Comprehensive Insurance Question

[jet6l2000]

What is the name of your state? Texas


I was driving down the highway and something (I think maybe a tire tread - though there was no tractor trailer in front of me) came flying at my car. It hit the passenger side mirror and completely knocked the glass piece out of the mirror housing (but all the mechanical pieces are still intact and seem to be working). It also scratched up the paint on the mirror housing itself. I have a comprehensive deductible of $100 and a collision deductible of $500. I don't know whether I should bother to file a claim because I don't know if the insurance company will cover it under my comprehensive policy or not (and I don't think the damage is more than $500 - though the parts are already more than $100). I know TX states that "falling objects" are not considered collision, but I don't know if my insurance company will try to debate that what hit my car was a "falling object" or not. Can some one help me on definitions and whether this is legally a comprehensive claim?

Thank you.


I should also note that I am leery to report this if not comprehensive since I just got burned 2 wks ago by my insurance company when I filed a claim for damage done to my car while it was parked in the parking lot and I was in the store. I don't want to have another claim that they won't pay on my file.

 

[Juan Rodriguez]

Here is the definition from the Florida Adjusters Manual:

"...Comprehensive coverage, losses from glass breakage, hitting a bird or animal, and falling objects or missiles (although they are from collisions with another object) are treated as covered under Comprehensive Coverage."

 

[gobonas99]

The same thing happened to me back in sept 2001. I was traveling home on the NYS thru-way near Rochester, when the car I was passing kicked up a tire tread from a tractor trailer. It hit the front passenger side bumper, causing about $700 in damage. It was dark, so I never even saw it until it was too late to try to avoid it. I called my insurance agent in the morning (my agent, not the claim office) and told her what happened. She said that it would definitely fall under comprehensive (for which my deductible was $50), and told me to call claims and tell them that I was hit by a flying object on the highway. You probably just need to to the same thing with your claims office. This is COMPLETELY different than something happening to your car in a parking lot.

As far as your parking lot problem - I am NOT sure on this, but I do not think that items such as door dings or bumper scratches or other parking lot damages are covered under your insurance. If it was anything more than a dent, ding or scratch, it likely would be covered under the OTHER person's insurance, provided you know who they are - if you don't, then I think you are SOL. But like I said, I'm not sure on this.

 

[jet6l2000]

Thanks

Thanks for all the info - the parking lot incident ended up being covered under my uninsured coverage....which still had a better deductible than my collision (though not as good as my comprehensive).

I guess I'll call them. It just really stinks since my car is less than 4 months old, I just switched to this new insurance company less than a month ago. I haven't had to file a claim in over 5 yrs with my previous company (and that one claim was a comp. claim too due to a fire) and now I've had 3 things happen since being with this new insurance company - I'm afraid they may try to raise my rates even though none of the incidents were my fault (parking lot thing, hail damage to my other vehicle and now this).

 

[tammy8]

Some companies will cancel your policy all together with this many claims in this short of a time period, whether your fault or not and especially when the policy is still within the first 6 monthes. Personally I feel that you should just "eat" this last lose and keep the rates you have. Some companies may not cancel or raise rates but there is a serious chance they will.

 

[kat1963]

I have to agree with Tammy. It probably depends on your state and/or insurance company but in most they can't terminate you for the amount of the claim, but for the frequency of them. Even if you JUST reported it & didn't claim, it can count. You could very well have been red flagged after #2 in such a short period of time. You might not be renewed. Being in a position of finding insurance after being terminated is not a place anyone wants to be. Your rates will probably end up being more then the few hundred it will cost to repair your mirror yourself.
I just ate $800 in roof repair after a tree fell on my house not because I have prior claims, but because one just never knows when there will be something bigger in the future.
I was one of those hateful claims adjusters, 10 years ago...rules have might have changed, but then again, we are talking about insurance. *LOL*
KAT

 

[jet6l2000]

Thanks again

Thank you everyone for your advice. After reading this board and talking to a few other people, I have decided to suck up the few hundred dollars and not make this claim.

Just to vent a bit (hope no one minds), but I find myself wondering what the point of even having comp & collision insurance after all of this. I take very good care of my vehicles - park away from other cars in parking lots, keep it in the garage, etc. I don't have room in the garage for my husband's vehicle and mine, so mine is garage kept since it is new and much more expensive. We try to find covered parking for his when storms are coming (though not always with luck, obviously). I've never had an accident or ticket (other than a parking ticket), had one comp claim (only claim ever) 5 yrs ago when my apt bldg had a 4-alarm fire and the car was damaged because parking was under the bldg. It just seems unfair that when things do happen, you can be penalized for them when you did nothing wrong and are so careful. So what's the point?!