Auto policies divide risk into separate coverage parts. State requirements, lender terms, policy forms, limits, deductibles, and exclusions determine what a particular policy does. This page maps the documents; it does not recommend a limit or declare an add-on necessary.
Coverage map
| Coverage part | Whose loss it generally addresses | Document check |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury / property damage liability | Injury or property damage for which an insured is legally responsible | Per-person, per-accident, combined, and defense wording |
| Collision | Covered damage to the insured vehicle from collision or upset | Deductible, valuation, exclusions, lender interest |
| Comprehensive / other than collision | Covered non-collision vehicle losses | Named events, glass terms, deductible |
| Uninsured / underinsured motorist | Specified losses involving an uninsured or underinsured driver | Bodily injury vs property, limits, stacking and state options |
| PIP / medical payments | Specified medical or related expenses | Eligible people, coordination, limits, state rules |
| Optional endorsements | Rental, roadside, rideshare, GAP, or other defined risk | Trigger, cap, waiting period, exclusions |
Read three layers together
- Law: obtain current requirements from the state regulator or motor-vehicle authority.
- Contract: read the coverage form, declarations, and endorsements. Informal terms such as “full coverage” do not identify a standard package.
- Financing: check the loan or lease for physical-damage requirements and permitted deductibles.
Scenario trace
A parked car is damaged by a falling branch. Start with the policy definition of collision and the other-than-collision insuring agreement. Then check exclusions, the listed deductible, valuation method, and any glass or special-equipment endorsement. This process identifies relevant clauses; it does not establish that a claim will be paid.
Renewal evidence to collect
- Current declarations and every endorsement number
- Vehicle description, garaging address, drivers, and usage classification
- Separate limits and deductibles for each coverage part
- Lender or lessor requirements
- Written explanation of any coverage added, removed, or renamed
Turn the map into questions
For every selected coverage, write one covered-event question and one exclusion question. For example: “Which form addresses a falling object?” and “Which exclusion or condition could change that result?” For an unselected coverage, record that it is absent from the declarations rather than describing the loss as universally uninsured.
The resulting page should show what is confirmed, what is absent, and what remains unknown. It should not contain a site-generated recommendation for liability limits or deductibles because assets, household risks, legal requirements, and available products are individual facts outside this document map.
Source basis: NAIC consumer guidance describes common auto coverage categories and directs consumers to state regulators for local requirements. The issued policy controls.