The minimum auto liability coverage required by states aren't adequate for everybody; they may not offer you adequate protection depending on your circumstances. The higher your risk of facing a liability claim or lawsuit, the more coverage you should buy. Here are three examples of motorists who may benefit from increased liability coverage:

Those Who Drive in Car Pools

If you regularly carpool to work or school, you seriously need to evaluate if your liability coverage is adequate. This is because you will regularly be having multiple passengers in your car. In the case of an accident, your passengers will sue you for damages, and it is your liability portion of insurance that will pay for the damages.

Consider an example where your liability coverage limit for multiple injuries is $50,000. This limit would be seriously inadequate if you suffer a car crash while having three other people in your car, and all of them suffer serious injuries.

Those Who Have Teens in Their Families

Teens cause more car accidents than adults if you take into account the percentage of the population they represent. There are various explanations for this; for example, they are inexperienced drivers and are easily distracted by their friends (don't forget they love to drive in groups). This means a household with a teen driver is more likely to face a liability lawsuit than households without teen drivers. The best way to protect yourself from that increased risk is to boost your liability coverage limit.

Those Who Have Multiple Drivers On Their Policies

Lastly, car owners who list many drivers on their policy should also think about exceeding the minimum liability requirements. This is especially true if you have multiple drivers with multiple cars. The more drivers you have on your policy, the higher the risk that you will face a liability claim sometime in the near future.

Don't forget that these drivers may also have riskier driving histories from yours, and they may not be as careful as you behind the wheel. Shield yourself from possible lawsuits by boosting your liability coverage so that all the drivers in the policy are adequately covered.

It's clear that you shouldn't automatically buy the minimum coverage mandated by your state's department of insurance. Each motorist should consider their unique situations before deciding on the coverage limit. Your car insurance agent can help you analyze your situation and determine whether and how much you should boost your liability coverage.

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