Standard auto insurance will not cover repairs or maintenance. Comprehensive coverage will pay for some repairs in the event the damage is the result of vandalism, flooding, or other covered causes of loss.

Some warranties will cover maintenance and repairs, but warranties are separate agreements and eventually run out.

Regarding maintenance - keep in mind a $60 oil change every few months is much cheaper than replacing a $3,000 engine. It’s best to be proactive with automobile maintenance as your car will be more reliable and safer for you and your family.

Find the form here!

The best way to understand how your coverage works is with an example.

Let’s imagine you have Colorado minimums – 25/50/15 – and you crash into a new BMW with four people in the car.

The car is brand new and has a replacement value of $55,000. Three people are injured - one with a broken leg, one with a broken arm, and one with a head injury. The injured need an ambulance (on average, an ambulance ride costs between $400-1,200 per mile!). After ambulance rides, CAT scans, and other medical treatment, injured #1’s medical bill is $25,000, injured #2’s bill is $35,000, and injured #3’s bill is $15,000.

Your coverage pays 25/50/15 - meaning $25k of bodily injury coverage per person up to a total of $50k. Injured #1’s $25k is covered by your insurance (you’re lucky - max of 25k). Injured #2’s $35k will only receive $25k of coverage (remember, you elected 25k max per person…) so you’re $10k out of pocket. Injured #3’s $15k is under $25k - so you’re covered, right? Nope.

You’ve now used up the total $50k combined bodily liability coverage provided (remember, you elected 50k total bodily injury liability), so you have to pay the entire $15k out of pocket. You’re out $25k just from someone else’s medical bills.

But what about the car? The BMW you wrecked has a replacement value of $55,000. Salvage value is $15,000. The loss is $40,000, but you elected 15k property damage. So $40,000 - $15,000 = $25,000, which is what you you now have to pay.

**In this example, you would end up paying $50,000 out of pocket because you elected minimum coverage. **

Accidents like this can happen in the blink of an eye. We highly recommend paying a few extra dollars each month for higher limits, like 100/300/50, You’ll pay much less out of pocket after an accident, and it only costs a few dollars more per month.

Each state has different minimum insurance coverage requirements, so be sure to check your state, or speak with a licensed agent.

As an example, the three key coverage numbers in each state are presented like this: 25/50/15. Each number represents a different type of coverage and is displayed in 000’s, e.g., $25,000/$50,000/$15,000.

Here’s how the numbers would play out in this example.

• The first number (25) is the amount of coverage for each person injured in an accident, up to a maximum amount.
• The second number is for all bodily injuries sustained in the entire accident (50 total).
• The third number (15) is the amount of coverage for property damage.

While each state has minimums, it’s a smart idea to spend a little more to get much better coverage.

Roadside assistance is a great investment for many drivers. Pricing varies, but most plans run about $100 per year. If you find yourself locked out of your vehicle, with a dead battery, or needing a tow, even once a year, it’s usually worth the cost.

A note of caution though: some insurance companies try to sell these services to you when you purchase a policy, and we think it’s in your best interest to keep your roadside assistance and insurance separate.

Why? An insurance carrier could potentially use your roadside incidents against you in order to raise your rates. Basically, if you do anything to indicate that you’re a bad car owner or that your vehicle isn’t super reliable, you can become a big red flag to your insurance company.

Not all carriers include roadside assistance in their loss ratio calculations, but we recommended keeping the two services completely separate just to be on the safe side.

Please note that for each state, we have listed only the legally required minimums. We definitely recommended getting additional coverage. If you have questions about what coverages you need, we’re always here to help you pick out the right policy.

Alabama

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Alaska

• $50,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Arizona

Arizona has special legal requirements for drivers. You do not have to have insurance, but you need to have $40,000 available to put on bond to prove you can pay for an accident.

We definitely recommended getting insurance in Arizona regardless of your financial situation. If you have questions about what coverages you need, we’re always here to help you pick out the right policy.

