Part 2 UM and UIM coverage is not mandatory in Pennsylvania. It is optional. That means when you are sold an insurance policy in Pennsylvania unless you ask for this coverage, you won't be able to get it. The insurance company or the agent will simply have you sign a form stating that you "waived" the coverage. Don’t waive UM or UIM coverage. And make sure you complete the form and sign off for UM and UIM coverage.The same is true with full tort coverage. Unless you know to ask for that coverage the agent or the insurance company probably won't offer to sell you that coverage. Instead, they will have you sign a form saying that you "waive" fulltort coverage, and instead they will have you sign off on and purchase limited tort coverage. You don't want limited tort coverage. You want full tort coverage.There are other coverages that are also available when you purchase an insurance policy in Pennsylvania. None of them are as important as the ones that we just discussed. However, you should also be aware that under Pennsylvania law, your auto insurance policy covers medical expenses for you or your family members who are injured in a car accident. The minimal amount of medical coverage is $5,000, but you can also purchase higher amounts. It is always a good idea to purchase additionalamounts of medical coverage, but you should also keep in mind if you have health insurance benefits your health insurance benefits will come into play in the event your $5,000 in medical coverage is "exhausted" or paid out. Medical benefit coverage is mandatory in Pennsylvania, meaning the insurance company must sell you at least $5,000 in medical benefits.Income loss benefits provides coverage for lost wages in the event you miss time from work following an accident. This is an optional coverage. The insurance company does not have to sell it to you. Again, you have to know to ask for this coverage. Pennsylvania law permits reimbursement of 80% ofyour gross income, typically up to $5,000 in income loss benefits. You can purchase higher amounts if you ask the insurance company or the insurance agent to sell you higher amounts of income loss benefits.Collision coverage and comprehensive coverage are also optional. Collision coverage allows you to be reimbursed the "book’ value of your car if damaged in an accident. Comprehensive coverage is the insurance benefit on your policy that allowed you to be paid for the value of your car if it is stolen. Both of these coverages carry deductibles, meaning that if you have a $500 deductible and the "book" value of your vehicle is $1,000 your insurancecompany will pay you $500. Raising the deductible on your collision and comprehensive coverage will lower your premium.Rental coverage is also optional. Typically your insurance company will sell you rental coverage at something like $25 per day. What they don't tell you is that if your car is in the shop for repairs for more than approximately 30 days they won't pay you for the additional days that you are using a rental car. For this reasonFeature Articles, we advise all of our clients to do their very best to limit the use of a rental car following a car accident.