Understanding your car insurance policy and the coverage that it provides can be your ticket to peace of mind and less worry when you are traveling. You need to sit down and find out what your insurance covers before you even sign up for it. Doing this will lead to less trouble and hassle when you are on the road and something happens.
People have some common questions regarding their car insurance, and most of these questions need not even be asked if only the owners took the time and the trouble to read the policies and coverage that they are getting or have. Here are some of the most common queries regarding car insurance today:
Question #1
Are tires covered under comprehensive car insurance? The answer to this question is yes and no. It all depends on the policy that you have, if its says specifically that it covers tires then you have no problem. Another thing that you need to think about when tire blowout occurs is whether any other damage was caused by it to your vehicle and that usually is covered. If your insurance does not discuss tire coverage then you are out of luck. But think of it this way. Tires are consumable items on the vehicle. They get used up over time so it usually doesn’t make sense for an insurance company to cover tires which will have to be replaced every 50,000 miles or so.
Question #2
What are the usual items covered with comprehensive insurance? The following are the usual things covered by comprehensive car insurance;
- Animal contact.
- Falling objects.
- Theft, and fire.
- Flooding, water, and hail.
- Vandalism or intentional damage.
- Civil unrest such as riots.
- Earthquake and other natural calamities.
This list is not exhaustive, some companies may provide coverage for things that are not listed here.
Question #3
Is collision automatically covered? Collision is usually an optional coverage with most companies. Collision with other cars, parked vehicles, and stationery objects would fall under this category.
The main thing that you have to remember is that comprehensive insurance does not mean that anything that will happen to your car will be covered. One of the first things that will not be covered by your insurance, even if it is a comprehensive one is damage caused by lack of care and maintenance for your vehicle.
Having comprehensive insurance does not mean that you can neglect the regular care of your vehicle. Another thing that will NOT be covered is damage that has been intentionally caused by the owner. Insurance companies check the claims thoroughly and at the first sign of fraud on a claim they will take action right away so better not try it, because it could mean a lot of trouble including criminal charges.
The normal wear and tear on vehicle parts and the vehicle itself will not be covered either. If someone breaks the window of your car with the intention of stealing property that is left inside the vehicle like a laptop, or other personal belongings that are not part of the vehicle, the damage to the window will be covered but your loss for the property will not be. You need some other type of insurance for that. Loss of personal property will usually not be covered by your auto insurance.
These are just some of the common questions that car owners you need to know the answers to about the insurance that they are going to get for their vehicle. Best practice is always to familiarize yourself with the car insurance policy you’re looking at getting and have any questions answered before you sign up for it.