Arkansas

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

California

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $5,000 property damage liability per accident

Colorado

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident

Connecticut

• $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $20,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $40,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident

Delaware

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

Florida

• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $10,000 personal injury protection

Georgia

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Hawaii

• $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $10,000 personal injury protection

Idaho

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident

Illinois

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $20,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Indiana

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

Iowa

• $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident

Kansas

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident

Personal injury protection ( $4,500 in medical expenses, up to $900 per month for disability or loss of income, $25 per day for in-home services,$4,500 for rehabilitation, $2,000 for funeral burial or cremation costs)

Kentucky

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $10,000 personal injury protection

Louisiana

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Maine

• $50,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $2,000 medical payments coverage

Maryland

• $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident

Massachusetts

• $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $5,000 property damage liability per accident
• $20,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $40,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $8,000 personal injury protection

Michigan

• $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

Personal injury protection (unlimited) Michigan offers no-fault insurance with mandatory coverages

$1 million property protection (PPI). PPI pays up to $1 million for damage your vehicle does in Michigan to other people’s property.

Minnesota

• $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $40,000 personal injury protection

Mississippi

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Missouri

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Montana

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

Nebraska

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Nevada

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

New Hampshire There is no minimum car insurance requirement for the State of New Hampshire, however, state law does require you to pay for any bodily injury or property due to an accident.

If you decide to purchase insurance (which you should!), these are the minimums you’re able to purchase:

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage
• $1,000 medical payments coverage

New Jersey

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $5,000 property damage liability per accident
• $15,000 personal injury protection

New Mexico

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

New York

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 liability for death per person
• $100,000 liability for death per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $50,000 personal injury protection
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

North Carolina

• $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $30,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $60,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident.

North Dakota

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $30,000 personal injury protection

Ohio

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Oklahoma

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Oregon

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $20,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $15,000 personal injury protection

Pennsylvania

• $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $30,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $5,000 property damage liability per accident
• $5,000 medical benefits

Rhode Island

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

South Carolina

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage

South Dakota

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident

Tennessee

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident

Texas

• $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident

Utah

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $65,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000 property damage liability per accident
• $3,000 personal injury protection

Virginia

Virginia has special legal requirements for drivers. You don’t technically need to have insurance, but Virginia law requires that all drivers have a way to pay for injuries or property damage resulting from a car accident.

If you decide to purchase insurance (which you should!), these are the minimums you’re able to purchase:

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $20,000 property damage liability per accident

We definitely recommended getting insurance in Virginia regardless of your financial situation. If you have questions about what coverages you need, we’re always here to help you pick out the right policy.

Vermont

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $100,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $10,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident

Washington

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident

Washington D.C.

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $5,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident

West Virginia

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage

Wisconsin

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Wyoming

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $20,000 property damage liability per accident

Bodily Injury Liability coverage is the part of your insurance policy that pays for the costs associated with claims arising from physical injury to a person, including sickness or disease, for which the insured is legally liable due their negligence.

It’s critical to have enough liability insurance, because if you are involved in a serious accident, you may be sued for a large sum of money and this coverage also provides for legal defense in the event that you are sued for damages.

Bodily Injury Liability coverage is required in most states and the required minimum coverage varies by state.

This coverage may be purchased as split limits (separate limits for bodily injury per person/ bodily injury per accident/ property damage or as combined single liability limits (one limit applies to all bodily injury and property damages). For more information on the state required minimums for car insurance, click here

In order to protect assets such as your home and savings, our agents can help you figure out the best policy and coverage limits to give you peace of mind.

Property Damage Liability pays for damage you or someone driving your car with your permission caused to someone else’s property.

Usually, this means damage to someone else’s car when there was no traffic collision, but it also includes damage to lamp posts, telephone poles, fences, buildings or other structures that your car may hit. Ooops!

Now let’s talk numbers. The required minimum coverage varies by state, but even fenders are expensive these days.

The best place to start is by having a conversation with your insurer/agent to see what they recommend.

For more information on the state required minimums for car insurance, click here

Hail! Earthquakes! Deer! This coverage reimburses you for loss due to theft or damage caused by something other than a collision with another car or object. This includes fire, falling objects, missiles(!), explosion, earthquake, windstorm, hail, flood, vandalism, riot, or contact with animals such as birds or deer. Yes, explosions and deer belong in the same policy.

