Buying Comprehensive Auto Insurance in Michigan: Avoiding Fines and Other Expenses

In Michigan, it is mandatory for all drivers to have no fault auto insurance at a minimum. But, for many reasons, that may not be enough coverage for your vehicle. Remember, there are a lot of drivers in the state of Michigan, but what’s more, there are a number of road hazards that you might encounter as well. Michigan also has an infamously unpredictable weather pattern to consider.

The Penalties for Not Having Proper Insurance Coverage in Michigan

Having insurance protects you in the event of more than an auto accident. In the state of Michigan, failure to have at least the minimum insurance in place can result in the following penalties:

You can be convicted of a misdemeanor crime.
You can be fined between $200-500.
You can be sent to jail for one year.
You can be sentenced to both of these.
Your license can be suspended for 30 days.
You can be sued for any damages in an accident.
You will be held liable for any expenses incurred during an accident, including the cost of towing your own vehicle and its repairs.

Comprehensive Auto Insurance in Michigan: The Benefits

Michigan is the home of the most comprehensive auto insurance in the entire country. Some of the benefits that you get when choosing comprehensive coverage in the Great Lakes State include:

Unlimited medical and rehab benefits
Lost wage benefits
Replacement services that total $20 per day for as long as three years if you are injured during an accident regardless of fault

Comprehensive insurance is a voluntary type of coverage that covers accidents related to deer crashes, car thefts, weather related damage and vandalism.

The Threat of Deer on Michigan’s Roads

In Michigan, there are a number of deer versus auto accidents every year. For the year 2010:

There were more than 55,000 car versus deer crashes.
Eleven people died in those crashes.
The majority (80%) happened on two lane roads, between the hours of dusk and dawn.
Deer related accidents in Michigan cost the insurance industry more than $130 million every year.
The cost of the damage to the average vehicle is just more than $2,000.
Most damage occurs to the front of the vehicle.

Comprehensive Insurance Protects against Auto Theft

While auto thefts in the state of Michigan have gone down in recent years, they still remain a threat. Minimal insurance coverage does not cover the cost of replacing your car if it is stolen nor does it protect you if there are damages to your vehicle, even if someone else is driving it. Some interesting facts about auto thefts in Michigan:

Of the top 12 vehicles stolen in the state, eight are Dodge models.

Of the eight Dodges on that list, the majority are the Dodge Caravan. The 2000 and 1999 Dodge Caravan are numbers one and two on that list.

There is an interesting pattern about car thefts in the state. Here are the color of car, the month and the day of the week that is most dangerous for your car:

A black car is most likely to be stolen on a Monday in July
A white car on a Tuesday in August
A blue car on a Wednesday in June
A red car on a Thursday in October
A silver car on a Friday in April
A green car on a Saturday in May
A gray car on a Sunday in March

Comprehensive Coverage Auto Insurance: Going Beyond the Car Crash

If you ask a person to list ten ways that a car could be damaged, many of them would not be covered by certain types of insurance policies because they were not the result of a “collision”. In the world of the insurance industry, the term collision means that- two or more vehicles have collided with one another. But, in the course of driving from Point A to Point B, there are dozens of other things that can happen to your vehicle. Damages can happen even when you are not driving, as well.

Consider these things that can happen to your car, all of which may not be covered by your current auto insurance:

Theft
Vandalism
Fire
Stones or other foreign objects can fly up from the road and damage your vehicle
Animals, including deer or others, can crash into your car
Glass breakage

Unless your policy specifically lists comprehensive coverage auto insurance, none of these are likely to be covered losses. Even if your insurance is comprehensive, you will still have a number of restrictions to consider.

