The following are the usual benefits covered under a regular vehicle insurance policy in no-fault states:

a. Personal Injury Protection

Personal injury protection refers to financial coverage in case the policyholder, family members and/or passengers are injured in a vehicular accident.  This usually includes medical payments or coverage that refers to expenses within allowable limits incurred in hospital stay, surgical expenses, and medical/diagnostic procedures that were all deemed necessary after a vehicular accident.  This portion also pays for rehabilitation expenses that include counseling and physical therapy costs incurred in the process of full recuperation.

b. Residual Bodily Injury Protection

There are some states that require residual bodily injury protection for their vehicle owners.  As the name suggests, this is mainly for expenses that are not adequately covered under the Personal Injury Protection cover.  It can also be used to pay for expenses incurred when a lawsuit is filed.

There are other vehicle insurance coverage benefits that may not be mandated by law but are usually availed of by most motorists to provide additional coverage and to avoid huge financial losses in case vehicular accidents occur.  The following discusses these other vehicle insurance features that may be taken as an added-value protection with basic vehicle insurance policies, or purchased separately:

1. Medical Coverage Insurance

This type of insurance that may be specifically taken out for the purposes of covering against vehicular accident losses will pay for medical and funeral costs when the policy holder and/or his or her passengers (this depends on the specific insurance policy terms) die or suffer injuries from a vehicular accident.  Some insurance companies will allow claims even when the insured or the policyholder's dependents are not riding in the insured vehicle.  However high the value of this benefit, it will only pay the excess amount after medical insurance and other applicable insurance have been claimed and found inadequate or the expenses incurred under specific conditions not covered by the policyholder’s primary insurance plans.

2. Comprehensive Physical Damage Insurance

Since most of the property damage insurance for vehicle insurance policies are pretty basic or exclude property damage coverage altogether, some policy holders choose to add comprehensive physical damage insurance.  This type of coverage protects the insured vehicle’s owner for every type of damage-causing event except collision.  Protection includes payment for vehicle damage due to vandalism, theft, earthquakes, explosions, and falling debris among others.

3. Collision Physical Damage Insurance

Collision insurance protects the insured vehicle against damage caused by collision with other vehicles or other objects (tree, fence, wall, etc.).  Even in the insured vehicle driver is at fault, the insurance payment is still guaranteed.  This type of protection usually has a deductible and a face amount equivalent to the actual cost value of the insured vehicle.

F. RENTAL CAR INSURANCE

When a car rental is made, there is still a need to insure oneself against possible vehicular accidents, particularly damage to the car rental vehicle.  Generally, in a car rental set up, the driver will be responsible for the damage to the rental vehicle.  This allocation of fault and responsibility varies across rental companies, states, and other factors.

Before a car rental is made, it is strongly recommended that an inquiry should be made with the primary vehicle insurance provider.  This is a necessary step to avoid redundant coverage.  Some vehicle insurance policies will cover the insurance policy holder whether he or she is driving the insured vehicle or otherwise.  If the car rental is going to be made with a credit card such as American Express, there may be default and free insurance coverage for car rentals that are inherently a benefit of card usage.  It makes practical sense, therefore, to check out all the insurance coverage you already have before taking out a rental car insurance.

Rental car insurance can be purchased through 2 different ways, namely by purchasing coverage from the car rental company before the car is checked out, or by taking out an independent car rental insurance cover that will protect the policy holder whenever he or she drives a vehicle that they don't own.