There are several different types of car insurance, all of which protect drivers in various ways. How they protect you depends on whether they pay for injuries or damage you caused or suffered.

Below, we discuss the different types of car insurance and what they cover.

Liability Coverage

Like most states, Georgia requires drivers to carry liability insurance. Motorists cannot register their vehicles without it. A liability policy covers any damage you cause in a car accident. There are two types of liability coverage you must carry on your policy to drive your car:

Bodily Injury Liability

Bodily injury liability covers the medical expenses we mentioned earlier. In Georgia, your bodily injury liability coverage must meet these minimums:

  • $25,000 per person
  • $50,000 per accident

Property Damage Liability

Property damage liability covers damage to vehicles involved in an accident. The minimum property damage liability Georgia drivers must carry is $25,000 per accident.

Collision Coverage

Unlike liability coverage, collision coverage protects your vehicle in an accident.

Your collision coverage becomes available to use in the following scenarios:

  • If you are involved in a collision with another car;
  • If you crash into an object such as a pole;
  • If your car flips over.

In cases where your car is totaled, collision coverage pays for the total current value of the car.

To use your collision coverage, you typically must pay a deductible. How much you must pay depends on your policy, but most deductibles are typically between $100 and $2,000.

GAP Coverage

An optional insurance coverage that falls under the collision coverage window is GAP coverage. This insurance will pay the difference between what your car is worth and what you owe on a loan or lease if the insurer deems it a total loss. For example, say the insurance company determined your vehicle was worth $6,000 but you have $9,000 left on your lease. GAP coverage would pay that $3000 difference.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage is another optional policy. It comes in handy when facing an unexpected accident or event. Comprehensive does not cover any damage you suffer from a vehicle accident. Instead it covers the following:

  • Vandalism and riots
  • Fire and explosions
  • Glass and windshield damage (the size of the cracks in your windshield may play a factor in how this is covered)
  • Fallen trees, limbs, and other objects
  • Rocks
  • Natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes, hail, floods, and lightning (also known as “acts of God” in many policies)
  • Collisions with animals, such as a deer in the road (Allstate notes that comprehensive coverage will not apply if you hit another vehicle or object swerving to avoid an animal. If this is the case, you must use your collision coverage.)

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Protection

While Georgia requires all drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage, this is not always the case. If a driver was uninsured or did not carry enough to cover your injuries, you can use your uninsured or underinsured motorist protection.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist protection alleviates a lot of the burden involved with these situations. Uninsured/underinsured motorist protection is optional; however, insurance companies must offer it and you must decline it in writing. So, it is possible you have this coverage and do not realize it.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist protection will also cover you if you were struck by a driver who fled the scene. In some cases, your uninsured motorist protection coverage may pay for injuries you suffered as a pedestrian or cyclist.

Both injury and property damage coverage are available.

Medical Payments Coverage

Medical payments coverage, or MedPay, covers your medical expenses after an accident. MedPay covers medical expenses and funeral expenses regardless of fault. In addition, medical payments coverage typically covers the following as well:

  • Passenger’s medical expenses in addition to your own
  • Insured victims who were struck while cycling or walking

Rental Reimbursement Coverage

After an accident, you might find that you need to rent a car while yours is in the shop or until you buy a new one. Many insurers offer rental car reimbursement coverage. Many policies cover up to $30 a day for 30 days.

What Insurance Applies If Another Driver Was At-Fault for My Accident?

If another party was at-fault for your accident, you would file a claim with that driver’s liability policy. This applies to both injuries and property damage.

If you cannot wait to get your car repaired, you can file with your own collision coverage and request reimbursement from the other driver in your settlement. This also applies if you needed to rent a car after the accident.

Call an Atlanta Accident Attorney

Being knowledgeable about your policy can help you wade through some of the confusion after a crash. Unfortunately, these policies are often difficult for the average person to understand. But not Sheryl Burke. In fact, Sheryl worked at an insurance company before opening her practice. She knows how to decipher the complex language placed in policies and to determine what your policy truly covers.

Once we have determined what your policy covers, we can begin your insurance claim(s). If another party was at-fault, we will file with that driver’s insurance company and recover the compensation you deserve. And because Sheryl worked as an insurance adjuster, she knows the loopholes the insurance company might use to get out of paying you what you deserve. She will not stand for this and will fight for every dollar to which you are entitled.

Call S. Burke Law today to discuss your case with our team for free: 404-842-7838.