Collision coverage: repairs after a crash

What it generally means

Collision coverage helps pay to repair or replace your own vehicle after it is damaged in a crash with another vehicle or object, subject to your deductible and policy terms.

Collision is about your car. Liability is about damage you cause to others. The two answer different questions, which is why a policy often lists them separately.

What it generally covers

• Damage to your vehicle from hitting another vehicle
• Damage to your vehicle from hitting an object, such as a guardrail, pole, or tree
• In many policies, single-vehicle rollovers
• Repair or, if the insurer determines the vehicle is a total loss, payment toward the vehicle's value, minus your deductible

What it generally does not cover

• Damage to another person's vehicle or property — that is what liability is for
• Your medical bills or your passengers' medical bills
• Wear and tear, mechanical or electrical breakdowns, and routine maintenance
• Non-crash losses such as theft, fire, hail, or flood — those are typically comprehensive coverage

Every policy is different. Exclusions, limits, and definitions live in the policy itself, so treat any summary — including this one — as a starting point, not as your policy.

A simple example

Example only — not a rate, a recommendation, or an estimate of any real claim: You slide on an icy road and hit a guardrail. The repairs to your car are estimated at $3,000 and your collision deductible is $500. In a simplified way, the deductible is the portion you pay first and the coverage addresses the remainder of the covered repair cost. Your actual policy documents control how this works.

Questions to ask an insurer or licensed agent

Bring these to any quote or policy conversation:

• What deductible applies to my collision coverage, and could I comfortably pay it after a loss?
• How does the insurer value a totaled vehicle, and how would that settlement be calculated?
• Is collision required by my lender or lease, and when could I consider dropping it?
• What is the claim process after a crash, and how are repairs handled?
• Does my policy include rental reimbursement, or is that a separate optional coverage?

Keep reading

• Liability: Helps pay for injuries or property damage you cause to others, up to the policy limits.
• Comprehensive: Helps with many non-crash losses, such as theft, weather, or animal damage.
• Uninsured / underinsured motorist: Can help when an at-fault driver has no insurance — or not enough of it.