Auto Insurance
Browse our articles about auto insurance
Choosing a Repair Shop and the Parts They Use
Who picks the body shop, what a direct repair program is, and how original equipment, aftermarket and used parts get chosen after a collision claim.
Read MoreWho Is Covered to Drive Your Car?
Coverage generally follows the car, but household members, permissive use and excluded drivers each change the answer. Here is how the rules fit together.
Read MoreTickets, Accidents and How Long They Follow Your Rate
Your driving record and your insurance record are two different things with two different clocks. Here is what each one holds and how long it matters.
Read MoreDiminished Value: The Loss That Survives a Good Repair
A repaired car can be worth less than an identical one that was never hit. Here is what diminished value is, who you claim it from, and why the answer is state law.
Read MoreTelematics and Usage-Based Insurance: How Tracking Works
What a driving-tracking program actually measures, how the data reaches your rate, and the questions to ask before enrolling a car or a household.
Read MoreWhat Full Coverage Really Means on an Auto Policy
No insurer sells a product called full coverage. Here is what the phrase usually stands for, and the coverages people assume it includes but often do not have.
Read MoreClassic Car Insurance and How Agreed Value Works
A standard auto policy pays depreciated value, which is the wrong answer for a car that appreciates. Here is how agreed value coverage differs.
Read MoreWill Filing a Claim Raise My Insurance Rate?
Sometimes, and it depends on more than whether you were at fault. Here is what actually drives the answer on both auto and home policies.
Read MoreCaptive Agents, Independent Agents and Buying Direct
Who an agent represents and how they are paid shapes what you are shown. Here are the four distribution channels and what each is good for.
Read MoreHow to Shop for Insurance: What to Gather First
Requesting quotes is quick once you have the right information in front of you. Here is what to collect and the one mistake that makes the exercise useless.
Read MoreSafety Technology, Repair Costs and Your Auto Rate
Driver assistance systems reduce how often crashes happen while raising what each one costs to repair. Here is how that tension shows up in your policy.
Read MoreNon-Owner Car Insurance: Liability Without a Vehicle
A non-owner policy provides liability coverage that follows you as a driver rather than attaching to a car. Here is who it fits and what it leaves out.
Read MoreLeasing a Car: What Your Lease Requires You to Carry
Lease insurance requirements are contractual, not statutory. Here is what lessors typically demand, and what happens when a leased car is totaled.
Read MoreWhat Changes When You Insure an Electric or Hybrid Car
Electric vehicles are insured under the same coverages as any other car, but the battery, the repair network and claim severity all behave differently.
Read MoreGap Insurance: When You Owe More Than the Car Is Worth
How negative equity arises, where gap coverage is sold and how those products differ, and the refund most people forget to claim when a loan ends early.
Read MoreThis content is for general informational purposes only and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice. Coverage, exclusions, eligibility, and pricing vary by insurer, by policy, and by state, and only the policy documents control what is covered. Always confirm the details of any coverage with a licensed insurance agent or the issuing carrier before you buy.