Can I Get More Than The Minimum Liability Coverage?

Becoming a new driver means learning to follow the rules of the road. These aren’t just driving rules, but also insurance rules. North Carolina, like most states, requires nearly all drivers to carry car insurance. If you don’t get covered, you won’t be able to drive legally. Still, you might wonder is my state-required coverage enough? Do I need more coverage?

North Carolina’s Insurance Laws

North Carolina places the burden of paying accident costs on the person who causes an accident. Simply put, if you are at-fault for the wreck, you have to clean up the mess, including damage you cause others. For this reason, all NC-registered vehicles must carry at least some of the following insurance limits.

Liability Coverage: All auto policies must include this coverage. If you cause an accident, you might have to pay for the losses of other drivers you harm. Bodily injury coverage will pay for a third party’s injury costs. Property damage coverage will apply to such costs as their vehicle damage.

North Carolina’s minimum liability coverage amounts are:

• $30,000 bodily injury liability coverage per one person injured
• $60,000 bodily injury liability coverage for two or more people injured
• $25,000 property damage liability insurance

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage: If another driver hits you and they don’t have appropriate liability insurance for your losses, this coverage might pay for your own damage. Policies must offer at least:

• $30,000 bodily injury coverage per one person injured
• $60,000 bodily injury coverage for two or more people injured
• $25,000 property damage liability insurance

An uninsured at-fault driver has no policy to pay for your damage. Your own uninsured coverage will pay up to its limits for your damage. In an underinsured claim scenario, the other driver’s policy will pay for your damage up to its limits. Then, your underinsured coverage can step in to cover remaining costs.

Please Note: If you carry only the NC minimum liability policies, you must carry uninsured motorist coverage. If you have more insurance than the state’s required minimums insurance, you must carry both uninsured and underinsured coverage.

You Can Get More Liability Insurance

You must carry at least the state’s required coverage. But, in most cases, drivers can buy higher limits of both liability and un/underinsured insurance. The more coverage you have, the more financial assistance you might receive following at-fault accidents.

As a younger driver, you usually have a tight budget, but you also have higher driving risks, and more chances of causing accidents. Therefore, increasing your liability insurance can provide you with much more security in the event you are found at-fault for a wreck. It’s a benefit that you can count on in times when you might feel very insecure. We’ll help you get it affordably.

Contact Us