Is auto insurance really necessary?

Since car insurance is so expensive, partiularly for young drivers, it’s natural that this question should come up frequently for first time car buyers.

You need insurance on your car to protect you from the risk of disasterous financial problems resulting from accidents,  personal injury and property damage, and loss by theft, fire, or natural disasters. It may seem pointless to spend so much money on something you may never need. But if you ever need it, you’ll be really happy you have it.

You might avoid insurance if you had enough money to cover such problems on your own.  This is called “self-insurance.” However, self-insurance is not legally sufficient in most states and is not practical for most people.

Understanding the basics of auto insurance 

You may go through your entire life and never have a car accident. But the odds are against you. Auto insurance protects you from potentially disasterous costs of such accidents. If you are buying your first car, you must understand how car insurance works and why you need it.

Laws in most states require that drivers have at least a minimum level of liability insurance – repeat, liability insurance – not collision or comprehensive, although lenders and lease companies may require full coverage, including liability, collision, and comprehensive.

Types of insurance
An auto insurance policy might include one or more of the following types of coverage:

Is Cheap Car Insurance Possible?

Auto insurance is one of those irritating expenses of car ownership that has no immediately obvious benefit. We pay and pay, and may never get anything in return. Teenage first car buyers are always a bit startled by the high cost of insurance.

Car insurance is one of the most expensive costs of owning and driving a car, especially for teenagers and other new drivers who can least afford it. 

In this article we’ll show you how and where to find the car insurance company for your first car that has the best rates and provides the best service.

How do I know how much car I can afford?

Assuming you’ll buy with a loan, you will want to have a monthly car payment that will fit within your current income, after considering all your other expenses. Don’t make the mistake of buying based on future expectations — a forthcoming raise, a new job, or other potential improvements in your finances. Your expectations might not come to reality and you’ll be stuck with a car you can’t afford. Base your purchase only on current, stable finances.