Glossary

Personal auto policy

The standard contract form behind most U.S. car insurance, with parts for liability, medical payments, uninsured motorists and damage to your car.

Also called: PAP, personal auto insurance policy, ISO personal auto policy

A personal auto policy is the contract that insures a privately owned car, pickup or van used mainly for personal driving. Many insurers base theirs on a standard form from ISO (Insurance Services Office), known as the PAP; others write their own forms with a similar structure, so the language in most U.S. policies is familiar from one company to the next.

The ISO form begins with definitions, such as who "you" and an "insured" are and what counts as a "covered auto," followed by six parts:

  • Part A: Liability coverage
  • Part B: Medical payments coverage
  • Part C: Uninsured motorists coverage
  • Part D: Coverage for damage to your auto (collision and "other than collision," usually called comprehensive)
  • Part E: Duties after an accident or loss
  • Part F: General provisions, such as the policy period, territory and cancellation

Your declarations page shows which parts you bought and at what limits. Endorsements add or change coverage, such as PIP in no-fault states, rental reimbursement or rideshare coverage, and each part has its own exclusions. A personal auto policy is not designed for vehicles used mainly in a business, which may need commercial auto insurance.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

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Related terms

Declarations page The summary page of an auto policy listing who and what is insured, the coverages, limits, deductibles, premium and policy period. Endorsement A written amendment to an insurance policy that adds, removes or changes coverage, such as rideshare use, rental coverage or OEM parts. Exclusion A provision in an insurance policy that removes specific people, vehicles, uses or causes of loss from coverage. Insured Any person a policy protects, including the named insured, household relatives and often permitted drivers, depending on the coverage. Liability coverage The part of a car insurance policy that pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others, plus your legal defense, up to your limits. Commercial auto insurance Insurance for vehicles used mainly for business, covering liability and physical damage risks that a personal auto policy excludes.

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Car insurance for delivery drivers Whether your personal policy covers food and package delivery, what DoorDash, Uber Eats and Amazon Flex insurance pays, and how to close the gaps. Insurance for Turo and peer-to-peer car sharing How insurance works when you rent out your car on Turo or rent someone else's, why personal policies usually exclude it, and the gaps hosts and guests face. Personal vs commercial auto insurance When a personal auto policy covers driving for work and when you need commercial auto insurance, with a comparison table and the middle-ground options. Pickup truck insurance: costs, towing, cargo and work use How pickups are rated, what a personal policy covers when you tow or haul, why tools and cargo need other coverage, and when work use needs commercial auto. Rideshare insurance for Uber and Lyft drivers What Uber and Lyft insurance covers in each period of a ride, where personal policies stop, and how rideshare endorsements fill the gaps. Limits vary by state.