Is your auto policy looking a little thin? It could be… if you only purchased the minimum coverage TEXAS requires. There are a few ways to enhance your coverage:
The first is Medical Payments or Med Pay coverage. Faced with a claim, this helps cover the medical bills of anyone in your own vehicle, including driver and passengers. This means that regardless of who is at fault for an accident, your coverage may kick in as soon as you file the claim. It’s a very important coverage as major injuries come with major medical expenses. Even minor injuries can be costly.
You should also check to see if you currently have Uninsured Motorist/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. If an accident does occur, you are at risk financially. If the accident is not your fault, and the other driver does not have adequate insurance, you have to pay for all damages to your own car plus pay for any medical bills if you are badly injured. Some drivers don’t carry ANY insurance and others don’t carry enough. So, if they are at fault for an accident, their coverage may help with your expenses but fall short of the total bill. If you experience an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist, you’ll spend money out of your own pocket. Without UM/UIM, you could be responsible for the full cost of medical bills and car repair bills. When you are at fault, you are typically liable for damages to the other driver’s vehicle as well as the medical costs of any injured persons. Additionally, you must cover the repairs to your own vehicle and the costs of legal fees if you are sued.
Finally, you might consider Roadside Assistance or Rental coverage. Roadside is a special kind of auto insurance coverage that provides for a situation where a driver breaks down on the road. Rental car reimbursement is a type of loss-of-use coverage. It helps pay for the cost of renting a car while yours is in the shop being repaired after a covered loss. Both coverages are usually not very costly and should definitely be considered when quoting your insurance.
Why Is Auto Insurance Important? When you get in the driver’s seat, you are taking a risk. You may strive to be the best possible driver, but you also have to remember that not everyone else on the road is driving well and paying attention. Auto insurance coverage is there to provide a safety net when drivers make mistakes.
