Car insurance is something which we rarely think of, but all need. You may not spend a lot of time thinking about your policy unless you really need it. Most of us for this reason have little idea if we are really getting a good deal on our insurance. Learning a bit about car insurance can help you to avoid being taken in by smooth talking insurance salespeople and buying a policy with coverage you don't really need.

The minimum coverage which you are required to have is different in each state. The exact stipulations of thee no-fault laws also vary slightly, but work basically the same everywhere.

The first section of the policy is the part that covers your automobile. There are two sections to this part, comprehensive and collision. Collision covers when that tree jumps out in front of you, or another driver carelessly puts his car's rear end in your way. Comprehensive covers theft, a falling branch, hail damage and all other things that damage your car.

Liability is the second part of your car insurance policy. This covers the damage done to another driver's car when you have caused an accident. Liability coverage will be represented in numbers - for instance, 25/50/10. These numbers mean that your policy covers up to 25,000 in costs per person, up to 50,000 per accident and will cover 10,000 in property damage per accident.

Medical coverage protects everyone involved in an accident, regardless of who was at fault in the accident - this part of your policy even covers you if you are hit while walking! Medical coverage will cover you of you don't have health insurance and will also cover the costs which your health insurance does not cover.

There will also generally be coverage in your policy to account for uninsured and underinsured drivers, which covers you if someone with no (or inadequate) coverage hits your car. This part of the policy also covers hit and runs, Towing coverage can also be added to your policy if you opt for liability as well as comprehensive and collision coverage for a low fee.

You can save a lot of money on car insurance by keeping these rules in mind:

1.Always get several quotes when it's time to renew your policy. There are several Internet sites that you simply fill out the form once and they would check hundreds of companies. Be sure you always compare like coverage. Check to make sure that all quotes contain exactly the same thing you have.

2.Check for discounts with your homeowners insurance company. Sometimes they offer a discount if you carry both products with them.

3.Ask if there are any available discounts. You may be able to get discounts if you are a young or higher risk driver, such as a young person or student. These discounts may be dependent on keeping up good grades or taking driving courses.

4.Make sure that you really need to cover your car. If you don't have a loan on the car, you might find it cheaper to just let the comprehensive and collision part of your policy go. Compare the payments you will receive if the car gets totaled against the Kelly blue book value - If this amount is less than two years of your monthly premium, you may want to drop this coverage and use the savings for a newer vehicle. However, don't be cheap when it comes to liability coverage; it is well worth the cost.

5.Think about getting a beater and using it for commuting and short trips. You can carry full insurance on your good car and carry only liability insurance on the beater. You can save money on your insurance and wear and tear on your good car this way.