It can seem pretty overwhelming; there are a lot of things to think about when it comes to getting the right coverage for you and your automobile. Drivers are now required to have automobile insurance to be on the road, but knowing what kind of insurance to get, so that your car will be covered sufficiently, but that you can still afford to drive it can be a bit tricky if you aren't at least a little bit educated on the topic.

Aside from our houses, our cars are often the most valuable and necessary material belongings in our possession, it's important for all drivers to begin learning the basics of auto insurance if they don't know them already, so they can hit the road with confidence and piece of mind.

Liability

Having at least some liability coverage is a requirement for driving in all states, the minimum amount necessary does vary a bit from state to state, but it's good to have more than the minimum amount of coverage in the event that you are involved in a serious accident.

The two sections of liability coverage cover bodily injury and property damage.

Bodily injury liability will cover the medical expenses and potentially the lost wages of people injured during an automobile accident. If your liability coverage is too low to cover the medical expenses of a person you injure in an accident, you may be held responsible for the remainder of the money due – this is precisely the reason that higher liability coverage is better than lower liability coverage.

Property damage covers the cost of repair the damage you do to other peoples property in the event of an accident, this could include their automobile, their motorcycle, bicycle, house or whatever else happens to be on the receiving end of the accident.

Comprehensive and Collision

If you own your car outright, then neither comprehensive or collision coverage is a requirement to operate your vehicle, but depending on your driving record or the neighborhood you live or work in, it may be advisable to at least carry some comp and collision coverage.

Collision will cover the damage sustained to your car in the event of an accident that you are deemed the cause of. The amount of your chosen deductible and the level of your collision coverage could have a pretty large affect on your premium – the higher your deductible, the lower your premium and vice versa, so to keep your monthly payment down while still carrying a decent level of collision insurance you'll opt for a higher deductible.

Comprehensive insurance will cover any damage sustained to your car that wasn't directly the result of an accident. Acts of vandalism, attempted theft, damage from fire, acts of God and natural disasters are the types of things that comprehensive insurance will take care of for you.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Even though a minimum amount of automobile insurance is a requirement to have your vehicle on the road, that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone operating a vehicle will have it.

Uninsured motorist coverage is a requirement in most states and will cover the damages to your vehicle as well as bodily injury in the event that you are struck by a motorist driving without insurance.

Personal Injury Protection

Personal injury protection coverage covers the cost of treatments for injuries and funeral costs for you or other passengers in a car, or as pedestrians, involved in an accident. At this time personal injury protection coverage isn't required in every state, so depending upon your residence it may not be something that you'll have to worry about.

Those are the basic minimum requirements to drive your automobile legally in any state, and though it may seem like a lot to digest, taking a quick overview of your particular vehicle, the environment you operate it in, the amount of driving you do and your personal driving record should allow you to pick out the best possible plan of coverage for your automobile that will have you on the highway without putting too much of a dent in your wallet.