A Consumer's Guide to Understanding Missouri's Auto Insurance Requirements?

Answer 1

Missouri's auto insurance laws require drivers to carry a certain amount of causality liability and bodily injury coverage. This coverage must include bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage. Missouri's auto insurance laws also allow auto insurance providers to offer drivers other types of auto insurance coverage that provide a variety of benefits to drivers that go beyond the basic coverage limits.

Here is a quick consumer's guide that can help residents understand Missouri's auto insurance requirements. Let's start off by examining Missouri's bodily injury coverage.

Drivers in Missouri must purchase a certain amount of bodily injury coverage.

For example, drivers in Missouri must purchase at least $50,000 of accident liability coverage. At least $25,000 of this coverage must be set aside for injuries sustained by one person who is injured in an auto accident.

Moreover, drivers in Missouri must purchase at least $50,000 of supplementary bodily injury coverage that covers the risks of sharing the road with uninsured drivers. At least $25,000 of this coverage must also be set aside for injuries sustained by one person who is injured in an auto accident.

Missouri drivers must also purchase property damage liability coverage.

This coverage must include at least $10,000 of coverage that covers replacement costs for property that is damaged in an auto accident. This provision was included to address concerns drivers had about the inability of drivers to recover adequate damages for property that was damaged in auto accidents.

Auto insurance underwriters in Missouri also offer optional auto insurance policies.

For example, auto insurance underwriters provide optional collision casualty coverage that pays for vehicle damages sustained in auto collisions. These policies are usually offered as a supplement to bodily injury coverage to provide drivers in Missouri coverage that fills in gaps in property damage liability coverage.

Moreover, auto insurance underwriters also provide optional comprehensive policies that pay for lost wages, medical expenses and theft. This coverage is usually offered in conjunction with required liability coverage plans to cover gaps in bodily injury coverage.

As you can see, Missouri's auto insurance requirements are straightforward.

However, the Missouri Department of Revenue has further details that can help drivers find further information that can help them choose an auto insurance policy wisely. As a result, be sure to log on to the Missouri Department of Revenue's website located at http://dor.mo.gov/online.php for more details.