enough to keep you away from these motorists, so as a precaution in case you become involved in an incident with one of them, you will want to make sure you have yourself and your own car covered (especially if you live in a no-fault state). Adding uninsured motorist coverage to your policy will ensure that your auto insurance company will pick up the bill if needed and save the headache of going through a lawsuit.
Rental Car
If you only have one vehicle and depend on it to get you and your family where they need to be, you may want to consider rental car coverage. It will provide you with an amount that can be spent on a rental while your car is being repaired from a covered claim and keep you from having to find rides or figuring out the bus schedule.
There are certainly some auto insurance add-ons that you won’t ever need or end up using, but the few mentioned above cover some pretty common occurrences and may make a vast difference in what you could end up paying for yourself if you ever are in an accident or in need of a mechanic.
About the Author: Tiffany Olson resides in Northern California and blogs full-time on topics such as automotive, home improvement, and health and wellness. She’s experienced first-hand the benefits of having uninsured motorist coverage when her car was totaled by a driver that had no insurance.