I was driving on the highway at night in a construction zone. Car in front of me and in back. Truck on my right side and cement wall on my left. Without warning, there was an object in the middle of the road. Not sure what it was though I could see the color and dimensions. It causes noticeable damage to my car. Is this covered under collision or comprehensive coverage? I want to get my ducks in a row before going to my insurance company. Thanks!
As far as I know, this would be covered under the comprehensive part of your policy. For clarity, my insurance company now refers to this coverage as “Other than collision”.
I would be very disappointed with any insurance company I felt I had to present a case to or get my ducks in a row. It is there job to do all that. Frankly I have been impressed with my insurance company. I feel very comfortable calling them, telling them what happened and let them worry about the rest.
My son had a similar problem about 7 years ago–hit some sort of tool left in road at a construction site by the highway department. The tool knocked a hole in the oil pan and the transmission pan. He stopped right away and shut everything off. He had both comprehensive and $500 deductible collision. The insurance company claimed it fell under the collision coverage. The repair bill was about $515, so he just paid it all. I would have argued that it should be considered under the comprehensive, but my son isn’t the type to argue a case.
I don’t really see how this would be any different than hitting a telephone pole or a guard rail or something. You collided with something-- therefore it’s a collision.
However, I agree with Joe that this is not something you need to be worrying about yourself. If you’ve got both coverages, let the insurance people decide what they want to call it.
Was It Breathing? (At least at one time)
I’m insured by a major insurer. Their website says collision covers damage caused by a vehicle roll-over, collision with another vehicle, and collision with an object.
Comprehensive covers damage caused by fire, wind, flood, hail, theft, vandalism, and hitting an animal.
I’m certainly not an authority. I would definitely check to be sure, but it sounds to me like, unless that object was an animal, you have been involved in a collision.
I have experience writing auto/home insurance IT applications and their business processes. I am pretty sure this falls under collision.
Thanks for the feedback. I have comp ($100 deductible) and collision ($500 deductible). I have had good experiences with my insurance company and I also feel it helpful to have some knowledge going into my conversations with them, especially when I am unsure about the claim I am filing. Any additional input would be appreciated.
Insurance Cyberspace
Have you tried going to your insurance company’s website to see what info they offer? I don’t think your company’s insurance will be any different in defining a collision as I reported above, but have a look. They are trying to minimize costs. Sometimes they have FAQ.
Your very FIRST action should have been to call your insurance agent. It’s all relative to you and your coverage, a question we can’t answer here. This is the biggest reason I won’t buy insurance from one of the online or mail order places who have no one ( human ) in my town to speak to. Just how much are you really saving if you can’t function with them like this.
Explain the accident and they will dictate the coverage that applies and setup your claim appropriately, it really is not complicated.
THIS IS COMP. NOT COLLISION!
I want to get my ducks in a row before going to my insurance company.
Thats a good idea because some ins. comp. are real chiseleres and will take advantage of those not knowing. But, there a plenty of good ins. comp. that really want to do the right thing.
I am a former independant insurance appraiser with more than 6,000 assignments completed. I have dealt with a couple hundred different ins. comp.
With that said, it was always explained to me that anything that belongs to or is part of the road, as in, telephone pole, mile marker, parking curb or even a pot hole, is collision.
Anything that does not belong in the road or is not part of the road, as in, animal, tree branch, boulders, tools, is comprehensive.
I remember in particular an assignment I received that is an outstanding example of comprehensive. A person was on the interstate here in the midwest in the dark hours of the morning. After rounding a curve there was a Caterpillar diesel engine laying in the road that had fallen off a flatbed. Needless to say it totaled the Mitsubishi Eclipse after hitting it. That is a great example of comp.
Hope this helps!
was it something from the construction company if so it would be there fault not yours ask the insurance company about that just a thought