Getting car insurance with coverage for your whole family is a great way to keep your loved ones safe – that is, of course, if they can be covered. Unfortunately, there are quite a few factors in a car insurer's book that could limit or exclude car insurance coverage for your family members in an accident. It's for that reason that it is important to study your policy to ensure that one of those exclusions won't cost you thousands of dollars if your family suffers the unexpected. Here's a look at some common exclusions that could prevent you from collecting on your policy when your family is involved in an accident, and what you can do to avoid issues.

First, read your policy thoroughly to examine what types of car insurance coverage you have, what drivers are covered and what your deductible is in every possible case. In particular, look at your liability coverage for passengers in your vehicle. Family drivers should have high coverage in these areas. The minimum mandated coverage by law varies from state to state, but tends to be very low – far under the hospital fees you could incur after a from a serious accident. Be aware of what your state requires.

Your car insurance plan will not necessarily cover a family member who drives your vehicle. While there are plans where drivers not known to the insurance company (for instance, a visiting relative) are covered, such coverage is not usually automatic to family members. They must be added to a policy individually. Once added, review each driver's car insurance coverage to make sure it's the same as yours. Go over the coverage with your family, so that everyone is familiar with the terms. Teens should especially be aware that insurance won't cover damages caused if they take their parents' car out for a joy ride without permission. In these situations, insurance companies will only pay out on claims if the parents report the car stolen and prosecute their teenager for the theft.

If you have any questions about your car insurance coverage after reviewing your policy, you should contact a representative at your insurance company as soon as possible to discuss them. You certainly don't want to be paying for a car insurance plan that isn't going to cover your family, so be sure that the policy meets your unique needs and doesn't include any excessive coverage.

In the end, you might end up paying more in premiums by covering your family, but it's well worth the money to make sure that everyone is taken care of in case of an accident. After all, isn't that what car insurance is for?