Buying your first car? State Farm has car insurance coverage options for you
If you are a first-time car buyer, you will need to consider what type of insurance coverage to purchase to protect your new investment. State Farm car insurance for the first-time car buyer offers a wide range of policy options and costs.
State requirements
One of your first considerations will be to know what your state’s car insurance coverage requirements are. Nearly every state requires that drivers carry a mandatory minimum amount of liability coverage. This type of coverage typically covers the following costs:
- Bodily injury caused to another driver
- Property damage caused to another vehicle or personal property
The state minimum coverage amounts for liability range from as low as $10,000 for bodily injury to a single 
individual and $10,000 in property damage liability to $50,000 for each. You may want to have car insurance coverage beyond the state’s minimum requirements as liability does not cover expenses to repair damage done to your car in the event of an accident that is your fault
State Farm auto insurance for first-time car buyers offers the following types of additional coverage:
- Collision
- Comprehensive
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
- Uninsured/underinsured motorists protection
- Rental reimbursement
- Roadside assistance
- Medical payments coverage
As a first-time car buyer, you may not need or want all of these upgrades to your standard car insurance policy, but there are a few additional matters to consider when deciding:
PIP requirements – if you live in one of the “no fault” states as it relates to car insurance coverage, you may be required to carry PIP or medical payments insurance coverage in addition to your state’s required liability coverage policy.
Financing your car? – if you are financing the purchase of your first car, or if you are leasing yoru first car, your leasing agent/lender may require you to carry additional lines of coverage including uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage. You may also want to look into a GAP policy that would pay off the financing in the rare event you total your car in an accident and still have money owed on it.
Experienced driver? – while this may be the first car you’ve purchased, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you are an inexperienced driver. If you are, you may want to look into adding roadside assistance coverage or even rental car reimbursement coverage for the added peace of mind these options offer.
Costs
The cost of first-time car buyer insurance from State Farm depends on several factors. If you are under the age 
of 25 or have not carried car insurance before, your costs may be higher than those for other drivers. State Farm offers several discounts that may help you reduce your costs, including:
- Multiple line discount
- Good student discount
- Good driver discount
- Steer Clear® safe driver discount
- Defensive driving course discount
- Drive Safe & Save™ discount
You will also want to pay close attention to the deductible level you select when choosing an insurance policy as a first-time car buyer. The higher the deductible, the lower your monthly premium will generally be. A higher deductible also means you will be responsible for more out-of-pocket expenses in the event you do experience the need to file a claim on your car insurance policy. State Farm offers a range of deductible options for the first-time car buyer and you’re bound to find one that fits your needs and your budget.
Give it a test drive!
One final thing to consider when looking into car insurance coverage as a first-time car buyer is to take your State Farm car insurance policy for a “test ride”. State Farm offers a number of policy period options and you may want to select a shorter term (say 3-6 months) to see if the coverage package you put together achieves all you want it to. (If it does and you renew at the end of the short trial period, you may be eligible for an added discount.)
Becoming a first-time car buyer will likely make you a first-time buyer of car insurance as well. Having the advice and support of a seasoned professional will help and Reply! can be of service by connecting you to local insurance professionals eager to be of service.