Reader’s Question:

My agent here in Oklahoma suggests that I get collision and comprehensive coverage. How are they different from one another?

Debra

Lawton, OK

Collision and comprehensive car insurance coverage are two different things, Debr,a and both can add to your safety and security while driving. Most car insurance companies in Oklahoma offer these coverages to their clients.

Try to consider that certain events or incidents can happen, and they are usually beyond our control like weather conditions such as floods, storms, hurricanes, as well as natural calamities like earthquakes and flash fires and even theft or vandalism. And if these incidents occur, having a comprehensive coverage can be handy should your car be damaged by the said events. Your comprehensive coverage will shoulder expenses for your car’s repair or even replacement of your vehicle. If you purchased your car by means of a loan, then a comprehensive car insurance coverage will be required by the bank or the financing company. Although comprehensive coverage is an optional addition to your car insurance policy, I suggest that you still get one especially if your car is pretty expensive.

On the other hand, collision coverage will pay for expenses due to damages resulting from collision with another car or objects like lamp posts or fences or wild animals. But if you have an old or inexpensive car, the costs for repairs may be worth more than the amount of having it replaced, instead. Thus, paying for high premiums for your collision coverage may not be advantageous to you. So, think it over first before adding collision coverage to your insurance policy to avoid unnecessary expenses. After all, collision insurance is typically an optional coverage in your policy.

So, remember, collision and comprehensive insurance coverage are typically optional but otherwise useful add-ons to your existing policy.

Reader’s Question:

Hi, I’d like to know more about my auto insurance in Oklahoma. When can I use it? Will it cover me if I ever am in an accident? How much will it cost?

Pia

Broken Arrow, OK

Hi, Pia! Thank you for this question as this gives me a chance to explain some misconceptions against auto insurance. Strictly speaking, auto insurance protects the car, not the passengers. There are instances when auto insurance is used to pay for bodily injuries. Say, for example, you were hit by a car and you had an injury due to the collision.

The driver of the car has the responsibility to pay for all damages done, including those human injuries resulting from automobile collision – he will do so through his auto insurance liability coverage. Similarly, if you were found to be responsible for injuring someone as a result of vehicular accident, you can use your auto insurance liability to pay for medical expenses. But if you’d insist, you can insure yourself as well as your passengers with the auto insurance personal accident coverage. But this coverage will be redundant if you already have a life or health insurance. Your local insurance agent in Oklahoma will be very happy to help you explain the many variations you can do with an auto insurance. You can also shop for free quotes online from websites like this one by filling out the relevant form.

In some cases in Oklahoma, personal accident coverage can be used to pay for the repairs due to a collision. But if you have collision coverage, this automatically takes care of the repairs for the collision. Like with any other insurance, there are many variations that can be done. The most complete which covers all damages to the car aside from collision is comprehensive auto insurance.

I hope that I have shed some light on the matter and that this helps you in your search for an auto insurance, Pia

Reader’s Question:

Can someone from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma lend me some information on minimum auto insurance requirements in your city? I would greatly appreciate the kind gesture.

Bernie

Broken Arrow, OK

Simply put, the minimum auto insurance required in the state of Oklahoma is 25/50/25. This means that the auto insurance should shoulder twenty five thousand dollars for medical expenses caused to a single driver, fifty thousand dollars for collective medical expenses for all of the vehicle’s occupants and another twenty five thousand dollars for damages to public and private properties including that of the victim’s vehicle.

In Broken Arrow, OK all motorist is required to have liability insurance that would cover the cost of medical and repairs of vehicle inflicted in an accident caused by the driver holding the insurance policy. When the amount of expenses exceeds the amount that the insurance policy provides, the driver at fault would have to compensate for the balance needed, hence it is strongly recommended to get a liability policy greater than the minimum required.

If the vehicle is under lien, it is required to carry comprehensive and collision insurance otherwise it is not required in Oklahoma. Nevertheless, it is still recommended to have such insurance policy on top of minimum requirements. In the event of accident when you do not have these you would be deemed solely responsible for repairs to their vehicle. Collision coverage will provide for repairs equivalent to the Kelley Blue book value of your car, then if the cost went beyond this amount the car would be totaled and you would receive the equivalent cash value of the car.