Insurance
What Does Collision Insurance Typically Cover?
You pay your insurance premiums like consitently but you may be left wondering what collision insurance covers. Collision insurance is an invaluable type of policy that covers damages to your vehicle (up to your policy limits and minus any deductible) if your car:
- Collides with another car or an object such as a guardrail, fence or tree
- Rolls over
- Is struck by a car driven by an uninsured driver (provided you don’t have uninsured motorist coverage)
- Sustains damage due to an obstruction in the road, such as a pothole
Fender Bender Example:
Your collision insurance coverage pays for all necessary repairs due to your fender colliding with another car or some type of object, regardless of whether you are at fault or the other driver is to blame. This type of policy even pays for repairs in single-car accidents where your car is the only vehicle involved.
What does collision insurance not cover?
Collision insurance doesn’t cover damage to your vehicle that’s unrelated to driving, including weather events such as hail or the theft of your automobile. Similarly, damage to someone else’s vehicle isn’t covered, and it doesn’t pay for medical bills. Collision insurance also doesn’t cover damages that result from hitting an animal such as a deer or dog with your car.
Do you need collision insurance?
From a legal standpoint, no state mandates the purchase of collision insurance, but your lender or leasing company likely requires it if you still owe money on your car. Still, even if you fully own your car, purchasing collision insurance is generally a smart move, especially if you don’t have the cash to replace your vehicle if it’s involved in an accident. Collision coverage can also provide a hedge against depleting your savings by being out the cost of repairs. Remember, if you have a serious accident — one where the car is no longer drivable or the cost of the repairs is more than the car’s value — and don’t have collision insurance, you may be out of pocket for repairs. However, not paying for collision insurance reduces the ongoing cost of your insurance policy.
Collision vs. comprehensive insurance
Many insurance companies sell collision and comprehensive coverage together, but some offer the coverages individually. When the pair are purchased on a single policy, this is referred to as “full coverage” insurance. Comprehensive covers most all types of damage, except for damage due to a collision, including damage related to weather events such as hail or wind.
Schedule repairs with Kramer
Filing a claim with your insurance carrier is the first step after a collision, once everyone involved is safely off the road and you've called the police, if necessary. Once you've filed your claim, call us at Kramer Body Shop. We are a trusted partner by most major insurance carriers and one that’s often pre-approved, which saves you the time and energy of getting multiple estimates.
Want to learn more about the Kramer repair process? We’ll walk you through from step one to your vehicle returned to you in pre-collision condition.