Will Auto Insurance Cover Natural Disasters?
What if your worst day somehow managed to get even worse?
That’s often what it feels like for those who survive natural disasters. It’s scary enough to narrowly avoid things like hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. But after such a disaster, you may find out the hard way what your home and auto insurance will or will not cover.
For example, we all know about the extra riders you need to take out to give your home coverage against natural disasters. But what about your car? Keep reading to discover whether your existing car insurance is enough protection against such disasters!
Will My Car Insurance Protect Against Natural Disasters?
Your existing automobile insurance may or may not protect you from most natural disasters. In order to enjoy maximum protection, you need to have comprehensive coverage.
Many drivers choose to carry only the state-required liability coverage because it’s the cheapest route. This is designed to help pay for other people’s damages and injuries when you are at fault.
Comprehensive coverage, for the most part, is designed to protect your vehicle when you’re not even at the wheel. In this way, it can provide protection from most disasters.
Am I Protected from Hurricanes?
There is always something especially frightening about hurricanes. When you see cars being flung around in the wind, for example, you can’t really help but worry about your own automobile.
Here’s some good news: As long as you have comprehensive coverage, then you are covered against hurricanes. As with all insurance, the trick is making sure that you take out a policy before the natural disaster hits. You need to do so sooner rather than later: Insurance carriers sometimes put a freeze on drivers rushing to get this coverage when everyone knows in advance that disaster is about to strike.
Am I Protected from Wildfires?
If you live in an area prone to wildfires, then you understand just how frightening they can be. The idea that one person’s campfire, fireworks, or even gender reveal party could set up a lasting forest blaze is enough to make all of us feel extremely vulnerable.
Fortunately, comprehensive coverage also gives you protection from wildfires. This is another example where we recommend getting the new coverage sooner rather than later for the simple fact that most residents don’t know that a wildfire is coming until it is too late.
Am I Protected from Floods?
Flooding is arguably the most common natural disaster that homeowners worry about, and for good reason. The vast majority of homeowners policies don’t protect against flooding, requiring homeowners to take out a special rider before their area gets flooded.
Drivers worried about their own area getting flooded don’t have to take out any special rider; instead, they merely need to take out a comprehensive policy for their vehicle ahead of the disaster. Incidentally, if you take out liability, collision, and comprehensive policies, you’ll have what is known as full coverage. This is one of the maximum possible protection packages possible for your automobile.
By the way, it’s easy to check whether you live in an area that is prone to regular flooding by checking the FEMA Flood Map. If the answer is yes, then it’s important to snag a comprehensive policy sooner rather than later!
Am I Protected from Hail?
Hail isn’t always as deadly as some of the other calamities on this list. However, hail always makes us feel vulnerable (countless tiny rocks plummeting from the sky will do that to you), and it only takes a small bit of hail to cause major damage to automobiles.
Will those drivers be covered for the hail damage, though? Once again, it depends entirely on your coverage. If you only have liability, then hail damage inevitably results in a very long repair bill.
Am I Protected from Earthquakes?
In many ways, earthquakes are the scariest calamity on this list. The very idea that you could be enjoying a perfectly normal day one moment and then suddenly be thrust into shaking chaos is enough to give even the bravest person some serious existential dread.
One thing that may soothe those fears is the fact that, with the right policy, you can give your vehicle the protection it deserves against earthquakes. Also, some food for thought: earthquakes are like floods in that while you never know when a specific incident may happen, you do know whether you live in an area prone to earthquakes. Once again, if the answer is yes, then you need to get such a policy sooner rather than later so you have the protection you need.
Other Benefits of Comprehensive Insurance
As you can tell, a comprehensive policy is your only way of protecting your vehicle from various disasters. If you’re still on the fence about whether you need such a policy or not, you need to understand the additional benefits of such coverage.
This type of policy covers you against most negative things that could happen to your automobile when you’re not behind the wheel. For example, your car is protected against theft and vandalism as well as against trees and tree limbs falling on top of it. It also protects against animal-related damage, including if you should hit a deer while driving (something that your collision policy will not pay out for).
Get the Best Protection Against Natural Disasters Today!
At InsureOne, we’re here to protect your car from just about everything. We’re always ready for you to get a quote online. Alternatively, you can give us a quick call at 800-836-2240, or feel free to come into one of our nearby offices!