Insurance terms, plainly explained.

What your car was worth right before an accident, factoring in depreciation. Most comprehensive and collision claims pay out actual cash value, not what you originally paid.

A crash where you were found responsible. It typically raises your rate more than almost any other single factor, and stays on your record for three to five years depending on the state.

Covers injuries you cause to other people in an accident. Shown as three numbers, like 25/50/10, meaning per-person limit, per-accident limit, and property damage limit in thousands.

Pays to repair or replace your own car after a crash, regardless of who caused it. Optional in every state, but usually required if you have a car loan or lease.

Covers damage to your car from anything other than a collision: theft, fire, hail, flooding, hitting an animal. Also called "other than collision" on some policies.

A score, separate from your regular credit score, that insurers in most states use to help set your rate. Washington, Massachusetts, Michigan, Hawaii and California restrict or ban this practice.

What you pay out of pocket before your insurer covers the rest of a claim. A higher deductible usually means a lower monthly rate, and vice versa.

A rate an insurer has officially submitted to a state insurance department. On Open Rate Index, rows marked "filed" come from a real per-carrier import, not a statewide average.

Not a single legal product, just shorthand for liability plus comprehensive and collision. It is not required by any state, but is often required by lenders.

The minimum a state requires: coverage for damage and injury you cause to others. It does not pay to repair or replace your own car.

The lowest amount of insurance a state legally requires you to carry, expressed as bodily injury and property damage limits. Varies significantly by state.

On Open Rate Index, a credit tier or driving record adjustment applied on top of a filed or estimated base rate, using published industry-typical multipliers rather than a specific carrier's rating plan.

A state where your own insurer pays for your injuries after an accident regardless of who caused it, usually through required personal injury protection.

Covers your own medical bills and sometimes lost wages after an accident, regardless of fault. Required in no-fault states.

What you pay for your policy, usually shown monthly or annually. Everything on Open Rate Index is shown as a monthly premium estimate.

Covers damage you cause to someone else's property, most often their car, in an accident you're responsible for.

On Open Rate Index, a rate built by spreading a statewide average across a small set of insurers, used for cities where we don't yet have a real per-carrier import. Always labeled separately from filed rates.

Pays the gap when the at-fault driver has insurance, but not enough to cover your damages. Often bundled with uninsured motorist coverage.

Covers you if you're hit by a driver who has no insurance at all. Required in some states, optional in others.

A program, usually via a phone app or plug-in device, that adjusts your rate based on how you actually drive. Not modeled on Open Rate Index since it depends on individual driving data.