Optional Coverages

If you're trying to save money, here's the stuff you can cut:

Collision Coverage: Collision covers repairs to your auto after a collision with another object. The other object can be another vehicle, the surface of the ground (those potholes) or any object in or on the ground, like a guardrail. If your vehicle tips over, that's covered too.

The standard deductible is $500, or there is a $1,000 option, which is very popular and helps lower the cost of insurance. Check the savings at InsuranceHotline.com by choosing different deductibles and seeing what rate fits your budget best.

Comprehensive Coverage: Comprehensive pays for damage other than those covered by collision including:

Fire, theft or attempted theft, lightning, windstorm, hail, rising water, earthquake, explosion, riot or civil disturbance, falling or forced landing of an aircraft or parts of an aircraft, stranding, sinking, burning, derailment or collision of any kind of transport by which the auto is being carried on land or water, falling or flying objects (usually windshield damage here), missiles and vandalism.

The standard deductible is $500. Some policies still have a $300 deductible, but that’s being slowly phased out. Plus, there’s a $1,000 option that’s being used more and more for lowering the cost of insurance.