Auto insurance has four main components: liability, collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist.
Liability
Pays for damage and injuries you cause to others. State minimums are almost always too low — aim for at least 100/300/100.
Collision
Pays for damage to your car from a collision regardless of fault. Required by lenders on financed vehicles.
Comprehensive
Pays for non-collision damage: theft, vandalism, weather, falling objects, animal strikes.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
Protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or insufficient coverage. Among the highest-value coverages dollar-for-dollar.