Why Comprehensive Coverage Auto Insurance Matters with a Theft

Some states are more prone to car theft than others. Some cars are more likely to be stolen than others. Even if you think that your car is a “safe” one, it is possible that it will be stolen. Comprehensive insurance:

Covers the vehicle even if it is never recovered. You must file a police report. There may be a waiting period before you can file a loss claim on the vehicle. Each insurance company determines how this is handled.
May protect you in the event of damage caused by the criminal who has stolen your car to some degree. This can include liability while the car is being driven away. If the thief crashes into a fence in the course of eluding the police, you could still be held liable for those damages.
Will pay the market value on a stolen vehicle that is not recovered toward the balance on the loan. There are some restrictions to this policy, and it should be explored with an agent. This may also be denied as a claim by the insurance company.

Of course, trying to minimize the risk is important too. To avoid having your car stolen:

Only park in well lit, public lots.
Never leave your keys in your car. Statistically speaking, a large number of cars are stolen from the driveway with the keys in them.
Do not leave items in plain view in your car.
Avoid high crime areas whenever possible.

Why Comprehensive Insurance Matters with Vandalism or Fire

Because vandalism does not occur in the course of a collision, it is only covered by a comprehensive policy. In addition:

Fire may or may not occur in the course of a collision- in the event that the fire was caused by a malfunction while the car is in your driveway or other location, you would only be covered by this policy.
Vandalism may be minor damages, or it may be much more serious. In some cases, vandalism can cause a total loss. A slashed tire may or may not be covered by the insurance policy.
Vandalism can include other things such as egg or other substance smeared on the paint, scratches or other damage.
It can also include more serious things such as sugar in the gas tank or other means of destroying the vehicle. Depending on the value of the car, this could result in a total loss or a very expensive motor replacement.

Animals, Especially Deer, Make Comprehensive Auto Coverage Very Important

Do you know how dangerous the common white tailed deer can be to you as a driver? Consider these facts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

Every year, more than 1.5 million car vs. deer crashes happen in the United States.
Those crashes cause an estimated one billion dollars in vehicle damages.
One hundred and fifty people (or more) die due to deer vs. car crashes.
In addition, 10,000 people are injured in those crashes.
Pennsylvania is the top state for deer crashes. Others in the top five include Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Georgia.

To avoid deer collisions:

Minimize travel during heavy deer traffic times: early morning and early evening as they move to their feeding or bedding areas.
Deer are more mobile during the start and ending dates of their mating season.
Deer hunting seasons also cause more deer traffic on the roads.
Deer are unpredictable. If you see one on the roadside, it is likely that it will dart onto the road at any moment. Always assume that if you see one deer, there are more behind it. Deer also will turn back around once they have made it across the road.

Comprehensive Auto Insurance Coverage and Glass Breakage

Collision insurance will possibly pay for your windshield in the event of damage during an accident, but not necessarily. Glass breakage is often excluded in most policies. The cost of a new windshield can be high. It is not always the windshield that breaks, and a car wreck is not the only thing that can cause breakage. Comprehensive insurance:

Covers any glass that is broken in the car, including side windows.
Covers for damages as a result of birds, stones or other items.
Covers the cost of window repairs or replacements because of damage caused by a hail storm or other types of weather related incidents.
Covers damage caused by falling tree limbs.

A Special Consideration: Does Comprehensive Auto Insurance Cover Flood Damage?

Flooding occurs every year and causes millions of dollars in damages. In some states, insurance companies limit the amount of insurance coverage related to flooding. In other states, flood insurance must be bought separately. Unless it specifically excludes flood damage, most comprehensive policies will cover the cost of damages or loss caused by flooding, even in the so called high risk flooding areas. To be safe, always make sure that you ask if you are covered for flooding with your current policy.

Comprehensive Auto Quotes: Do You Need More Coverage?

If you do not think that you need additional insurance coverage on your vehicle, ask yourself this: how many hail storms have you endured in the past year? How many deer have you seen on the roadways on your way to and from work or school? Did you see the construction on the big building that you drive by every day? What would happen if a piece of one of those bricks bounced out of those trucks and hit you right in the windshield? Would your current insurance policy cover that damage? If you only have liability or collision on your car, the answer is most likely no, it would not.

