Your car can incur damage in several ways. Someone can vandalize or steal it. A flood, fire, windstorm, and other natural disasters can cause harm to your automobile. The most likely cause of loss to your car is a crash. Determining fault after the accident requires careful investigation. If you have Collision or Other Than Collision coverage on your policy, you can rely on your company to pay the claim unless, of course, you did something purposely to cause the loss.Collision
The part of Property Damage Coverage that will pay to fix or replace your car for damage caused by an impact or upset of your vehicle while you are behind the wheel is Collision coverage. This is an optional part of auto insurance, but may be required by a lender's loan contract. If you crash into a rock, fence, train, another car, or tree, your Collision coverage will pay for a bodyshop to assess the damage's value, and if it's less than the car's worth, order them to repair it. The repair shop may declare your vehicle a total loss and prepare it for shipment to the junkyard, where it will be sold for parts. You would then settle with your insurance company, minus a deductible. If you still owe money on the car, the insurance company will pay the settlement money first to the lender and then the balance to you if any remains. A balance owing on the load that is greater than the value of the totaled vehicle will require you to settle the difference directly with the lender.
Other Than Collision
Often referred to as Comprehensive coverage, this type of insurance pays for damage to your car caused by anything other than a collision. A tree falls on your truck caused by hurricane-force winds, flood waters rise from a nearby creek, submerging your automobile, or faulty wiring sparks a fire in the engine compartment would all be covered under Comprehensive. Vandalism and theft of your car would be covered as long as you had nothing to do with the act. Intentional acts, such as driving your vehicle purposely into a river and then claiming it was stolen, would not be covered.
Property Damage Liability
If you determine that the other party was at fault, their insurance can cover the damages from the first dollar, thereby avoiding payment of a deductible. In this case, you would never have to involve your insurance company in the claim. You could report the loss to your automobile directly to the at-fault party's insurer and claim the damage under the Property Damage Liability portion of their policy.
Uninsured Motorist Accident
If you have the optional Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage, and you find out the other at-fault driver has no insurance, then your policy will pay for the damage from that benefit. You might be subject to a deductible, which your company can reimburse if they are successful in recovering any money from the driver who hit you without insurance.
We’ll be happy to help answer any questions you may have along the way as you get your car fixed. The investigation and repair process has been taking longer than usual lately. We can help push things along.