Respondents who took Insurance.com's auto policy knowledge survey only scored an average of 32 percent. The 10-question multiple-choice survey polled 500 drivers. Even when looking at respondents grouped by age, gender or region, no group scored higher than 39 percent.

How much do you know about auto insurance? Test your knowledge!

The results show motorists are likely making mistakes when purchasing policies, especially if they go through online services that cannot offer tailored guidance that an agent can provide.

The lowest scores showed that only 2 percent could correctly determine what comprehensive coverage pays for, only 7 percent knew typical discounts available to them and only 8 understood how insurance companies set rates. Industry terminology could be part of the problem. A word like “comprehensive” indicates an insured is covered for theft, fire, vandalism or hitting an animal while driving. However, it does not cover hitting another car.

Women scored the highest average—35 percent—while men answered an average of 27 percent of the survey questions correctly. Those who claimed to have read their policies cover-to-cover scored 28 percent, while those who reported never reading their policies received the highest average of 35 percent. Drivers rating themselves as having “excellent” auto insurance knowledge scored the lowest at 26 percent.

Promising statistics include:

• 71 percent know their insurance will kick in if a friend borrows a car and crashes it

• 69 percent know what personal injury of medical payment protection covers

• Just over half know what gap insurance covers if a car is totaled.

Experience also seems to matter: respondents ages 40 to 70 and older scored 39 percent, while those ages 18 to 29 scored 24 percent.

Special Reports /

IQ: Drivers Lacking Auto Insurance Basics

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