How to Check What Your Personal Auto Insurance Covers
Find your policy documents and read the coverage section
The fastest way to know what your personal auto insurance covers is to pull out your actual policy and look at the declarations page and coverage section. Your insurer mailed you this document when you bought the policy, and you can also find it online through your insurer's website or mobile app — most let you log in and download a PDF of your current policy.
The declarations page lists your coverage types and limits in a table format. It will show whether you have liability (covers damage you cause to someone else's car or property), collision (covers damage to your own car from an accident), comprehensive (covers theft, weather, and vandalism), and uninsured motorist (covers you if hit by someone without insurance). The numbers next to each type — like 100/300/100 for liability — are your coverage limits in thousands of dollars.
If you cannot find your policy or do not have a login for your insurer's website, call your insurance agent or the customer service number on your insurance card. They can email or mail you a copy within one business day.
Key Takeaways
- Your declarations page shows exactly what coverage types you have and the dollar limits for each one.
- Liability, collision, comprehensive, and uninsured motorist are the four main coverage types, and not all policies include all four.
- You can download your policy from your insurer's website or app, or call your agent to request a copy.
- Your coverage limits matter when you rent a car, because your personal policy may not cover a rental or may cover it only up to a certain amount.
- Deductibles — the amount you pay out of pocket before insurance pays — also appear on your declarations page and affect what you actually recover in a claim.
Understand what each coverage type actually covers
Liability coverage pays for damage or injury you cause to someone else. If you hit another car or a person, your liability coverage pays their medical bills and car repairs up to your policy limit. It does not cover damage to your own car or injuries to you. Most states require you to carry liability, and rental car companies often require higher limits than your personal policy provides.
Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your own car after an accident with another vehicle or object, regardless of who caused it. You pay your deductible first, then insurance covers the rest up to your car's actual cash value. If you have a loan on your car, your lender usually requires you to carry collision coverage.
Comprehensive coverage covers damage to your car from events other than collisions — theft, weather, vandalism, hitting an animal, or falling objects. Like collision, you pay your deductible first. Comprehensive is optional if you own your car outright, but lenders typically require it.
Uninsured motorist coverage protects you if you are hit by a driver who has no insurance or whose insurance is too low to cover your damages. It covers your medical bills and car damage up to your policy limit. Underinsured motorist coverage is similar but applies when the other driver's insurance is insufficient.
Check whether your personal policy covers rental cars
Many personal auto policies cover rental cars automatically, but the coverage is often limited. Your policy may cover a rental only if you rented it as a temporary replacement after an accident covered by your collision or comprehensive coverage — not for a vacation rental or a car you rented for any other reason.
Even when your personal policy does cover a rental, the coverage limits may be lower than your regular limits. Some policies cap rental car coverage at a specific dollar amount per day, like $30 or $50, which is far less than what a rental company charges. Your deductible still applies, so you would pay that amount out of pocket before your insurance covers anything.
Look for a section titled "Rental Reimbursement" or "Rental Car Coverage" in your policy. If you do not see one, your personal policy does not cover rentals. In that case, you would need to purchase the rental company's insurance at the counter, or buy a separate rental car insurance policy before you rent.
Know the difference between your limits and your deductible
Your coverage limit is the maximum amount your insurance will pay for a claim. If your liability limit is 100/300, that means your insurer will pay up to $100,000 per person and $300,000 total per accident. Once you hit that limit, you pay anything beyond it yourself. Coverage limits are what you negotiate when you buy a policy, and higher limits cost more in premiums.
Your deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. Common deductibles are $250, $500, $1,000, or higher. If you have a $500 deductible and file a collision claim for $3,000 in damage, you pay $500 and your insurance pays $2,500. Raising your deductible lowers your monthly premium, but it means you pay more when you actually need to file a claim.
Liability coverage does not have a deductible — your insurer pays the full amount up to your limit. Collision, comprehensive, and uninsured motorist coverage all have deductibles that you choose when you buy the policy.
Review your policy annually or after major life changes
Your coverage needs can change over time. If you paid off your car loan, you may no longer be required to carry collision and comprehensive coverage, which means you could drop those to lower your premium. If you moved to a state with higher minimum insurance requirements, you may need to increase your liability limits. If you added a teenage driver to your household, your rates will go up and you should review whether your current limits are still adequate.
Life changes like marriage, a new job in a different city, or buying a second vehicle should prompt you to contact your agent and review your coverage. Your agent can tell you whether your current policy still makes sense for your situation and what changes would cost.
Even without major changes, it is worth reviewing your policy once a year. Insurance companies sometimes update their offerings, and you may find that a different coverage combination or a different insurer would save you money while keeping you protected.
Request a coverage summary if your policy is hard to read
Insurance policies are written in legal language that can be difficult to parse. If you have read your policy and still do not understand what you are covered for, ask your agent for a coverage summary — a plain-language explanation of what your policy covers and what it does not. Many agents can provide this in writing or over the phone.
You can also ask your agent specific questions: "Does my policy cover me if I rent a car for a week-long trip?" or "What is my deductible for collision coverage?" or "If I cause an accident, what is the maximum my insurance will pay?" Write down the answers and keep them with your policy documents so you have them when you need them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my personal auto insurance cover me when I rent a car?
It may, but usually only if you rented it as a temporary replacement after an accident your policy covers. Vacation rentals and other personal rentals are typically not covered by personal auto policies. Check your policy for a "Rental Reimbursement" section, or call your agent to ask directly.
What does it mean if my liability limit is 100/300/100?
The first number ($100,000) is the maximum your insurance will pay per person for injuries you cause. The second number ($300,000) is the maximum per accident total. The third number ($100,000) is the maximum for property damage. Once you hit any of these limits, you pay the rest yourself.
Can I lower my insurance costs by raising my deductible?
Yes. Raising your deductible from $250 to $500 or $1,000 will lower your monthly premium. The trade-off is that you pay more out of pocket if you file a claim. This works best if you are a safe driver and do not expect to file claims often.
What should I do if I cannot find my policy documents?
Log into your insurer's website or mobile app and download your policy. If you do not have a login, call the customer service number on your insurance card or contact your agent. They can email or mail you a copy of your current policy within one business day.
Do I need to increase my liability limits before I rent a car?
Many rental companies require higher liability limits than your personal policy may have. Check your rental agreement to see what minimum liability coverage is required, then compare it to your personal policy limits. If your limits are lower, you may need to purchase additional coverage from the rental company or buy a separate rental car policy.