Personal Automobile Policy
The four parts
The PAP has Part A liability, Part B medical payments, Part C uninsured/underinsured motorists, and Part D damage to your auto (collision and other than collision). Definitions drive everything: insured includes the named insured and family members for the owned auto, plus anyone using the covered auto with permission; covered auto includes newly acquired autos, trailers, and temporary substitute autos.
Part A
Pays damages the insured is legally liable for, plus defense. Exclusions to know: intentional damage, use as a public or livery conveyance, racing, use without reasonable belief of permission, vehicles furnished for regular use, and damage to property owned by or in the care of the insured. Business use is limited, and the delivery-use exclusion is heavily tested.
Parts B and C
Medical payments pays reasonable medical expenses regardless of fault, subject to a per-person limit and a time window. UM/UIM responds when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little; UIM may be written as difference-in-limits or excess.
Part D
Collision covers impact with another object; other than collision covers theft, fire, hail, flood, vandalism, and glass. Deductibles apply per loss. Betterment, depreciation, and total loss valuation are frequent topics.
Traps
The policy territory is the US, its territories and possessions, and Canada. Newly acquired autos have automatic coverage for a short window (often 14 days, shorter for collision) when the insured has other coverage. Liability never pays for the insured's own injuries or the insured's own auto.
Rule of thumb: if the vehicle is being used to earn money, look hard for a business-use exclusion.