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Sunday, January 15, 2012

Facts About Comprehensive Auto Insurance Coverage

Facts About Comprehensive Auto Insurance Coverage

Comprehensive Auto Insurance Coverage: according to Webster, comprehensive means "of large scope;" as an adjective. In terms of naming this auto insurance coverage, this name does make some sense. Comprehensive coverage is a first party coverage, meaning for you the insured, and covers damage to your vehicle that your collision coverage doesn't cover.As a refresher, collision coverage takes care of damages to your vehicle (less your deductible) when you collide with another vehicle or object, like a tree or a fence. There are, however, other ways in which your can be damaged. Things like water damage, theft of your stereo system or hail damage would all be covered losses under your comprehensive coverage.There are times when the difference between collision coverage and comprehensive coverage can be a bit blurred though.One such example would be if a deer struck your vehicle while you were driving. The reason for this is that most insurance policies will treat the collision between your vehicle and an animal as a comprehensive loss vs. a collision loss. Your insurance adjuster will, however, inspect your vehicle to confirm the damages to your vehicle are consistent with hitting an animal and that is for 2 main reasons: liability and deductible.

In terms of liability: if a deer ran into the side of your vehicle and you didn't have what is known as a "last clear chance" to avoid the deer, you wouldn't be found at fault for the accident and;
In terms of deductible: although it is typical to have the same collision and comprehensive deductibles, you can have a lower deductible for either. So, assuming your comprehensive deductible is $250 and your collision deductible is $500, your insurance adjuster will inspect your vehicle damages to confirm it is consistent with colliding with a deer. If it is, your lower comprehensive deductible would apply.
In summary, here are a few quick facts about comprehensive auto insurance coverage:

Intended to cover damage to your vehicle that are not covered under your collision coverage
Can carry a different deductible than your collision coverage, it's up to you to choose.
Typically covers events such as hail damage, water damage, vandalism, fire, theft or striking an animal.
Typically a comprehensive claim will not be considered an "at fault" loss.
As always, we strongly urge you to review your policy and coverage with your insurance company as all insurance companies vary in terms of policy interpretation and how they treat or cover certain losses or claims.And, as always, it is a good idea to Comprehensive Auto Insurance Coverage periodically to be sure you are getting the best deal.           

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