Why Comprehensive Auto Quotes Are Important to You

You cannot count on an accident always being the cause of damage to your vehicle. When other events occur, your collision policy will not cover you at all. There are many things that can happen. Consider these facts:

As much as one million dollars worth of damage is caused by collisions with both domestic and wild animals each year. Hitting a deer is not the same as hitting another car and is not covered by collision only policies.
Two percent of all crashes involving deer are fatal to humans.
There is a deer related crash every eight minutes in the state of Michigan.
More than 750,000 deer die every year on the roads in the state of New York.
Deer crashes make up six percent of all accidents in the state of Colorado; however there are some remote areas where the number is as high as 25 percent.
Drivers in the 15-24 age group are at the highest risk of being involved with a wildlife crash.
One half of all of the wildlife vs. vehicle crashes happen when the driver swerves to avoid hitting the animal.

Weather Related Facts:

Hail has caused nearly three billion dollars worth of damage to vehicles alone in one decade in the state of Colorado.
Fire, flood and weather related losses resulted in more than $35 billion dollars of expense in 2011.
The wildfires in Texas are expected to cause at least $250 million dollars in damages.

More Proof That You Should Be Getting Your Own Comprehensive Auto Insurance Quotes

On a listing of the top ten insurance claims, half of them are only covered by comprehensive insurance. Of the rest, two are covered by collision and the others are dependent on the type of coverage and the company that is providing it. Here are the five types of incidents that you would need comprehensive insurance to file a claim for:

Weather related damage including hail, rain, snow, ice or excessive sun. Being blinded by the sun, especially in the early morning hours, can cause people to veer off the road and into a ditch or into a pole.
Bad roads. Icy and wet roads are slippery roads. Some roads are subject to such serious weather fluctuations that they become very badly damaged and may develop giant potholes that can account for thousands of dollars worth of repairs for the driver.
Cracked windshields. With collision only coverage, glass breakage is typically excluded. With comprehensive, the cost of your cracked windshield can be covered. Once a crack is over a certain size, it is a fineable offense, which can become even more expensive than repairing or replacing it.
Theft and vandalism. If someone steals your car or keys the side of it while you are in the grocery store, comprehensive insurance will cover the costs.
Deer. You have already seen how dangerous deer and other wildlife can be.

Before Buying a Policy:

Before making any final decisions on your insurance policy, it is important that you consider the quotes that you have received:

Get at least two good quotes to compare coverage, prices and service.
Consider all of the ways that you can bring the cost of your insurance down without giving up the coverage that you need and want.
Discuss possible discounts.
Decide how you want to deal with the insurance company (by phone, in person or online) as well as how you want your billing information to arrive. Most companies give discounts for using email billing and other online services because it is cheaper and easier for them as well.
Ask about loyalty discounts with your current provider. Don’t be afraid to let them know that you are shopping or comprehensive auto insurance quotes.

Comprehensive Car Insurance is Not Always Required, but Good to Have

If you are looking for general auto insurance that will cover you in most events, then you should check out what comprehensive car insurance can offer. This is not coverage that you are required to have in most states, but it is good to have, and in some cases, if you have a loan for your vehicle, your lender may require you to have this type of insurance. When you have comprehensive coverage, you will be covered for a variety of things that may have been left out of your regular auto insurance policy.

Accidents Happen…Be Prepared!

No matter how good a driver you are, or how careful you are, accidents do happen. That’s why they are called accidents, because you don’t plan for them to happen. Having enough insurance coverage will protect you from most of the expenses that can arise following an accident, as well as damages from many other things. For example, if your vehicle is damaged by something other than an accident, such as fire or vandalism, you will be covered. Other situations that are covered include hitting animals (this is excellent coverage to have if you live in a rural area, because you never know when you could hit a deer or a moose), theft, severe weather, and even items such as tree branches falling onto your car and causing damages.

