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Automobile Insurance: Auto Coverage Guide

Compare New York State Auto Insurance Coverage with the NYCM Guide

Auto insurance combines several different types of coverage into one policy. New York State requires that you have certain coverages. So what type of coverage do you need? Although everyone's situation is different, the following chart might help you find the coverages you should consider.

Coverages
Coverages Mandatory/Optional Required Limit Most Common
Transportation Expense Included* $40 a day, but higher
coverage limits are
available for purchase
$40/$1,200
New Car Replacement Optional 120% Replacement
Cost Cap
N/A
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Optional N/A N/A
Personal Articles Included* $100 automatically
included. Higher
coverage limits are available for purchase
$100
Personal Injury Protection
(PIP)
Required by NY State Law $50,000 $50,000
Optional Basic Economic Loss
(OBEL)
Optional Not required $25,000
Bodily Injury Liability Required by NY State Law $25,000 / $50,000
split limit
$300,000
single limit
Property Damage Liability Required by NY State Law $10,000 Included in combined single limit above
Statutory Uninsured Motorist Required by NY State Law $25,000 / $50,000 $25,000 / $50,000
Supplementary Uninsured Motorist Optional Not required $50,000
Medical Payments Optional Not required $5,000
Collision Optional Not required $500 deductible
Other than Collision (Comprehensive) Optional Not required $200 deductible

Split Limit: Split limits restrict the maximum amount that a policy will pay for a specific type of loss, such as property damage and bodily injury. A split limit auto insurance policy, for example, might pay $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury benefits, and $10,000 in property damage per accident. By contrast, a single limit policy might pay up to $60,000 for all property damage and bodily injury resulting from a single accident. Although the total amount of coverage is the same, the single limit policy is more flexible, because it does not cap the amount that can be paid for any type of loss.

Single Limit: A policy with a single limit of liability pays up to a single maximum amount for any type of liability loss. By contrast, a policy with split limits pays different maximum amounts for bodily injury and property damage.

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NOTE: difference between split limits and single limits below.

Difference between split limits and single limits.
Coverages Split Limit Policy Combined Single Limit Policy
Bodily Injury 1 Pays $5,000
(because under $25,000 per person maximum)
Pays $5,000
(because under $60,000 limit)
Bodily Injury 2 Pays $25,000
(because per person maximum)
Pays $30,000
(because $5,000 and $30,000 total still under $60,000 limit)
Property Damage Pays $10,000
(because property damage maximum)
Pays $20,000
(because $5,000, $30,000 and $20,000 total still under $60,000 limit)
Total Paid $40,000 $55,000

Trying to figure out for yourself what coverages you may need can be very difficult. Choose one of our independent insurance agents near you today! They will sit down with you and figure out what coverages best fit your needs.