Does Car Insurance Pay for Broken Window?
A car insurance policy is a legal contract between the owner of the vehicle and the insurance company. The terms of that contract state that in exchange for your monthly payment, the insurer will provide you with certain protections should an unfortunate event occur involving your automobile.
Every possible scenario covered by your particular auto policy is complicated and unique depending on individual circumstances. Having said this, if someone is driving your car without your permission or if their actions cause damage to anything other than your own property, most standard policies cover the cost of repairs. Plus, these policies typically do not require any deductible to be paid by you before they will take action on your claim.
However, there are many factors involved when it comes to claiming damages from an accident under your car insurance policy.
If your car is stolen and subsequently involved in an accident, most standard policies will cover the cost of repairs. However, there are certain stipulations that must be met before you can file a claim for damages from theft. First of all, the vehicle must have been locked with a metal key or a device that has to be opened by a metal key in order to start its ignition. If thieves were able to gain access to your car without using any sort of tool at all -- such as entering through an unlocked door - then your insurance company doesn't have to reimburse you for damages resulting from the incident. In addition, if you do not own collision coverage on your or if it does not provide enough insurance on the vehicle to cover any damages from theft, your insurer is not obligated to help you pay for repairs.
Accidents Caused by a Driver Not on Your Policy
This type of claim has several stipulations that must be met before an insurance company is required to pay for damages resulting from an accident caused by a driver not insured under your policy. To begin with, the car in question must have been proven to be uninsured at the time of the incident. In addition, both you and any passengers involved in the accident were not driving with a suspended license or while intoxicated at the time of the event. Finally, if either you or anyone else involved in this type of situation had been engaged in criminal activity prior to being involved in the accident, you are not eligible to file a claim against your own insurer.
Accidents Caused by an Uninsured Driver on Your Policy
If another driver on your policy causes an accident with your vehicle, it is possible that they may be held liable for damages resulting from the incident. Regardless of whether or not that person's insurance coverage at the time of the event was enough to cover their share of culpability, you can likely recover compensation for things like medical bills and lost wages under your own car insurance policy. However, policies differ so if you feel this situation could apply to you, it would be best to contact your agent before making any assumptions about what will happen in terms of reimbursing you for damages caused by someone else on your policy.
Fire and Flood Damage
If your vehicle is damaged as the result of a fire or flood, you are not typically allowed to file a claim under your insurance policy - even if the event was caused by circumstances beyond your control. Most standard policies have what is referred to as "All-Perils" exclusions which exclude coverage for damage resulting from floods, earthquakes, vandalism, theft, hail damage, and many other events that would not typically be covered under any other type of car insurance policy.
As with every possible scenario involving car insurance claims, there are exceptions to each general rule that can affect whether or not someone will be reimbursed for their damages under particular circumstances. To find out more about how individual circumstances can affect the outcome of your car insurance claim, contact a local agent and talk to them about the specifics surrounding your case.
Lastly, make sure to check with your insurer before you make assumptions about how an accident involving an uninsured driver on your policy will affect the reimbursement process. There are many factors that can play into whether or not someone is covered under your car insurance policy and it is important to find out the exact details surrounding the situation at hand.
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