Around two out of every 10 serious car accidents happen when cars hit stationary obstacles, such as light poles or trees. A limb can also fall on your vehicle during stormy weather. Many motorists wonder if auto insurance covers damage to cars or valuable trees.
Crashes
When you hit a tree while driving, collision insurance will probably pay the repair bill. The same goes for accidents involving utility poles and fence posts. If you only pay for the minimum amount of coverage, you don’t have collision insurance.
Liability
A property owner might want compensation when a car destroys a tree that he or she purchased in the past. If you have a liability policy, it might provide the needed funds. This type of coverage pays for car-inflicted damage to other vehicles and structures as well.
Falling Limbs
A dead tree or branch may fall and strike your vehicle at any time. Insurers treat this as a “falling object” incident rather than a collision. Consequently, you’ll need to have a comprehensive plan if you want to make a claim.
Weather
A major storm could knock a tree over or break its branches. Uprooted trees can also cause power lines to hit cars. Like falling objects, severe weather damage is covered by comprehensive policies. This kind of auto insurance costs extra but remains relatively inexpensive.
Deductible
Most plans won’t pay for all of the repairs; they usually have deductibles. For example, your collision policy might have a $250 deductible that will be subtracted from the total cost. The insurer pays $2,550 if a crash results in $2,800 worth of damage.
Exceptions
These claims are approved under most circumstances, even if you behave negligently or make a mistake. However, personal policies generally exclude vehicles being used for commercial purposes. They also don’t pay for intentional incidents, such as crashing into a stump because you dislike your car.
To sum it up, you can gain the best protection by carrying liability, collision and comprehensive coverage with a low deductible. If you’re looking for affordable insurance that covers tree damage, please contact our Austin, Texas agency or check current rates on our website.
