Required:
Liability & Property Damage – this is the part of auto insurance PennDot requires you carry so that if you cause an accident there are funds available to pay for the other party’s medical bills and damage to their vehicle. Many options are available ranging from $35,000 of protection to $1,000,000 of protection in either single limit or split limit coverage.
Tort Option – in Pennsylvania you must select either Limited Tort or Full Tort on your auto insurance policy. Tort is what determines the extent of your ability to sue a responsible party in the event of an auto accident. You should discuss this in detail with your insurance professional.
Medical Payments – this is ‘no fault’ coverage, meaning that this pays out for your medical expenses before any other insurance, regardless of fault. You are required to have at least $5,000 of coverage, but options are available up to $100,000.
Optional:
Additional First Party Benefits – Income loss, funeral benefit and accidental death coverage are available for purchase to protect you and residents of your home that don’t carry their own auto insurance policy. Similar to Medical Payments, fault is not a factor in payment.
Extraordinary Medical Benefits – this pays for your medical costs incurred from $100,001 to $1,000,000 in the event of an auto accident.
Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist – this is protection for you and residents in your household (if they don’t have their own car insurance) to pay for bodily injury only if you are involved in an accident where you are not at fault and the person who is at fault has no auto insurance or not enough to pay for your medical expenses. Stacking is an option available to you to increase protection.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – this provides for repair or replacement of your vehicle for situations that are out of your control as a driver, such as theft, fire, weather damage, or hitting an animal. You select a deductible between $0 and $1,000.
Collision – you must have Comprehensive to have Collision. This also pays to repair or replace your vehicle, but covers you in the event your vehicle collides with another vehicle, stationary object, or overturns. Deductible options in PA range from $100 to $1,000.
Roadside Assistance – this will provide reimbursement to you or a provider (depending on your policy) for situations such as towing, lock out service, battery jump start, or fuel delivery. Coverage is provided up to a dollar amount paid per occurrence, ranging from $50 to $200 per call.
Rental Reimbursement – this is the most common dispute item within auto insurance policies. Rental Reimbursement provides a dollar amount per day your policy will provide for an alternate vehicle while yours is in the shop from a covered claim. You must purchase this option in order for your insurance provider to pay the rental fees for you in the event of an accident. Some companies pay a percentage of your bill, and others provide a dollar amount per day.
Customization Coverage – this is a necessity if you have equipment on your vehicle that was installed after the vehicle was produced by the manufacture. It is especially important for motorcycles, pickup trucks, and handicap accessible vehicles.