And, remember this—comprehensive insurance may reimburse you if your windshield is cracked or shattered! Some companies offer glass coverage with or without a deductible, so check first. Comprehensive insurance is usually sold with a $250 to $1,000 deductible, though you may want to choose a higher deductible as a way of lowering your premium.

Liability insurance covers bodily harm or property damage for the other driver during an accident. Liability coverage does not extend to damage to your vehicle or injuries you sustained, even if you were not at fault.

To see how much coverage you have on your policy, look for these three phrases:

• Property damage liability limit.
  • This is the maximum amount your policy will cover for damage to someone else’s vehicle or property.
• Bodily injury liability limit per person injured.
  • This is the maximum amount your policy will cover for injuries, per person.
• Bodily injury liability limit per accident.
  • This is the maximum amount your policy will cover for injuries, in total.

Liability insurance is required in every state. We recommend that all drivers get more coverage than the minimum. For a slightly higher premium, you’ll get far more coverage – and won’t end up paying thousands out of pocket after an accident for someone else’s medical expenses or property damage.

This is the limit of insurance available for claims arising from bodily injury to the insured or passengers of the insured vehicle, regardless of fault. Medical Payments/Personal Injury coverage provides reimbursement for medical expenses for injuries to you or your passengers, lost wages and other related expenses including funeral expenses, up to the limit listed on the policy.

Medical Payments/Personal Injury Coverage can also provide coverage for injuries sustained by the insured while a passenger in someone else’s car and when struck by a vehicle when walking or cycling.

For more information and advice about this very important coverage variable, talk to your insurer/agent today.

You may have heard the phrase “full coverage” thrown around when talking to others about insurance. However, you will never find a policy or package that is called “full coverage.” It simply doesn’t exist.

While there are different levels of coverage you can buy when shopping for home or auto insurance, no single policy will provide protection against every possible scenario.

Coverage gaps are serious, and it’s important to at least consider purchasing an umbrella for additional coverage. There are always exclusions in an insurance policy, so read your policy carefully and make sure you understand what’s excluded.

Accidents happen. If you’re involved in one, there are a few simple steps to take to make sure you handle things correctly.

1) Check to make sure everyone is OK. If someone is hurt, don’t move them unless it’s absolutely necessary and call 911.

2) Be sure to take pictures of the accident because your insurance carrier (and possibly your lawyer or the police) will request documentation to support your recollection of the accident. Take pictures of things like skid marks, the intersection, and property damage.

3) If everyone is OK, and the cars are still operable, move the cars so that they are not blocking traffic. Never abandon your vehicle.

4) For each driver, passenger, or witness involved, get their name and contact information

5) For each vehicle involved, get the license plate number and state. Ask the driver of the other vehicle for their insurance information: carrier name, policy number, and carrier contact information

6) Once you and the other driver are safe, you’ll need to call your insurance carrier. They’ll be able to tell you what the next steps are to film a claim.

If you’re not sure what to do, you can always contact an agent at Covered by calling (303) 302-9927.

This coverage pays for damage to your car resulting from a collision with another car, object, or as a result of flipping over. It also covers damage caused by potholes—keep that in mind!

Collision coverage is generally sold with a deductible of $250 to $1,000—the higher your deductible, the lower your premium.

Even if you are at fault for the accident, your collision coverage will reimburse you for the costs of repairing your car, minus the deductible. If you’re not at fault, your insurance company may try to recover the amount they paid you from the other driver’s insurance company. If they are successful, you’ll also be reimbursed for the deductible.

Also known as “Loan Payoff Coverage”, this optional insurance coverage is triggered when a total loss of an insured auto occurs and the limit of insurance (typically Actual Cash Value (for an Auto Policy)  is less than the remaining amount that you owe on your car loan.

This coverage will reimburse you for the cost of a rental car while your car is being repaired if you are in an accident. The cost is usually only a few dollars a month, and pays for itself even if you only have an accident roughly once every 10 years. We recommend getting it!

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage reimburses you, a member of your family, or a designated driver if one of you is hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver.

This coverage also comes into play when an at-fault driver has insufficient insurance (low limits) to pay for your total loss. This coverage may protect you if you are hit as a pedestrian, but you should still always look both ways before crossing!