Personal Auto Insurance
Know what’s required and what’s optional when it comes to car insurance.
Personal Auto Insurance in Springfield, MO
There’s a whole lot more to personal auto insurance than liability coverage. When it comes to insuring your car, truck or SUV, there are several types of policies available. Deciding what type of car insurance you need isn’t always clear-cut. As an experienced independent insurance broker, Nixon & Lindstrom can help you determine what your policy should entail and obtain quotes from major auto insurance companies.
Whether you need collision, personal injury or comprehensive coverage, our agents work with customers throughout Springfield and Southwest Missouri to find reasonable, low-cost options for car insurance. Request a quote today and find a quality personal auto insurance policy from a quality insuror that can offset various costs associated with motor vehicle accidents.
What are the different types of auto insurance coverage?
Car insurance may seem like a simple product, but there are several variations. Policies range from fairly basic to more complex. The exact type of coverage you need and rates you get depend on several factors, including state laws, your driving record, what kind of vehicle you drive and whether you want to pay for add-ons. If you’re not sure what type of auto insurance policy you need, here’s a closer look at the main types of coverage.
Liability
Every state except New Hampshire requires basic liability coverage, which helps pay for costs related to injuries or damage you cause while driving. Liability coverage kicks in when you’re deemed legally responsible for an accident that results in bodily injury or property damage, which are a liability policy’s two components. Adequate liability car insurance covers medical bills related to injuries—as well as lost wages—and/or vehicle repairs. A typical liability coverage level is $100,000 per person for bodily injury, including death, that you cause to others, $300,000 in bodily injury per accident and up to $100,000 for property damage.
Uninsured & underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage
This car insurance coverage protects you if another driver damages your vehicle or causes bodily injury to you or someone in your car and doesn’t have enough liability insurance to cover the resulting bills. In 2019, about one in eight drivers in the United States was uninsured, according to a study by the Insurance Research Council. Don’t rely on other drivers to follow your state’s auto insurance laws. Make sure that if you’re involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, you don’t leave anything up to chance.
Auto collision coverage
Collisions are always a risk when moving vehicles are involved. This type of auto insurance coverage is triggered when you strike something with your car—whether it’s a tree, fence, structure or another car—and cause damage to either or both. However, auto collision insurance policies only cover repairs to your vehicle (up to its cash value), not to whatever else you may have damaged. Collision coverage is usually optional but may be required by your lender or leaseholder.
Comprehensive coverage
A comprehensive auto insurance policy is often referred to as “other than collision” coverage and extends to a number of mishaps and serious accidents that damage your vehicle. This type of car insurance coverage includes theft and vandalism, as well as damage caused by hail, fire, falling objects or animals. With comprehensive policies, you choose a deductible up to $2,500, and the insurance company pays the difference based on your coverage limit.
Medical payments coverage
How will you pay for medical expenses if you or your passengers are injured in a covered accident? Medical payments coverage, or MPC, is optional and can be used for ambulance transportation, hospital or surgery bills and follow-up physician visits or medical procedures related to accident injuries. In some cases, this type of auto insurance can also be used to pay copays and deductibles through an existing health insurance policy.
Personal injury protection coverage
Personal injury protection insurance, or PIP, covers you and anyone in your car who’s injured regardless of who’s at fault. PIP is similar to medical payments coverage, but it typically extends beyond direct medical expenses. PIP car insurance policies, which are required in some states and not available in others, may also cover expenses related to rehabilitation, child care and even funerals. PIP may also replace a portion of lost wages due to car accident injuries.
For more than 65 years, Nixon & Lindstrom has helped drivers throughout Springfield and southwest Missouri find affordable personal auto insurance policies with low rates from the nation’s top insurance companies. Our knowledgeable team of independent agents can help you browse the marketplace for a certain type of auto insurance or work with you to draw up customized coverage. Start the process with a real-time quote.