Car Insurance Types

Car insurance types represent specific coverage categories, such as liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, personal injury protection (PIP), and medical payments. Liability insurance covers bodily injury and property damage you cause to others, required in 49 states like California and Texas.

Collision insurance pays for vehicle damage from accidents regardless of fault, often required by lenders on financed vehicles. Comprehensive insurance covers non-collision damages–such as theft, vandalism, or weather events–including examples like hail or fire.

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you if an at-fault driver lacks insurance; 12% of U.S. Drivers were uninsured in 2019, according to the Insurance Research Council.

Personal injury protection (PIP) pays your medical expenses regardless of fault; PIP is mandatory in states including Florida and New York. Medical payments coverage reimburses for accident-related medical costs for you and passengers; it’s most common in states without PIP laws.

Full coverage combines liability, collision, and comprehensive coverages into a single policy package; it’s not a formal policy but a common term used by insurers like Geico and Progressive, as compiled by YourInsuranceInfo. Gap insurance covers the difference between a car’s actual cash value and what you owe if it’s totaled; lenders often require gap coverage on new car loans or leases.

Rental reimbursement coverage pays for rental car costs during repairs after a covered claim; limits usually range from $30 to $50 per day up to 30 days with companies such as State Farm or Allstate. Towing and labor coverage pays for roadside assistance expenses like towing or battery jump-starts; insurers typically cap this benefit at $75–$150 per incident depending on provider and policy details.