Arizona requires that every motorist obtain a very minimal amount of auto insurance; specifically "$15,000 bodily injury liability for one person and $30,000 for two or more persons, and $10,000 property damage liability".
Body injury liability and property damage liability are "Liability" policies that only cover damage caused by you to those outside of your vehicle. In the event that you are cited as responsible for a serious accident (for instance where somebody requires lengthy therapy to walk again), these policies will not be adequate to protect you from judgments by the court, which can award sums in addition to actual medical costs for pain and suffering, or lost income due to a disabling condition. $500,000 bodily injury per person and $50,000 property liability are the minimum that anybody should carry to protect themselves from bankruptcy in the event of a serious accident. For those that can afford it, those values should be increased to $2 million and $100,000 respectively.
Arizona does not require you to carry uninsured or under-insured motorist coverage, but it is highly advisable, especially if you travel with passengers not insured by your policy. Since Arizona has so many drivers that have the low minimum coverage, and also many illegal-aliens that have no coverage at all, the odds of being injured in an accident by somebody with inadequate coverage are higher than they should be. $500,000 per person should be sufficient to cover any medical expenses for you or your passengers in the event of an accident cause by a driver with inadequate insurance.
Collision and Comprehensive insurance are more important for more expensive cars. These policies can be used to repair your car if it is damaged in a collision or by some other event. The limits should reflect the value of your car. Raising the deductible on these policies is a strategy to keep costs down, but once again the value of your vehicle should be considered. Typically people have a $500 or $1000 deductible.
Glass Coverage is a must for Phoenix drivers. It adds only about $5 a month to your premium, but will pay for itself within the first six months. Phoenix freeways are landscaped with gravel, which inevitably blows into the roadway and is kicked up into windshields. Many Phoenicians replace their windshields twice a year or more.
Now that you know what coverage you need, it is time to shop. Most of the major insurance companies can provide rate quotes on the Internet. Let OnlineAutoInsurance.com help you complete an auto insurance comparison from a variety of companies. You will be asked basic questions about how much you drive, and find out your age, marital status, and other personal details. This information will help them determine the risk that you pose for a claim, so that they can provide you with a quote. You can either choose the least expensive company, or you can investigate consumer reports if you want to consider who has the best service and reliability.
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