When Should You NOT Have Comprehensive Insurance?

Vehicle owners do not always need to have this type of insurance coverage. For instance, if you drive an older model vehicle that is not in the best of shape, you probably won’t want to bother having additional coverage for it. After all, the premiums and deductibles may cost more than the vehicle is actually worth in the first place, and the cost just isn’t worth it.

Who Should Have Comprehensive Insurance?

If you have a newer model vehicle, you will want to have as much insurance as you can afford in order to make sure that it is protected no matter what. Of course, this is just one reason why one should have this type of insurance coverage. Other reasons include:

If you collect vehicles and want to make sure that they are safe at all times, even while being stored or transported. The cost of the premiums is a lot less than what it would cost to replace a collectible vehicle.
If you want to make sure that you have as much coverage as possible so you don’t have a lot of out-of-pocket expenses following an accident you are at fault in.

Will You Have to Pay a Deductible?

The simple answer to this question is “yes”. Your deductible is the amount that you pay yourself for any damages resulting from an accident where you are at fault before the insurance company pays anything. As a rule, you choose the amount you wish to pay for a deductible. There are a couple of ways to look at it when you are trying to decide on an amount. You can choose to pay a higher deductible and have lower premiums, or pay higher premiums so your deductible will be lower. Normally, deductibles for this type of insurance policy range around $500.

What are the Benefits of Comprehensive Insurance?

If you are in an accident and your vehicle is totaled, it could cost a lot of money to replace it. If you have the right coverage, you will be glad that you paid the premiums, because they will have cost you a lot less than it would to get a brand new vehicle. This is just one of the many benefits to having comprehensive car insurance, and it is especially good to have if you have a newer model vehicle that cost a lot of money. One of the great things about this is that if you are at fault in an accident, your own damages will be taken care of, and your only expense is going to be the deductible. There may be many other benefits, including payments for rental cars if they are needed following an accident. This is something you will have to ask your insurer about.

Are there Any Downsides?

There may be occasions where not all expenses are going to be covered by your comprehensive insurance. It is important that you discuss every aspect of your policy with your insurer, to make sure that you understand everything. If you do not do this, you could be in for quite a shock if you ever end up needing to make a claim, and you find out that some of your bigger expenses are not covered. For instance, you can only claim collision coverage if you hit an animal. Your insurance will not pay for any damage caused to others if you are at fault in an accident, and you will need to have additional coverage to make sure that medical expenses will be covered. You are covered in most cases, but it is best to know in advance what is not covered.

Shop Around to Get the Best Rates

You can call a dozen different insurers, and get a dozen different rates for comprehensive car insurance. This is why it is necessary to get quotes from as many insurers as possible. Of course, it is best to try to stick with insurers in your area, unless you go with one of the national insurers that can be contacted at any time of the day or night via a toll-free number.

Getting quotes for insurance is easy. You can either call the insurers in your area, or if you have the time, visit each one. Of course, you can save a lot of time and energy by letting us do all of the legwork for you. Just let us know what you require for coverage, and we will use your zip code to get you the best rates from insurers where you live.

What is Comprehensive General Liability Insurance?

If you have a vehicle, you need to have insurance coverage. Now, the problem is choosing the type of coverage you need. You may be confused when it comes to the many different types of auto insurance that are available, and not be quite sure what will be best for you. Of course, you can talk to insurance agents about this, but they are going to try to sell you products that you may not want or need. The best thing to do is research and find out as much about the various types of coverage, including comprehensive general liability insurance. Then, you will be able to choose exactly what you need, and you will have a good idea of how much you should be paying.

Comprehensive Insurance Explained

Comprehensive general liability insurance is coverage that is often used by businesses. This type of insurance helps to protect them in the event that they have financial issues, including bankruptcy. These issues need to be a result of claims made against the business that are the fault of the business, including personal injury and property damage. For instance, if an employee were driving a company vehicle and was at fault in an accident, comprehensive insurance would cover them. This type of coverage is much like regular auto liability insurance. Claims are only paid after deductibles are, and the insurance company then pays the expenses that are covered by the policy.

