By Drew Gula | NerdWallet
Inflation and supply chain problems continue to impact Americans. Auto insurance rates have risen as a result, along with the prices of new and used cars, medical care and even car maintenance.
State-required car insurance limits haven’t followed suit, however, and even drivers with higher limits may not be protected. But if you’re driving around with only the minimum amount of car insurance required, then you’re probably underinsured.
Here are four ways to make sure you have enough coverage before a potential car accident puts you at risk.
Think twice about minimum coverage
Almost every state requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance, which pays for injuries and property damage you cause in an accident. While minimum coverage is typically the cheapest policy you can get, your state’s minimum-required limits likely aren’t high enough to cover the full cost of injuries or property damage caused by an accident.
For example, the average bodily injury liability claim in 2020 included more than $24,000 in medical bills, according to the Insurance Information Institute’s analysis of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. And medical costs have only increased since that study, with some reaching up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. read more