Will My Car Insurance Go Up if I Hit a Deer?
Understand how a deer collision impacts your car insurance premiums. Learn about coverage types and the factors influencing your rates after such an incident.
Colliding with a deer is common for many drivers, especially in certain regions or seasons. A primary concern is how it affects car insurance. Understanding coverage and factors influencing premiums can clarify the financial impact of a deer collision.
Understanding Your Coverage
Car insurance policies differentiate between Comprehensive and Collision coverage for vehicle damage. Collision coverage addresses damage from impacts with other vehicles or objects like trees. Comprehensive coverage is for damage from events other than collisions, including theft, vandalism, fire, natural disasters, and animal strikes, such as hitting a deer. If you have Comprehensive coverage, your policy may help cover repair costs after a deer collision, subject to your deductible. Without it, you are typically responsible for full repair costs out of pocket.
Impact on Premiums
A frequent question after a deer collision is whether it will cause insurance premiums to increase. Generally, damage from hitting an animal, covered under Comprehensive insurance, is considered a “not-at-fault” incident. This is because striking a wild animal is often viewed as an unavoidable event, meaning the driver is not responsible.
Not-at-fault claims are less likely to significantly increase premiums compared to at-fault collision claims. However, an increase is not impossible. Insurance companies consider your claims history; multiple Comprehensive claims, even if not-at-fault, could lead an insurer to view you as a higher risk, potentially resulting in a modest rate adjustment upon policy renewal.
For any Comprehensive claim, your deductible, the amount you pay before coverage begins, will apply. For example, if repairs cost $2,000 and your deductible is $500, the insurer would pay $1,500.
Steps After a Deer Collision
Immediately following a deer collision, prioritizing safety is important.
- Move your vehicle to a safe location off the road, if possible, and turn on your hazard lights.
- Contact law enforcement, especially if there is significant damage, injuries, or if the animal poses a hazard. A police report provides valuable documentation for your insurance claim.
- Once safe, document the incident by taking photographs of your vehicle’s damage, the surrounding area, and road conditions.
- Do not approach the injured animal, as it may react unpredictably.
- Contact your insurance company as soon as possible to report the incident and initiate the claims process. They will guide you through repair or vehicle assessment.
Other Factors Influencing Premiums
Many factors contribute to car insurance premiums beyond specific claims like deer collisions. A driver’s past driving and claims history, including violations or previous accidents, significantly impacts rates.
Vehicle location, including zip code, also affects premiums due to varying risks of accidents, theft, or severe weather.
Additional variables include vehicle type, safety features, and estimated repair costs. Personal factors such as age, driving experience, and credit score may also play a role in how insurers assess risk and determine premium amounts.
Insurance premiums are dynamic, reflecting a combination of these variables that insurers use to predict future claims.