Comprehensive general liability insurance is one of two products that are generally available for businesses. Professional liability coverage is the other option, and this is usually used by those who need to use a vehicle while providing their services.

This type of coverage provides protection if there is an accident where there are bodily injury or property damage claims. This is when it is time to look into an umbrella/comprehensive general liability combination.

Why is this Coverage Good for Businesses?

Depending on the size of a business, if someone driving a company vehicle does have an accident it could mean financial ruin for that business. Having this type of coverage protects businesses from this, and in many cases prevents business owners from filing for bankruptcy. Small business owners can really benefit from comprehensive general liability insurance if there are vehicles that more than one person drives for company purposes. The only big problem here is the fact that the premiums are often quite high, and so are the deductibles, which can be a hindrance for small business owners. This is one of the most-used types of insurance coverage by business owners.

What is Covered?

If you choose to have this type of insurance, you will be covered for such things as property damage and bodily injury if the damages occur while you are using the vehicle in a business capacity. Remember, bodily injury is not actually a part of this type of coverage, but there are provisions for certain medical claims.

What Does it Cost?

How much you pay for comprehensive general liability insurance really depends on the type of business you operate. For instance, if there are aspects of your business that could cause any damages, you may have higher rates than other businesses. Small business owners may not have a lot of extra money, but it is important to make sure that you have all of the coverage you need, or it could cost a lot more later on down the road.

Not All Insurers are the Same

It is important to remember that not all insurance companies offer the same products at the same prices. This is why you really do need to shop around for quotes. If you are a small business owner and need this type of coverage for your company vehicles, you need to make sure you are getting the best prices. After all, in most cases, small businesses are not rich, and owners need to cut back on expenses any way possible. Make sure that you take the time to get quotes from many insurers in your area.

If you want to save time, you can get us to get your quotes for you. We use your zip code to make sure that all quotes are from insurers near you, and we never ask for any other personal information. You simply need to let us know what you need for coverage so we can make sure that you get the best quotes available. Go online today to get your free comprehensive general liability insurance quotes.

Auto Comprehensive Insurance Explained

We all know that we need to have insurance coverage if we want to drive, but we don’t always understand everything about our policies, especially when it comes to auto comprehensive insurance. Liability and collision coverage take care of expenses if you are involved in an accident. Comprehensive coverage will pay for expenses that arise from incidents that are not accident related. For example, if a tree were to fall on your vehicle (this is referred to as an “act of God”), this insurance will take care of the repairs or replacement.

What Does It Cover?

Many things can happen that cause damage to our vehicles, and we don’t even have to be anywhere near them. This is why we need to have auto comprehensive insurance. Some of the reasons why a person might make a claim include:

The vehicle was stolen.
The vehicle was vandalized.
Severe weather damaged or destroyed the vehicle.
The vehicle was severely damaged by fire.

Not all policies are the same, and the amount of coverage you have is up to you. In some cases there are things that are not covered, but claims are paid in most situations. You can’t make a claim on auto comprehensive insurance if you are in an accident.

How Does It Work?

When you purchase your policy, you will decide on a deductible. This amount will automatically be taken off the top when you make a claim against your insurance. For instance, if your vehicle is stolen, once the insurer decides on the replacement value they will pay that amount, less the deductible. The amount paid will be the fair market value of your vehicle at the time of the claim minus the deductible. Because this could end up being less than what it will cost to get a new vehicle, you may also want to have GAP coverage to pay the rest.

You have a couple of options when it comes to choosing the amount you are going to pay for a deductible. You can either have a high one and a low monthly premium, or you can lower the amount and pay a bit more each month. Just remember, the higher the deductible, the less you will get if you have to file a claim.

