Insurpedia Field GuidePlain-English · Life-Event Lessons

Beginner3 modules25 items~99 minFinal assessment

Car Insurance Course

Who it’s for: New drivers, and the parents or partners whose policies they join.

Work through the modules in any order. Each lesson, term, and scenario counts once you’ve actually read it, and the course is complete when everything is done and you pass the final assessment.

What you’ll be able to do

You can explain what your car policy covers, how a new driver is added or insured separately, and what to check after a crash, a move or a sale.

Key numbers

Module 17 items · ~31 min

Getting the car insured

What has to be in place when you buy, finance or first drive a car, and why a new driver's premium is higher.

  1. LessonBought a New Car? Is It Insured Before You Call Your Insurer?~3 min
  2. LessonFinancing a Car: What Insurance Your Lender Requires~3 min
  3. LessonWhat Is the Minimum Car Insurance in Each State?~10 min
  4. LessonLiability Only vs. Full Coverage Car Insurance: Which Do You Need?~4 min
  5. LessonWhy Does Auto Insurance Cost So Much More for a New Driver?~6 min
  6. TermCollision Coverage~2 min
  7. TermComprehensive Coverage~3 min

Module 25 items · ~20 min

Who's on the policy

Parents' policy or your own, students away at school, lending your car, rentals and delivery work.

  1. LessonShould a New Driver Be Added to a Parent's Policy or Get Their Own?~7 min
  2. LessonCollege Student Away at School: Do They Stay on Your Car Insurance?~3 min
  3. LessonIf You Lend Your Car to a Friend and They Crash, Whose Insurance Pays?~4 min
  4. LessonDo You Need the Rental Counter's Damage Waiver if You Have Car Insurance?~3 min
  5. LessonDoes Your Personal Car Insurance Cover Food Delivery or Ride-Hailing?~3 min

Module 313 items · ~48 min

Limits, accidents and changes

Reading liability limits, what happens after an at-fault crash, and what to do when you move, sell the car or drive across the border.

  1. LessonWhat Do Auto Liability Limits Like 30/60/25 Mean When Several People Are Hurt?~4 min
  2. LessonWhat Actually Happens If a New Driver Causes an Accident?~7 min
  3. LessonMoving to Another State: What to Do About Your Car Insurance~3 min
  4. LessonSelling Your Car: When to Cancel the Insurance~3 min
  5. LessonDriving Into Mexico: Does Your U.S. Car Insurance Cover You?~3 min
  6. TermBodily Injury~4 min
  7. TermUninsured Motorist Coverage~4 min
  8. TermNo-Fault Insurance~2 min
  9. TermSR-22~2 min
  10. ScenarioRear-Ended Another Driver~6 min
  11. ScenarioHit a Deer~5 min
  12. ScenarioHit By An Underinsured Driver~3 min
  13. ScenarioA Tree Fell On My Car~2 min

Final assessment

5 questions across the whole course. Score 70% or more, with every module item done, to complete the course. Retake it as often as you like: each retake gives you new versions of the questions you’ve seen, and getting those right raises your Insurance IQ.

Take the assessment →

Your insurance checklist

  • Find your bodily injury and property damage liability limits on your declarations page.
  • Compare your limits with your state's minimum, and with what you'd want to protect.
  • Check who is listed as a driver on each car's policy.
  • Ask your insurer how a new driver in the household changes your premium.
  • Keep your insurance card and your insurer's claim number in the car.

Questions to ask your insurer

  1. What are my bodily injury and property damage liability limits, and how do they compare with my state's minimum?
  2. Who in my household must be listed on the policy, or can be excluded?
  3. Does my loan or lease require collision and comprehensive, and is there a maximum deductible?
  4. How will adding a new driver change the premium, and which discounts apply?
  5. Does my policy cover me in Canada or Mexico?
  6. Am I covered when driving for a delivery or ride-hailing app?
  7. What should I do with the plates and the policy when I sell this car?

Where to go next

Educational information, not advice: This course is general education, not legal, financial, or insurance advice. Coverage depends on your policy’s wording, your insurer, and the laws of your state. Insurpedia does not sell insurance and does not recommend specific insurers.