What that auto insurance card in your wallet means...

Just about everyone with auto insurance has been through the drill: Do you want collision? Comprehensive? Personal injury protection? GAP coverage?

To help figure out what's what, we've prepared this guide. It includes a list of companies to check with to if you can't find coverage due to a poor driving record, for example. It also explains things like why car insurers are allowed to charge different rates based on age, say, or gender.

Perhaps most importantly, the guide includes a list of tips to reduce your cost.