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Kids Caused Damage to My Car
“The kids caused damage to my car – what do I do?†This is a common question that many auto insurance companies face when someone else damages the value or condition of another person’s vehicle. When your car is egged, written on, or involved in an accident, you may feel overwhelmed and worried about what is going to happen. In some cases, your car insurance can help you. Here’s what to do and what to expect if you have car damage caused by kids on your car.
Will Car Accident Insurance Pay for Someone Else Driving Your Car?
A common incident involves someone getting into an accident with your car. Accident claims for other drivers are a common claim with insurance companies. The good news is the auto insurance you have follows the car, not just the driver. That means if you lend your car to a friend or even to the neighborhood teenager, and he or she causes damage to the car, your auto insurance is still there to help you recoup the losses.
There are a few limits. For example, if your child causes damage to the car on purpose, it is not likely that your auto insurance will offer coverage. More commonly, though, an accident has coverage if you have proper insurance. This type of accident is covered by collision insurance, and it applies to any situation where your vehicle suffers damage when it collides into something.
Can You File a Car Insurance Claim for a Car Getting Egged?
Did your car get egged? Perhaps someone wrote slag or graffiti on it. When something like this happens, it becomes important for you to turn to your auto insurance agent for help. In some situations, the act of vandalism is considered a covered loss. If you have comprehensive auto insurance, this typically falls under that component of your protection. You can file a car insurance claim for damage like this when it is excessive. In this case, there may be significant damage to the paint. The auto insurance may help you get this damage repaired.
Auto Accident Claims for Kids Keying Your Car
The same applies to auto accident claims related to keying. As noted, this typically falls under your comprehensive auto insurance, if you have it. It is not considered a type of accident. It is also important to consider the amount of damage that happens. If the damage is extensive, it may require the entire car receive repairs to the paint or a new coat of it applied.
However, if the keying is rather minor and takes only a few minutes to repair, you may not have coverage. Here’s why. Most vehicle policies have a deductible. You must meet that deductible on the claim before the insurer pays the rest. In the act of a car keying, if the damage costs less to repair than what your deductible is, you may not have any benefit to filing a claim. Your agent can help you to determine if this is the case.
Accident Claims When Someone Hits Your Vehicle
Car accident insurance can help protect your car. Let’s say kids are driving recklessly. They strike your car, causing a significant amount of damage to it. They may drive off, leaving you without their contact information. This can be a very frightening situation. When it occurs, your first step is to call the police. They will work to track down the person responsible in most cases. If they do find them, you can file a claim with that driver’s liability insurance to cover the damage to your car.
If they do not find those responsible, you may be able to file an auto insurance claim with your policy. You can do this if you have uninsured or under-insured auto insurance. This specific form protects your vehicle’s losses even though someone else caused them.
How to Check If a Car Is Insured
When kids cause damage to your car, you can call their auto insurance provider to verify that they have coverage. You can also let your insurance company do the work for you. If you plan to borrow someone else’s car for your own needs, you may wish to check if the car is insured as well. In this case, you can ask the driver for the car insurance information. Most of the time, you can contact the insurance company to verify coverage.
When someone damages your car, let your auto insurance agent help determine how they can help you. There may be causes where you cannot file a claim. This happens most of the time when a person lacks full coverage – comprehensive and collision insurance. To avoid this, work with your car insurance company now to be sure you have ample protections in place. Your agent is happy to help update your protections.
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