When purchasing insurance, are you truly aware of what exactly you are buying? Do you know the difference between Comprehensive and Collision coverage? It is important to understand your insurance policy and truly understand the difference in the types of coverages you are purchasing.
Comprehensive Coverage would cover your vehicle for damage caused by anything that is not collision related, such as a rock hitting your windshield, which we see a lot of here in Florida due to all the road construction. Comprehensive coverage would also cover damage to your vehicle caused by hurricane debris — something us Floridians encounter nearly every year. Comprehensive coverage would also cover you should your vehicle be vandalized or if a fire should occur.
Collision Coverage would cover your vehicle’s
damage from any accident-related damage. It is important to know that Collision Coverage would only cover your accident-related damage, and not another vehicle’s damage. This means, should you be at fault or partially at fault for an accident, your Collision Coverage would cover the damage to your vehicle only, while your Property Damage coverage would cover any damage to the other person’s vehicle.
There are three additional circumstances when having Collision coverage will save you time, money, and stress.
- If you were involved in an accident where who is at fault is being disputed by an insurance company and if you have Collision coverage, you don’t have to wait for fault to be determined. Instead, you can get your vehicle repaired by your own insurance company and later, if you are not at fault, your insurance company will get reimbursed from the at-fault driver’s insurance company for the amount they paid to fix your vehicle.
- If the at-fault driver involved in an accident does not have any auto insurance on his/her vehicle, you can use your Collision coverage to get your vehicle repaired.
- If you are involved in a hit-and-run accident and don’t know the name of the person who caused the crash, you can use your Collision coverage to get your vehicle repaired.
It is important to know that both Comprehensive coverage and Collision coverage are optional in Florida and, thus, not required when purchasing the minimum coverage needed in Florida. These coverages are important to cover your investment in your vehicle. Without these coverages you could have to pay out of pocket for the repairs to your vehicle, or if your vehicle is totaled, lose out on receiving money for the full value of your vehicle.
For additional information on the difference between Comprehensive and Collision Coverage, read this article from WalletHub to better understand your insurance coverages.
It is important to hire a skillful attorney when injured in an automobile accident. When an accident occurs, it leaves you with so many questions about how to handle the damage to your vehicle, and who is liable for those repairs. At Nightingale Law Firm, I will be with you every step of the way to ensure you receive the personal and professional representation you deserve. Contact me now at 727-210-8800 to discuss your case. The consultation is free.
𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆.