5 Things Your Car Insurance Covers That May Surprise You

Everyone has a basic understanding of the things that car insurance covers. If someone crashes into you at a red light, you are going to be covered by the other person’s policy to get repairs. If the weather goes haywire and hail cracks your windshield, that is going to be covered sufficiently if you have comprehensive coverage.

Often people are unaware that car insurance covers other random events and problems that arise when you drive. It’s why State Farm makes commercials about being there for you like a good neighbor. The car insurance industry has tried to expand its reach and provide more services for its customers. 

This allows some companies to separate themselves from their competition. It also builds a good reputation for the car insurance industry and adds a human aspect to an otherwise cold environment. We’ll cover five things that car insurance companies offer now that may surprise you at first glance. 

Does my car insurance cover towing a caravan? What about paying for roadside assistance when my car breaks down in the middle of a trip? Let’s dive into these and a few others. Check with your insurance company and see if they are keeping up with all the services now provided around the country. 

Acts of God

Insurance is always going to cover to fix things that are completely out of your control. This is why weather events are always covered in your insurance policy. We like to refer to this as mother nature or acts of God. In other words, sometimes we live in a world where a higher power throws its wrath down upon us, regardless of whether you think it’s a deity’s fault.

Acts of God are only covered if you have comprehensive coverage, though. Many people opt to only get basic liability coverage, and they would not have the benefits of being covered from these circumstances. 

This means it’s time to get as crazy as possible thinking of all the scenarios that are out of your control that will be covered by car insurance. 

If a Christmas tree farmer is carrying dozens of festive firewood in the back of his big rig, and it accidentally falls into your car while driving down the freeway, that’s covered by car insurance. 

If someone throws of baseball out of the playfield across the street and hits you while you are driving, comprehensive coverage will take care of it. 

You get the point. Car insurance always covers damage that is out of your control. This means no matter how outlandish it seems, even if it were something out of a movie or a video game, they would cover it. That’s what insurance is there for, right? 

They are there for you when you get dealt a hand that you don’t deserve. You shouldn’t have to take out a loan to pay for random accidents.

Towing a Caravan or Trailer

Caravans are trailers that you hook to the back of your vehicle to haul livestock, equipment, or other materials that are too big for the trunk. Many insurance companies will cover any damages to caravans that are attached to your car or truck.

Talk to your agent about what type of vehicle you are attaching to the back end of your truck. They can inform you of the company policies on caravans and similar vehicles. Some companies may require an additional qualifier on the policy for these events. Not everyone has the money to add this to their policy. 

What if you have a good business idea that involves hauling large items in a trailer for your customers? You’ll need to take out an auto insurance policy just for your business. 

After that, your business auto insurance will cover the damages done to the equipment in the caravan or the caravan itself. 

Getting Roadside Assistance

Not all insurance companies will cover roadside assistance in their baseline policies. You need to check with your agent to see what the parameters are for roadside coverage at your location. The good news is that most companies will add this to your coverage for a small extra charge.

This is especially important when you are on a vacation somewhere foreign and you don’t know how to get your car back to the hotel. You likely don’t have any friends to call in this scenario. It’s one of the many times that car insurance policies feel like protective blankets that are there to save a really bad day from happening. 

Look out for more ways that companies will implement these types of add-ons in the future. The industry wants to feel more personal to its consumers. 

Damage From Wildlife

This one is similar to acts of God, but it deserves its own mention. Animals are ingrained in our world no matter where we live. It’s important to know that car insurance companies will cover damage done by them. Whether a deer darts out at you or a rat gets into the hood and bites your electrical circuiting, you should receive compensation from insurance. 

Even lesser-known animal damage will be covered. Neighbors often have animals that could possibly damage your vehicle, or even strays that don’t have owners. These are simple fixes that can be covered by insurance.  

Road Damage to Your Car

You can’t control the quality of the roads you drive on, so potholes and similar hazards on the road will be covered by your insurance if they cause damage to your car. Try not to drive in places you know are bad, but if you do, your insurance company will not fault you for what the city should be going to protect their citizens from harm.

Hopefully, you have gotten a good taste of the random events that car insurance companies protect you from. Many agents truly are there for you when times get rough, proving it’s not just a slogan on the TV. Talk to your insurer about all the ways they are there for you in times of need.