US Trends

how much insurance for car

You don’t buy “how much insurance” as a flat number; you choose how much coverage and that drives your price.

Below is a quick breakdown you can treat as a starter guide, then adjust for your budget, car value, and how much you own (savings, home, etc.).

1. Minimum vs “good” coverage

Every place has a legal minimum, but it’s usually not enough to fully protect you if there’s a serious crash.

  • Typical legal minimum in many U.S. states is around:
    • 25,000 bodily injury per person
    • 50,000 bodily injury per accident
    • 25,000 property damage (often written as 25/50/25).
  • Many consumer experts say a more realistic “good” level for most drivers is:
    • 100,000 bodily injury per person
    • 300,000 bodily injury per accident
    • 100,000 property damage (100/300/100).
  • If you have higher assets (house, big savings), they often suggest going up to around 250/500/250.

2. Core coverages you decide on

Think of your car insurance as a bundle where you decide how much of each part you want.

  1. Liability (must-have, usually legally required)
 * Pays others if you injure them or damage their car/property.
 * Aim for at least 100/300/100 if you can afford it, not just the bare minimum.
  1. Uninsured / underinsured motorist
    • Protects you if the other driver has little or no insurance.
    • Often matched to your liability limits (e.g., 100/300).
  1. Personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments
    • Helps with medical bills for you and passengers regardless of fault, required in some places.
 * Limits can range from low (a few thousand) up to state maximums.
  1. Collision
    • Pays to repair or replace your car if you crash into something (car, pole, etc.).
 * You choose a deductible (like 500 or 1,000); higher deductible usually means lower price.
  1. Comprehensive
    • Covers non-crash stuff: theft, fire, hail, falling tree, animals.
 * Also has a deductible you choose.

If your car is older and not worth much, people sometimes drop collision and comprehensive to save money, because the payout might not be worth the premium.

3. So, “how much” should YOU get?

A common starting template many insurers and consumer sites treat as a sweet spot is:

  • Liability: 100/300/100
  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist: 100/300
  • PIP/MedPay: at least your local minimum; more if you don’t have great health insurance.
  • Collision & comprehensive:
    • Keep them if your car is newer, financed, or would be expensive to replace.
* Consider dropping if your car is old and low-value.

Then you fine-tune up or down depending on:

  • How much you drive (more miles = more risk).
  • Where you live (accident, theft, and lawsuit trends vary).
  • What you own (bigger savings/home → higher limits to protect those assets).
  • Whether the car is leased/financed (lenders usually require collision and comprehensive).

4. Rough cost expectations

The actual price depends heavily on your age, driving record, car, location, and credit/claim history, so there isn’t a single “normal” dollar amount. In practice:

  • Legal minimum coverage is the cheapest but often leaves you exposed in serious accidents.
  • Jumping from state minimum to 100/300/100 usually raises your premium, but often not as much as people fear compared with the extra protection you get.
  • Deductibles (for collision/comprehensive) are a big lever: higher deductible = lower premium, but more out of pocket if something happens.

5. Simple way to decide today

You can use this quick decision path (without numbers, just choices):

  1. Do you have a house, savings, or other assets you care about protecting?
    • Yes → Aim for at least 100/300/100, plus uninsured/underinsured motorist at same limits.
    • No / just starting out → Don’t go below your legal minimum, but still consider higher than minimum if you can.
  2. Is your car newer, leased, or financed?
    • Yes → Keep collision and comprehensive, choose a deductible you can realistically pay in cash.
    • No / older car → Price out with and without collision/comprehensive and decide if the potential payout is worth the premium.
  3. Health coverage not great?
    • Consider stronger PIP/MedPay so a crash doesn’t wreck you financially.

If you tell me:

  • Your country/state
  • Rough car age/value
  • Whether it’s financed or paid off
  • Whether you own a home or have savings

I can sketch a more tailored “how much insurance for car” setup in plain numbers for your situation. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.