When you invest in a motor vehicle insurance policy, your coverage protects you wherever you drive. When you go on vacation, whether you head to the Midwest to hit up some roller coasters or you travel south to visit the beach, the chances are good that you will drive at least some of the time that you are on vacation.

Most tourists find that bringing their own vehicles or arranging for rental cars gives the most control over where they can go and can also keep their costs lower than what they might be when relying on taxis or rideshare services.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of risks that come with driving in unfamiliar areas, not the least of which is the possibility that you could experience a crash while on vacation. What will that collision mean for your New York car insurance?

Were you at fault or not?

The most important consideration when determining if the collision will impact your car insurance is whether or not you are at fault for the crash. Drivers in New York typically carry a combination of liability coverage and no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) coverage.

Depending on where you are when you experience the crash caused by another driver, the chances are good that you can make a claim almost exclusively against their policy. If no one gets hurt and you just need to cover the cost of damage to your vehicle or a rental car, the policy of the at-fault driver will typically cover those costs.

When it comes to personal injury expenses, like a hospital bill from and out of network facility, you may need to make a claim against your own PIP coverage to the bodily injury coverage available from the other driver.

However, PIP coverage is typically only useful if the crash occurs in one of the few states that use no-fault insurance. You can count on your PIP coverage if the wreck occurs in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Kansas, Florida, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Minnesota, North Dakota or Kentucky.

If the other driver is uninsured, you may need to make a claim against your uninsured motorist protection. Such claims will often increase what you pay for your coverage, even if it is clear you were not at fault. Understanding the financial implications of a car crash while on vacation can help you make the right moves to protect yourself after the wreck.