Arizona’s motorists are required to maintain financial responsibility at all times while operating an automobile. This basically means that drivers must be able to pay for any injuries and/or damages that are caused as a result of a traffic accident. If a motorist does not contain such protection a lawsuit could be filed against them and they may have to pay for property damage, medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering out of their own pocket; all which may have been paid by a car insurance policy.
The state requires that most individuals carry automobile policies if they intend on operating a motor vehicle and auto insurance for Arizona motorists must meet the legal minimums. The required protection in the state includes liability coverage in the amount of $15,000 for the injury or death of one person, $30,000 for the injury or death of two or more people and $10,000 for property damage; this is commonly abbreviated as 15/30/10. These limits will only cover injuries and/or damages caused to others by the insured and will not provide any compensation for the policyholder with the exception of possible legal defense for a filed lawsuit resulting from a traffic accident. However, motorists do have the choice to purchase coverage for their injuries and damage that may be sustained by their automobiles, as well as higher liability limits.
Although a policy consisting of the minimum liability limits may satisfy the requirements needed to be met to legally operate a motor vehicle, these limits may not always be enough to fully compensate another party for injuries and/or property damage. As motorists look to obtain car insurance, one of the most common pieces of advice that is given by industry professionals is to consider raising liability limits. In many cases, the minimums may not be enough to cover expenses arising from certain incidents. For example, if a policyholder were to strike a building, the amount of damages would likely exceed $10,000 and could leave an insured that is carrying the minimum property damage liability limit paying for any remaining amount due for repairs. Raising this coverage can be done with a minimal increase in premium and is worth taking into consideration.
In addition, motorists have other options to protect against having to pay for excessive costs out of pocket. A very popular add-on to automobile policies is Comprehensive and Collision coverage to insure vehicles for physical damage. The cost of this additional protection is dependent on many factors, which include the type of vehicle and driver being insured, but it is recommended that motorists who are financing autos or own one of significant value consider purchasing this option to assist in paying for the repairs or replacement of vehicles. The Arizona Consumer Guide to Automobile Insurance offers explanations of the types of optional coverage, which consumers may want to refer to when choosing a personal auto policy to help ensure necessary risks are protected.
Source: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/arizona/
