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Review your car insurance every year
It's a good idea to review your car insurance situation each year. During times of rapid change like the one we are living in now, it's so easy to put your auto insurance on auto-pilot.
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Auto insurance basics 101
Understanding your personal auto insurance coverage
Liability insurance pays when you cause an accident and damage and injure another party in your automobile. 49 states require you to carry at least a minimum level of bodily injury and property damage liability coverage.
The coverage limits are expressed as three numbers. For example, limits of 50/100/50 would provide up to $50,000 for bodily injury per person, up to a max of $100,000 for bodily injuries per accident and $50,000 for property damage per accident. Remember, liability insurance doesn't pay to repair or replace your car or to treat your injuries, or your passengers' injuries.
Personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments (Med Pay) coverage pays the medical bills for you and your passengers after a car accident, regardless of who caused the accident. It is often called "no-fault" coverage. PIP also covers lost wages and funeral costs. Some states require you to buy PIP or Med Pay.
Uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage comes to the rescue if you're hit by a driver who has no insurance or not enough coverage. UM pays your medical bills if you're injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver. UIM kicks in if your medical expenses exceed the other driver's liability coverage limits. UM and UIM are required in some states, but not all.
Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) covers your car if an uninsured driver hits you, but the coverage isn't available in every state. Roughly one in eight drivers is uninsured, according to a 2014 Insurance Research Council report.
Collision coverage pays if your car is damaged or destroyed in an accident — it typically pays to repair or replace your car after a crash. It's an optional form of coverage, although your car-loan lender might require you to have it. Collision coverage will kick in if you hit a tree, bridge or stationary object. Any collision payment by your insurance company will be reduced by the amount of your collision deductible.
Comprehensive pays to repair or replace your auto if it is stolen or damaged by a natural disaster, regardless of who is at fault. With comprehensive coverage, your insurance company pays for damage to your auto caused by an event other than a collision, such as fire, theft, flooding or vandalism. Comprehensive does not cover damage as a result of a collision. Any comprehensive claim payment will be reduced by the amount of your deductible.
Rental reimbursement pays for a rental car while your automobile is in the shop being repaired from a covered accident.
Non-owner car insurance is a simple, affordable solution if you don't own a vehicle and you plan to borrow a friend's car from time to time. We recommend non-owners auto insurance for anyone who doesn't own a vehicle.
The non-owner policy provides liability coverage for drivers without cars and typically includes bodily injury liability and property damage liability. It protects your assets after an accident for which you were at fault.
Know your policy
Not all personal auto policies are the same
Depending on the state where you live, there are different personal auto insurance policies available.
Named Driver auto insurance policy — an automobile insurance policy that provides coverage only for drivers specifically named on the policy. Warning: it does not provide coverage for other individuals residing in a named insured's household or excluded on the policy declaration page.
The surest way to know if a driver is covered is to view your policy information page for listed named drivers or excluded drivers. Call your agent and add that driver to your policy — then you are certain that should a loss occur with a specific driver behind the wheel of a covered auto, coverage will be afforded up to the limits of your policy.
There are instances where an unlisted driver may be covered while operating an insured vehicle — for example, a non-resident of the household to whom you give permission to drive a covered auto. As long as their usage cannot be construed as "regular and customary", coverage may apply. Make sure the person is not an excluded driver on your policy, does not live in the household, and has a valid driver's license.
Heads up
You may pay a lower premium for a Named Driver policy, but it may cost you more if an excluded or non-listed household member is operating your vehicle.