Auto Insurance Coverage in New York

Liability Coverage

Automobile liability insurance is generally designed to provide coverage for financial loss arising from legal liability when a covered vehicle causes damage to others' property or injuries to persons. Coverage may be structured with either a single combined limit for both bodily injury and property damage, or with separate limits. Specific policy terms, conditions, and exclusions vary by carrier and policy form.

Bodily Injury Liability

Split liability limits typically structure coverage with separate limits: one for injuries to any one person and another for the total injuries to multiple persons in a single accident. Single limit coverage may apply the coverage limit to both bodily injury and property damage combined. Actual payment under any policy is subject to all policy terms, conditions, exclusions, and applicable deductibles.

Property Damage Liability

Property damage liability coverage is generally designed to provide coverage for damage to others' property for which the insured may be legally liable, subject to the policy's maximum limit per accident and all applicable policy terms and conditions.

Medical Coverage

Medical Payments

Medical payments coverage may provide payment for certain medical and funeral expenses incurred by vehicle occupants following an accident, subject to policy limits and terms. Coverage applications and exclusions vary by policy. This coverage may apply in certain situations where other coverages do not, subject to specific policy provisions and conditions.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

New York State law typically requires auto policies to include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage with minimum limits, though specific requirements and availability may vary. Most policies offer the option to increase this to a higher coverage limit. It is a first-party coverage (meaning that your own policy pays for your necessary expenses) for medical, hospital, nursing, surgical, ambulance, dental, x-ray, prescription drug, and prosthetic services; psychiatric, physical, and occupational therapy and rehabilitation; and any other professional health services.

Optional Basic Economic Loss (OBEL)

As the name suggests, this is an optional coverage available on the personal auto policy. OBEL has a limit of $25,000 which can be applied at the discretion of the injured passengers of the vehicle as a result of an accident. In addition to covering the same category of medical costs included in the PIP section above, it can be used to cover lost wages and physical therapy.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

This coverage part pays for damages that the policyholder is legally entitled to recover from a negligent owner of an uninsured/underinsured vehicle. This does not include exemplary or punitive damages. Medical expenses, lost wages, and other general damages incurred as a result of an accident caused by an uninsured/underinsured motorist. This coverage does not include property damage.

Physical Damage Coverage

Physical damage coverage is an optional coverage on the auto policy. There are two categories of loss to your vehicle that are insured separately. They are commonly referred to as "Collision" coverage and "Comprehensive" coverage, also known as "Other than Collision." There are also coverage parts offered in conjunction with physical damage coverage that are aimed at minimizing the impact of a loss.

Collision Coverage

Collision coverage may provide protection for damage to your vehicle resulting from collision with another vehicle or object, subject to policy terms, conditions, exclusions, and applicable deductibles.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage steps in to reduce the cost of replacement or repair of your vehicle when loss is sustained by fire, theft, vandalism, hail, deer, or many other types of damage caused by something other than a collision. This includes coverage for breakage of glass.  This coverage part has a deductible.

Full Coverage for Window Glass

Coverage for window glass on your vehicle is covered under the comprehensive section. On a personal automobile policy, this coverage may be available without a deductible. This is called "full glass" coverage. On a commercial policy, if full glass is not offered by a particular insurer, we can sometimes accomplish the same outcome by selecting a zero deductible on comprehensive.

Rental Reimbursement

This coverage will reimburse the policyholder for rental charges incurred when a covered vehicle is out of use as a result of a covered loss.

Towing Coverage

This coverage may be available for purchase in addition to physical damage coverage. It can reduce or eliminate the cost of transporting a vehicle from where it is disabled in an accident. This coverage on some policies may also cover towing for a vehicle that becomes disabled without being in an accident.