How to Get the Best Rates

Getting the best rates for insurance coverage means taking a good hard look at what many different insurers have to offer. You shop around for any big-ticket item, and it should be the same when it comes to buying auto insurance. In this case, shopping around means getting quotes from insurance companies and then choosing the one that has the best rates for the products you want. We can help you get quotes from many different insurers in your area. Using your zip code and the information you provide about your insurance needs, we will find insurers that have the best rates. Then, you can study each one, and make the right decision about your auto comprehensive insurance.

What Does Comprehensive Insurance Cover?

Insurance can be very confusing, whether it is for your home or your car. There are different levels of coverage for all types of insurance, and it is important to know what they are and what they cover before you make a policy decision. Having the right insurance means that your items are properly covered in the event of an accident or other event.

What Does Comprehensive Insurance Cover for My Car?

Auto insurance can be very expensive, especially if you are paying for more coverage than you really need. For instance, if you have an older car without a lien and are maintaining full coverage, you are paying hundreds of dollars more in premiums than the car might actually be worth. Comprehensive auto insurance:

Covers all events not typically covered by collision insurance
Covers personal items that are inside of the car at the time of a loss, including clothing or other items
Covers for fire, theft, flood or vandalism
Covers for damages to the glass and may cover for damages to the finish
Covers for damages incurred when you hit an animal. While technically a collision, this is usually not covered by other types of insurance.

What Does Comprehensive Insurance Cover for My Home?

As with auto insurance, there are several levels of coverage with home insurance that you should consider. The lower the cost of the insurance, the more exclusions there are likely to be. Comprehensive homeowner’s insurance:

Is the most expensive level of homeowner’s insurance coverage
Covers the cost of damages from fire, theft, vandalism and other criminal acts and some water damage, although most policies will restrict water damage caused by floods, forcing you to buy a secondary flood policy, especially if you are in a flood prone area
Covers the home itself and the property within it
May provide some coverage for people injured on your property
May cover other items outside of your home, except your car, as long as they are listed on the original or amended policy

There are options in comprehensive home insurance; one policy covers the cost of replacing your home even if it exceeds the stated value of your policy. That type of coverage is not always available and may be even more expensive. The other only pays up to the stated amount, so it is important to know how to choose your coverage amount.

Additional Services You Can Add on to Comprehensive Insurance Policies

In addition to coverage for your home or auto, you can add in additional services, which may drive the cost up but are usually worth it in the long run. For your car, these include:

Towing or roadside assistance
Rental car while yours is being repaired

For your home, additional services might include:

Cleaning and laundry service reimbursement
Hotel accommodations or housing allowance while the home is being repaired
Food vouchers
Special services such as locksmith and others

While comprehensive insurance is very expensive, it is usually a better way to protect your home and your family.

What Is Comprehensive Auto Insurance?

The world of auto insurance can be confusing, and comprehending what comprehensive auto insurance covers can seem tricky. It can be mind boggling when you see lists of different types of insurance such as liability, full coverage, collision and comprehensive car insurance. The key is to stay focused and use guides such as this to help clarify things and clear up any questions you may have.

The most basic thing to know about an auto insurance policy is that you must first meet your state’s minimum requirements to drive legally on the road. This varies from state to state and you must make sure you meet your state guidelines, especially if you have recently relocated to a new area. If your vehicle is financed, you must also be sure to meet certain requirements in order to avoid having an expensive supplemental policy put in place by the lender. Aside from that, the rest is usually up to you.

What’s Inside Your Comprehensive Auto Insurance Policy?

If you have done any research on different types of policies, you may realize what certain types of car insurance policies cover and what they don’t cover. Many drivers make the mistake of assuming comprehensive includes collision and vice versa. Each different type of policy has a distinct type of detail it specializes in.

