Most of the people in the United States buy insurance on their vehicle only because they are required by law to have one. There are different types of auto insurances out there, but most people opt for the one that fills the minimum requirement. But buying auto insurance should not be taken lightly. If you have bought insurance just for the sake of meeting the mandatory requirements, you must consider what will actually happen if you were ever in an accident. If you get hurt by another vehicle or have lost your car in a natural disaster like flooding, would your insurance cover it or not. That is why when you are opting for car insurance, make sure that you are getting the one that will make you feel secure and will cover you properly in case of an accident.
Insurance policies come in different packages, and when you go to buy one, you will be shown different types of coverage. They are divided into different types and are given names, so the people who do not want certain kinds of coverage can save their money and opt for cheaper insurance. All the insurances you will find will cover different things. For example, it is mandatory for you to get Liability insurance in the US. This is the general type of auto insurance and it also covers for the loss of the person or property that was involved in an accident. Other coverage includes Comprehensive insurance which will cover you if your car has been stolen or vandalized. Personal injury insurance will cover the medical bills for the injury you have received in an accident. And Collision coverage only pays for the damages your vehicle receives in the accident. So it is necessary for you to make sure that you are not only opting for insurance that you can afford at that moment but it will also cover things that you would not be able to afford in the event of an accident. But even when you have the insurance that covers all these things there would still be certain things that your insurance company will not take responsibility for. Instead of finding it out after the accident, you can read the things that would not be covered in my article below.
When Someone Else Is Driving
Remember, if you are not driving the car yourself, you would not be able to convince the insurance company to pay. Whatever type of claim you are trying to make would not matter if the person driving the car was someone other than you. You could claim if you were present in the car. But if you have given your car to someone else to drive and they were in an accident, your policy will not cover it. If you share your car with a family member, then make sure that you mention that while getting the policy so you can add their name as well. That way, you will be able to make a claim if that person was driving. There are certain types of insurances that will cover any driver who was driving the car. But that person must hold a driving license. Also, the extent will provide coverage will also depend on the insurance company. Most probably, you would not get full coverage in such a scenario. While handing over your car keys to other people make do not be careless and make sure that the person you are allowing to drive your car is actually capable of driving safely.
Natural Disasters
 If your car has received any kind of damage in the event of flooding, hurricane, earthquake, or heavy rains, then you will have to pay for those damages yourself. A general auto insurance policy does not cover any kind of Natural Disaster (which is usually referred to as Acts of Gods in legal terms). The acts of God also include hitting an animal with a car. Most insurances do not pay you for damages when your car has hit an animal on the road. However, there are certain types of insurances that will accept your claim if the car was hit by an animal that was already dead. But there are types of comprehensive insurance that will protect you in case of natural disasters as well. But if you do not have comprehensive insurance, you would not be able to make any claims.
Excluded Drivers
Insurance policies will clearly state that there are types of drivers who will not be included in your coverage. This means any person that is not allowed to drive or have any legal restrictions on them should not be driving your car. For example, if you have any person in your family that has face DUI charges, you should state that with your insurance company and exclude that person. If you do not exclude the person, you will be charged higher rates by the insurance company. If they were not guilty, they can hire an Orange County DUI lawyer and can clear their record. Remember, there is no condition in which you will get paid by the company if that person was driving during the accident.
Personal Items
Your insurance coverage may accept your claim for a stolen tire, but it would not accept any claims for items that were inside the vehicle. For example, if you have parked your car in a quiet spot with your laptop in it, and some have picked the lock and have stolen it, the insurance company will take no responsibility. Even if you have comprehensive coverage, you still will not get any benefits if your items in the car were damaged or stolen. It is important for everyone to know that no insurance takes responsibility for the items inside the vehicle. That is why everyone should take care of their items on their own. Do not leave your belongings in the car. Even if you want to keep them in the car, keep them hidden or in the dashboard of the car. If you have a renter’s insurance policy or homeowner insurance coverage, you can make a claim in those for your stolen items.
If You Are Using The Vehicle for Business
If you have been using the vehicle for your business i.e., you have been transporting goods from the storage to your shop in the car; then, the insurance company has a right to reject your claim. When you get an insurance policy for your personal car, you cannot use it for commercial use. There are other insurance packages available for that. Remember, the general insurance covers your work commute only. So if you are using it for your company’s services, it’s a different story. And the same goes for using the car as a cab service. A lot of people who are working part-time as an Uber driver or Lyft driver must also know that their claim would be rejected if they get in an accident during ride-sharing. However, as an Uber or Lyft driver, you can opt for other insurance packages like Rideshare insurance coverage.
The Policy Protects the Car Not the Driver
The standard insurance policy you will get in your name does not cover you; it covers your car. For example, if you are using a different car and you get into an accident, you cannot make a claim on insurance. Now some people may say that it is unfair, but it is not as the purpose of auto insurance is to cover the vehicle damages. If this were allowed, people would start using one insurance policy for several different cars, and insurance companies will face heavy losses. So to avoid that, the insurance law system is designed in a way that the standard insurance policy can only be taken out for one vehicle.
If You Are Hit By an Uninsured Motorist
When a road accident happens in the US, the involved party that has caused the incident has to pay for the damages of other vehicle and person as well. But imagine if you were in an accident where you got hit by a drunk or careless driver who does not even have insurance. What then? Your standard insurance will not cover you in that scenario because the other party was supposed to pay the damages. You can avoid that by getting an uninsured motorist coverage. It will cover your damages when reckless uninsured driver has hit you. It is not to be confused by underinsured motorist coverage which covers you when you are hit by someone who has insufficient coverage. With that insurance, you will not get paid for uninsured vehicles and vice versa. In some states of the US uninsured motorist coverage is mandatory, while in others, it is optional. It may be a separate insurance policy but it is not that expensive and you only have to pay a chunk of what you paid for your standard insurance. More than 12 percent of the drivers are driving without car insurance in the US, so it is always safe to have this insurance under your belt.
