Auto Insurance Coverage Guide

Coverage terms are easier to compare when you separate protection for damage you cause from protection for your own vehicle and occupants.

Start with the coverage, not just the price

A useful auto insurance decision starts by identifying what must be insured, who drives the vehicles, what North Carolina requires, and what losses you want the policy to help absorb. Two quotes that look similar can behave very differently if their limits, deductibles, included drivers, or optional coverages are not the same.

Questions to ask when comparing this coverage

• What limit applies, and is it per person, per accident, per vehicle, or per loss?
• Does a deductible apply, and if so, how much would you pay before coverage responds?
• What exclusions or conditions are most important for the situations you are concerned about?
• Is the coverage required by law, required by a lender, optional, or included only by endorsement?

Keep the answers next to each quote. That simple step helps prevent a lower premium from looking better merely because it contains materially less protection.

Official sources

Insurance rules can change. These official sources support the state-specific facts on this page.

• NC Department of Insurance — Basic and miscellaneous auto coverages
• NC Department of Insurance — Automobile insurance: what’s covered and what isn’t