New York Auto Insurance: Mandatory Auto Insurance Coverages

New York Bodily Injury & Property Damage Limits:

Bodily injury limit: This is the maximum amount your insurance policy will pay when an insured person becomes legally liable for bodily injury or death caused by an insured person in an auto accident.

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Property damage limit: This is the maximum amount your insurance policy will pay when an insured person becomes legally liable for damage in an auto accident to the property of other people (e.g. light poles, fences, another vehicle, etc.).

In New York a driver must have a minimum coverage of 25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury sustained by two or more persons in a single accident, and $15,000 for property damage that results from one accident. To adequately protect yourself, you may want to purchase much more than the minimum amount of coverage required for New York.

Common Exclusions: Bodily injury and property damage coverages apply to injury and damage from normal use of the insured vehicle. Coverages are limited by your policy and there may be some circumstances in which coverage does not apply. For example, in some policies coverage does not apply to:

1. Bodily injury or property damage arising out of the use of your vehicle while transporting people or property for a fee.
2. Injury or damage caused by an intentional act.
3. Injury or damage as a result of operating a vehicle owned by a person covered by your policy, where the vehicle is not listed on your policy.
4. Injury or death of you or a family member.
5. Property owned by, rented by or in the control of an insured person.

Uninsured/Underinsured (UM/UIM) Basic or Supplemental (SUM) Coverage (cannot exceed Bodily Injury selection):

Basic Uninsured Motorist Coverage:
$25,000 person/$50,000 accident UM only (Basic-Excludes SUM coverage)

This coverage is mandatory in the state of New York and pays for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages when you, family members who live with you, or occupants of your car are injured in an accident. The accident must be caused by a driver who has no insurance or does not have enough insurance. This covers ONLY accidents that occur WITHIN the State of New York.

Coverage for injury or death may be excluded for individuals driving or occupying a motor vehicle owned by the insured person, which is not listed on the policy, or when the operator's license to drive is suspended or revoked.

Supplemental Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury (SUM) Coverage

You may purchase additional coverage for bodily injuries (up to the Bodily Injury limits you have selected) caused by uninsured/underinsured motorists through some carriers. This covers compensation for pain and suffering and any medical bills that exceed the coverage limits for PIP (Personal Injury Protection). Supplemental (SUM) broadens coverage to cover accidents that occur OUTSIDE the state of New York.

Coverage for injury or death may be excluded for individuals driving or occupying a motor vehicle owned by the injured person, which is uninsured.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP): Basic PIP - $50,000:

Regardless of fault, PIP (sometimes referred to as "No-fault" Coverage), provides coverage for you, the passengers of your vehicle and pedestrians injured in an accident involving your vehicle inside the state of New York, up to the limits of your policy. PIP is mandated by the State of New York and includes total coverage up to $50,000 per person for:

Property damage limit: This is the maximum amount your insurance policy will pay when an insured person becomes legally liable for damage in an auto accident to the property of other people (e.g. light poles, fences, another vehicle, etc.).

1. Medical expenses.
2. Work loss benefits - Up to $2,000 per month for lost earnings (If you select a PIP option excluding work loss benefits, this option does not apply).
3. Daily expenses up to $25 (for not more than 12 months) for all other reasonable expenses.
4. Death benefit of $2,000.

Deductibles: You may select a deductible of $0 or $200, which applies to the insured and any relatives living with the insured.

Please Note: This coverage definition is intended only as a guideline. All terms and coverages are defined solely by your policy.

*Coverage minimums displayed are the minimum available through insurers on Insurance.com.