Common (and uncommon) car insurance coverage
When it comes to auto insurance, people’s first concern is often: how much is that going to cost me? But then when you have a fender bender or their car is caught in a flood, the biggest question is: will my insurance cover that?
Today, we’re looking at a few likely and unlikely scenarios. Do you think the average full coverage policy (comprehensive + collision) would pay out claims for these unfortunate events?
Yes
Most comprehensive insurance policies do include coverage for falling objects. Like theft, vandalism and fires, falling objects are not your fault and usually impossible to prevent. That said, falling objects can be an exclusion in your policy, so you’ll need to talk to your insurance company to confirm.
No
Sorry, but while you could file a claim for the broken window, most comprehensive policies won’t cover the personal items within your car, even if owned by former presidents. If you have a home or renter’s policy, you can look to them to potentially cover some of the cost of stolen items.
No
You can’t file a claim for basic maintenance and repairs to your vehicle. Unlike health insurance, where the insurance company will pay for preventative care to keep you healthy, auto insurance is only designed to help in the event that an insurable loss has already occurred.
Yes
You can file a claim. Comprehensive policies do generally cover acts of vandalism, such as this display of "art."
We hope none of the above scenarios ever happen to you (except becoming a lumberjack, if that's your dream). But if they do, make sure you have auto insurance coverage and know exactly what your policy covers and excludes. If you have other claims questions and wonder if you something might be covered, check out our insurance claims calculator to input your scenario.