For many people in Nebraska, an automobile is part of your daily life. It gets you to work and back home again, shuffles the kids from one activity to another, takes you on shopping excursions, and cruises you on over to visit friends and relatives. With all this driving, it’s important to make sure you aren’t just “getting by” with your auto insurance.
Each state sets their own auto insurance liability limits. You are required to carry your state's minimum auto insurance liability limits, but because these amounts are so low, most agents recommend increasing the liability limits for your own protection. For example, in Nebraska, you are required to carry 25/50/25 on your auto insurance. This means liability coverage of $25,000 per person per accident bodily injury, $50,000 per accident bodily injury, and $25,000 per accident property damage.
You also must carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to protect you from drivers that either do not carry any auto insurance or not enough, including hit and run accidents. In Nebraska, the minimum amount you must carry is $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident.
Medical payments on your auto insurance policy (available in Nebraska) are important because they pay for any medical or funeral expenses in the event you or someone in your covered vehicle is injured in an accident, regardless of who is at fault. This can help fill in the gaps where health insurance may not cover. Some states offer a variation of this called Personal Injury Protection (PIP). It is very similar to medical payments except it may also cover rehabilitation expenses, lost earnings, and in-home services.
Depending on your personal situation, you may also consider optional protection such as comprehensive coverage and collision coverage. Collision covers damages to your vehicle after an accident with another vehicle or object. Comprehensive can help pay for damages to your vehicle from objects other than another vehicle, such as animals, hail, and vandalism.
The licensed agents at the Gary Thompson Agency can make recommendations for liability limits and additional auto insurance coverages to fit your personal situation. As an independent insurance agency, we have the ability to shop around to find the most competitive rates available.
To learn more about auto insurance, visit our frequently asked questions page.