Arizona · Personal injury · Trial-ready representation
A line-by-line guide to your auto insurance declarations page — what each coverage actually does, what the limits mean, and which lines matter most after a crash.
The “declarations page” — usually the first page or two of your auto policy — is the single most useful document on your insurance file. It tells you, in one place, exactly what your policy will and won’t do for you when something goes wrong. Most people have never read it carefully. After a crash is the worst time to start.
The short version
Bodily Injury (BI) Liability
Pays the people you injure if you cause a crash. Shown as two numbers — e.g. "100/300" means $100,000 per person, $300,000 per crash. Arizona's minimum is 25/50, which is rarely enough for a serious injury.
Property Damage (PD) Liability
Pays for damage you cause to other vehicles or property. Arizona minimum is $15,000.
Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
Pays you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough. Often the most important line on the page. Arizona allows you to reject UM/UIM in writing — many drivers have, often without realizing it.
Medical Payments (MedPay)
Pays your medical bills after a crash regardless of fault. Common limits are $1,000 to $10,000. Often disproportionately useful for the cost.
Collision
Pays to repair or replace your vehicle after a crash, subject to your deductible.
Comprehensive
Pays for non-collision damage — theft, vandalism, hail, fire, glass, animal strikes — subject to your deductible.
Rental Reimbursement
Pays for a rental car while yours is being repaired. Often a small daily limit and a maximum number of days.
Towing and Roadside
Pays for towing and basic roadside services.
"100/300/100"
$100,000 per person bodily injury, $300,000 per crash bodily injury, $100,000 per crash property damage.
"250/500"
$250,000 per person, $500,000 per crash. Property damage is shown separately.
"CSL 500"
Combined Single Limit — $500,000 total available per crash, allocated as needed across BI and PD.
"$5,000 MedPay"
Up to $5,000 per person for crash-related medical bills.
A common mistake: assuming you carry the same limits on UM/UIM that you carry on liability. They are separate lines, and many policies have far lower UM/UIM than liability. If your liability is 250/500 but your UM/UIM is 25/50, you’re protecting other drivers far better than you’re protecting yourself.
UM/UIM "rejected"
Some declarations pages show this as "rejected" or "not selected." That means you don't carry it at all. Most drivers should fix this immediately.
MedPay limit of $0 or $500
Many policies default MedPay to a token amount or zero. For a small premium you can typically get $5,000 or more.
Stacked vs. unstacked
Some Arizona policies allow stacking of UM/UIM across multiple vehicles, dramatically increasing available coverage. The declarations page may indicate which form you have.
Named driver exclusions
Some policies exclude specific drivers (often a young driver, or someone with a bad record). If they were driving when the crash happened, your coverage may not apply.
Business / commercial use exclusions
Personal auto policies typically exclude commercial use. Rideshare, food delivery, and contracting often require additional coverage.
Vehicle list
Verify every car you currently own is listed and that any car no longer owned is removed.
Pull the page today
Most carriers let you download it from the customer portal in under two minutes. Save a copy somewhere you can find it.
Compare UM/UIM to your liability
If they don't match, ask your agent why. The fix is usually inexpensive.
Add MedPay if you don't have it
Even $5,000 of MedPay covers most ER copays and follow-up visits with no out-of-pocket cost.
Consider a personal umbrella policy
For an extra $200–$400 a year, an umbrella policy can add $1 million or more on top of your underlying limits — and may include UM/UIM.
Review every year, especially after major life changes
New car, new driver in the household, kid going to college, retirement — every one is a reason to review the declarations.
When we open a new injury case, the very first document we request from the client is the declarations page — both for the at-fault driver (when we can get it) and for the client’s own policy. It tells us in one page what coverages are available, what limits we’re working with, and which strategies make sense. The sooner we have it, the sooner we can give you a real picture of how the case will unfold.
A short conversation with an attorney can save weeks of guesswork.
