6 Things Auto Insurance Doesn’t Cover
What you don’t know about your Massachusetts auto insurance could be painful, especially for your wallet. When you or your car are involved in an accident, don’t let the denial of your insurance claim add to your pain. Make sure you know exactly what your auto insurance will and will not cover before the worst happens.
Your Belongings
Did a thief bust out your window, take your shopping bags, spare change, and whatever else they could grab? Your auto insurance will cover the broken window and any damage to the car, but may not cover the value of your belongings. You’ll likely need to a file a police report and then file a claim with your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance to recoup those costs.
Your Auto Loan
If your car is totaled or stolen, your insurance policy will cut you a check for the current market value of your vehicle. That may or may not be enough to cover what you owe on it. If it’s not, you’ll have to pay the bank the rest of what you owe out of your own pocket. Consider a GAP insurance policy for your vehicle when the value of your car is less than what you owe on it.
Customizations
Any technology, spoilers, rims, or even wheelchair lifts that you add to your vehicle to customize it may not be covered by your standard auto insurance policy. No matter how much you need or want to change your car to suit you, make sure you take out additional coverage for your customizations.
Business Use
Driving for Uber or being a local courier seems like a good way to make money, at least until that first accident. If you’re counting on your personal auto insurance policy to cover you, think again. When you use your vehicle to earn money, you either need a commercial auto insurance policy or to make sure your employer’s insurance covers you.
Towing and Rental
Just because you’re in an accident covered by your insurance doesn’t mean everything will be paid for. Whether your car had to be towed or you needed a rental for a few days, you may be paying out of pocket.
Collisions and “Weird” Accidents
Once your auto loan is paid off, you usually start looking for other ways to save money. Plenty of people take off the collision and comprehensive coverage on their auto insurance. Big mistake. Without it, you’re not covered if you collide with another vehicle, get hit by a deer on the highway, run into a pole in a storm, have a tree limb fall on your car, or any number of “random” things that can happen to your car.
Don’t find out the hard way that the accident, theft, or work you’ve done on your car isn’t covered. Talk to an insurance agent to make sure you know exactly what’s in your insurance policy and then get the additional coverage you need to protect yourself. Contact us for a quote or to ask questions about your current policy. We can help.
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