For comprehensive insurance your coverage usually includes:

Windshield damage
Theft, vandalism or damage done as a result of malice
Riots
Fire
Flooding
Falling objects
Storms
Acts of God
Collision with an animal and sometimes structures such as buildings

Of course yours may not include each of these and you should verify these with your current provider or check before getting a new policy. Also, your comprehensive car insurance policy may not be limited to these things and could have more extensive coverage than this.

So while many drivers assume their collision policy will cover these things, they could be sadly mistaken. Not to mention if they assume their comprehensive auto insurance policy will cover collision with another vehicle they are probably wrong. The only crossover may be which policy covers collisions with certain things.

For example:

Collision car insurance covers an accident involving another car, but may not include anything else.
Comprehensive coverage may cover the other types of collisions such as with a bird, animal, inanimate objects and structures such as buildings.
It is better to have two policies that both cover this than policies that both leave a gap when it comes to different types of collisions.

Many drivers also make the mistake of assuming their standard car insurance policy also covers theft or vandalism. You do not want to learn this only after you have your car stolen. This means you are still stuck making the car loan payments, but without that brand new car to drive around.

Want to get quotes? Fill out just your zip code and get started. You will soon be on your way to getting comprehensive auto insurance quotes to compare.

Comprehensive Insurance in Florida: Making the Most of Your Auto Coverage Protection

Although not required by law, comprehensive insurance can protect your car and your assets in the event of an accident or other incident.

In Florida, the insurance requirements for all drivers include a $10,000 property damage liability policy as well as a $10,000 policy called the Florida no fault insurance or personal injury protection coverage. This policy is only concerned with personal injury protection; it has nothing to do with any property that has been damaged in a vehicular accident. It is important to note that these two policies may not provide you with all the insurance that you need.

Personal injury protection (or PIP) was originally meant to protect the state from excessive lawsuits, but there are cases where fraud is committed.

Why Comprehensive Insurance May Make More Sense

The Florida no fault policy will only cover injuries, which may or may not exceed the $10,000 amount of the policy. The same can be said for the property damage liability coverage.

Consider this:

In many cases, property damage plus personal injury will exceed the combined amounts of the two minimal policies. For instance, if you hit an elderly couple in a Mercedes, the expenses can accumulate quite quickly.
Your liability insurance coverage will not cover the replacement cost of your own vehicle.
If you have financed your vehicle through a bank or financing company, your liability insurance may not cover the full cost of vehicle plus its financing/interest costs, leaving you to foot the bill.

Additional Protections through Comprehensive Insurance

Liability insurance will only cover damages to another person’s vehicle and only in certain situations. So, what happens if your car is stolen and then damaged before being returned, or worse, is never found again? What protection should you have in place?

Comprehensive insurance is meant to protect your vehicle and, in the case of financing, the lien holder’s interests as well. In addition to damages caused by an auto thief, comprehensive insurance can provide protection for:

Damages that are caused by a collision with an animal. In Florida, there are instances of cars hitting alligators that are walking onto the roadways, which may cause serious damage. Other animals may also be problematic.
Damages caused by something that has flown out of someone else’s vehicle or has bounced up from the roadway.
Damages caused by a falling tree limb or other object.
Damages caused by acts of God such as serious weather. Florida is known for pleasant weather conditions throughout much of the year, but can often see serious conditions including hurricanes, flooding, landslides and similar tragedies.

It is important to note that in Florida, like in most states, collision insurance only covers vehicular damage that occurs when there is a collision, as the name implies. It is also important to note that in many cases, a collision may lead to additional damages, including hitting other types of property that may not be covered in a simple liability or collision insurance policy.

Pennsylvania Comprehensive Insurance

Pennsylvania is a no fault state but that does not protect your vehicle in an accident.

Insurance can be confusing and may seem very expensive to the average person, especially for something that you hope you will never need or use. For every year that you go without an accident, you grumble and growl thinking that you have yet again wasted a whole year’s worth of premiums and for what? For a service that did nothing for you, for twelve months! But, the minute you have an accident and the bills start rolling in, you quickly understand that not only are you going to be glad that you have the minimum insurance, you are going to be glad that you were smart and got additional coverage as well.

