Personal Auto Policy Injury Coverage

From Insurance for Dummies by Jack Hungelmann

Injuries, often quite serious ones, happen in car accidents far more than in any other type of accident — plane, train, industrial, and so on. If you are injured in a car accident, you usually have more than one source from which to collect your medical bills and lost wages. One source may be your own health and disability insurance. Another source may be the personal liability coverage of the other driver, if the accident was his fault and if he has any insurance. But the process of collecting from the other driver can take months or even years. A third source is your car insurance.

You’ve got two types of coverage in a Personal Auto policy for your injuries in a car accident:

• Coverage for compensatory damages (what your injuries would be worth in a court, including compensation for pain and suffering) for your injuries caused by uninsured or underinsured motorists.
• Coverage for your medical bills (and lost wages in some states) regardless of fault.