Collision coverage in brief, and when it matters
Collision coverage pays to repair your own car when it collides with another vehicle or an object, such as a tree, a guardrail or a curb. It applies whether you caused the crash or not, which makes it useful when fault is unclear or the other driver has no insurance.
No state requires collision on its own. But if you have a car loan or lease, the lender almost always does, because the car is their collateral. Once the car is paid off, collision becomes your call.
Collision also keeps you from depending on another driver's insurer when a crash is their fault. You can file with your own company, pay your deductible, and let your insurer pursue the other side. If they recover the money, you may get some or all of your deductible back.
The simplest way to think about it: if you wrecked your car tomorrow, could you pay to fix or replace it without real strain? If the answer is no, collision is doing real work for you. If the car is older and worth little, the math may point the other way.
Covered vs. not covered: the usual lists
Collision is about impact. It typically covers:
- Crashes with another car, at any speed and in any lane
- Single-car accidents, like hitting a pole, fence or guardrail
- Rollovers
- Pothole and road-debris damage on many policies
- Hit-and-run damage in some situations, depending on your policy and state
It usually does not cover:
- Theft, vandalism, fire, hail, flood or falling objects (those fall under comprehensive)
- Hitting a deer or other animal, which most policies place under comprehensive
- Mechanical breakdowns, wear and tear, or tire damage on its own
- Other people's cars or injuries (that is liability)
The numbers that set your price
Collision doesn't have a limit in the usual sense. The ceiling is the actual cash value of your car at the time of the loss, which reflects age, mileage and condition. If repairs would cost more than the car is worth, the insurer may declare it a total loss and pay that value, minus your deductible.
The deductible is the part you control. Say you pick a $1,000 deductible and the repair bill is $3,800. Your insurer pays $2,800 and you pay the first $1,000. A higher deductible lowers the premium, and a lower one raises it. Choose a number you could actually pay next week without borrowing.
It also helps to know how a policy handles repairs. Some pay for original manufacturer parts, others allow aftermarket or used parts, and some insurers steer you toward a network of shops. None of that shows up in the price alone, so ask.
Each insurer prices collision differently. Your vehicle's repair costs, its safety features, your driving history, where you park and how far you drive all play a part, and each company weighs them in its own way. When you compare, keep the deductible the same across quotes so the prices mean something.
Timing, and what happens after you submit the form
The moments to look at collision are usually tied to the car: buying or leasing one, paying off a loan, or noticing that an aging car's value has dropped close to your deductible plus a year or two of premiums. How soon coverage must be in place when you take delivery of a car depends on your lender, your insurer and your state, so confirm it before you drive off the lot.
When you're ready, the AutoAssures form takes a few minutes. Your request goes to up to four licensed partners that write auto policies in your state, and they contact you with quotes. It costs nothing to use, and you are under no obligation. Compare the deductibles side by side, ask what counts as a collision on each policy, and choose only if an offer makes sense to you.
