If you have been involved in an auto collision, you know that it can be a testy situation. As an independent insurance agent, we get phone calls and emails every day about auto collision – who was at fault, the extent of the damage, and do I have coverage? We always do our best to answer questions in regard to fault and how coverage will apply. But the bottom line is, questions about an auto collision can be tricky to answer.
There is one logic that does generally apply to an auto collision. You are at fault if you hit the vehicle in front of you. That is because all drivers are supposed to come to a complete stop regardless of the situation in front of them. That is according to New York state traffic law. There are exceptions to this though, and there are times when the first driver can be found partially at fault. That can happen if the first driver is acting negligently. That can mean that perhaps he is texting or talking on the phone while driving and comes to a complete stop.
An auto collision can be difficult to adjust because not all situations and policy forms are the same.
We often also hear about three car accidents. These types of auto collision claims can be harder to adjust for the insurance company. Sometimes the third driver can be found at fault if he pushed the second vehicle into the first vehicle.
Your policy likely provides auto collision coverage if you either have a loan on the vehicle or if the vehicle value is enough for it to make sense to buy collision coverage. This is a conversation that we have with our clients on a regular basis. Your lender will require that you purchase collision coverage if you have a loan on your vehicle. In that case, you do not have a choice. You have the option to buy collision coverage if you no longer have a loan though.
Auto collision coverage can be costly, so you should decide if it’s worth the cost to buy the coverage.
If you own a 2002 Nissan, it probably does not make sense to buy collision. You have to consider the cost of the coverage, say $300, plus the expense of the deductible, likely $500. For $800 on a blue value of $3000, it doesn’t make sense. It does make sense though if your vehicle is still worth $20,000.
One of the insurance companies we represent, New York Central Mutual, recently wrote their own blog post about read end auto collision. You can read their blog by clicking here.
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