Extreme Cases for Car Insurance
Serge Semirog
Although the majority of accidents occur between two individuals, operating two motor vehicles, some happen due to the negligence and carelessness of a single person. Let's take a look at the following scenarios and see if your insurance is likely to provide coverage:
Hitting Your Own Car
The garage is a tight space and maybe your family fits three cars in a space designed for two. Maybe mom or dad left his or her car in the driveway and you don't notice it as you are backing out.
Your liability insurance won't cover these types of damages. Yikes! In fact, liability insurance only covers damages to another individual's property. So, even if you have two different and distinct insurance policies for each of the vehicles, you still can't file it under liability.
Instead, what you can do is use your collision coverage (the same coverage you use if you hit an animal). If the cars are under the same policy, one or both deductibles may be waived, and your cars will be repaired.
Car, Meet House
Perhaps you come home late one night exhausted, and, although you swear you opened the garage door earlier, you accidentally run your car through your garage door. Your first reaction will be one of shock. Your second will be one of fear as you think of how you could possibly pay for another garage door.
Unfortunately, your car insurance, specifically your collision coverage, will only cover for damages to the vehicle as a result of the accident. If you want to replace or repair the garage door, you will have to go through your homeowner's policy for coverage.
Self-Injury
What about if you, absentmindedly, slam the car door on your foot or your hand? What about if, as you are working on the hood of your car, a tree branch falls causing the hood to fall on you. In both of these scenarios, the owner of the car may be seriously injured with a strong likelihood of continued and lasting pain.
If you have extended your general liability insurance to include Personal Injury Protection (PIP Insurance) or Medical Payments Coverage, then you may be in luck. PIP and Medical Payments coverage works as a more comprehensive MedPay insurance and is often called the "no-fault insurance." As a result, you may be entitled to have your hospital bill and other related medical expenses covered by your auto insurance carrier.
Damage from a Driverless Car
Finally, what if you park your car on the slope of a hill and forget to put on the parking brake. While you go on about your business, the car begins its descent and finds a resting position only after running over the neighbor's bushes. What then?
Your car will be covered, once again, under the collision coverage while the bushes can be fixed up thanks to the property damage liability insurance. Your car insurance covers more than you would expect, providing you have the correct coverage!
North Carolina only requires that drivers have liability insurance and uninsured coverage, but the other types of insurance surely come in handy in different scenarios. Check out our newsletter on the benefits of UIM or UM Insurance for more information!