Most people find out what their car insurance policy does not cover at the exact moment they need it to.
This is the overview: what the parts of a New York auto policy actually do, which ones protect you rather than the other driver, and where the state minimum leaves you exposed. Liability covers the person you hit. No-fault covers your own medical bills and a portion of your lost earnings. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is the part that protects you from the driver who has nothing — and it is the coverage people most often discover they skipped.
The point Frank makes in the video is the one worth carrying away: two insurance quotes that look alike on price are frequently not covering the same thing at all, and the difference only shows up after a crash, as a number you personally owe.
The full series
- Part 1 — How to read and understand a New York auto insurance policy
- Part 2 — The liability section
- Part 3 — Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
- Part 4 — No-fault and PIP coverage
All of it is set out in more detail in How to Protect Yourself and Your Family in Car Accidents, free to download from our free guides page. Frank does not sell insurance and has no stake in what you buy — only in what happens to people who find out too late what they bought.
This video was recorded some years ago. Check any coverage figures against your own current declarations page.