The Threat of Driving in Pennsylvania without Insurance

If you are caught without insurance in the state of Pennsylvania, you face penalties, fines and more expenses. These can include:

Your license can be suspended for three months for a first offense and longer for a second or additional offenses
Your registration will be subjected to the same type of suspension
You will have a $50 restoration fee to pay once the suspension has expired
You may have a number of fines that can range in costs depending on the situation
Your car may be impounded
You will be required to show proof of insurance at the time you apply to have your license and registration reinstated. You may also have to show that proof periodically as determined by the court. Your insurance may be the high risk insurance, which is far more expensive than other types of insurance coverage.

Those situations are the best/worst case scenario meaning that nothing terrible happened. But, what if something terrible does happen and you do not have auto insurance on your vehicle? The costs of even a minor accident can be devastating to your family.

Pennsylvania Drivers and the Four Legged Obstacles They Face – DEER

It sounds like the set up for a funny joke: what is cute, furry and costs more than three billion dollars a year? But, once you look at the statistics, deer quickly stop being so cute and the joke is nowhere near funny. Deer cause more than a million and a half vehicular accidents every year and cause costs that total nearly four billion dollars. Two hundred people die every year after an accident with a deer.

Even in an accident where there is not a fatality, there can be serious injuries and serious damage to the vehicle. In most accidents where a deer has been hit, the deer will die and the car will be totaled. Collision insurance will not cover the cost of this damage because it did not involve another car.

Determining the Best Deductible

In Pennsylvania, like other states, comprehensive insurance requires a deductible. The deductible is an amount that you pay before the insurance kicks in. You have the ability to change that amount when you start your insurance policy, adjusting it up or down to suit your needs. The higher the amount of your deductible, the lower your up front, premium will be. However, keep in mind that while you are saving money right now, if something happens that would require insurance coverage, you will have to face a potentially large bill before the insurance company will pay. That high deductible can be hard to pay all at once if something has happened to your car.

If you are buying insurance from an insurance agent, they will probably suggest that you go with a mid way point- a slightly higher deductible but not one that is so high that it would be hard to pay out in the event of a covered incident.

Comprehensive Insurance Coverage

In addition to protection for damages caused by deer or other animals in Pennsylvania, comprehensive insurance also covers:

Theft
Vandalism
Objects falling from vehicles, bridges or trees
Glass breakage
Natural disasters such as hail, snow, floods and more

During the winter months, ice and snow can be a major concern in Pennsylvania. Another problem that drivers in the Keystone State may have to deal with is called black ice. Black ice forms on the roadways and is particularly dangerous because it is not immediately seen. Usually you don’t know it is there until you are slipping and sliding toward a ditch, a tree or string of mailboxes. It is only one of the major hazards that can be seen in the winter months here.

Car Theft in Pennsylvania

In 2009, nearly 18,000 vehicles were stolen in the state of Pennsylvania. Not only do you lose a vehicle, there might be additional problems, financially and legally, when this happens. If you do not have insurance on the vehicle, you are not going to be financially protected, no matter what happens. You may be able to legally protect yourself from any obligations once the car was reported stolen, but you will still have to pay for it. You will still have to pay for a replacement. (Now you are paying for two cars!)

If you don’t report it stolen and the thief commits another crime using your car, you may face a number of criminal charges.

By having comprehensive auto insurance, you protect yourself legally and financially. Report your stolen vehicle as soon as you discover it missing and then file your insurance claim. Once the car is listed as stolen, it is unlikely that you would be charged for those additional crimes if there are any committed.

Many cars are never seen again. Those that are found are usually damaged beyond usability. Liability insurance or collision insurance will not cover those damages at all. You need comprehensive insurance for that.

Save on Comprehensive Insurance

Compare free comprehensive insurance quotes
See how much money you can save today!