Automobile accidents involving deer spike in the fall, and many drivers do not know what to do when it happens. Do you know what to do in this kind of situation? You may have the following questions about it.
Should You Swerve To Avoid A Deer?
A natural reaction to any driver when something is in their path is to swerve out of the way. Unfortunately, this behavior is the opposite of what you should be doing on the road. Swerving to avoid an accident, especially on a busy highway, can actually cause an even worse accident to happen. You can collide with another car in the lane next to you and still end up hitting the deer, which increases the chance of the car flipping over when your momentum drastically changes. The safest thing you can do is stay in your lane and slam on the brakes.
Will Your Insurance Cover The Damages
Since another driver is not at fault for causing the accident, you will need to have comprehensive auto insurance to cover the damage. Thankfully, this should also cover the tow to get your car to the repair shop. If you end up swerving and hit another vehicle in the process, then you could be liable for the damages caused to the other vehicle as well. Exact circumstances with how the deer caused the accident could affect the answer to this question, so always ask an insurance agent (such as one from McHugh Insurance) for help with any confusion.
Will The Deductible Need To Be Paid?
Check your policy to find out what your deducible is for comprehensive insurance claims. You may not have a deductible for comprehensive coverage or the deductible is really low. This can make the repairs very affordable for you.
Does The Police Need To Make A Report?
It's possible that a police report will not be necessary to use your comprehensive insurance coverage to fix the damages caused by the accident. That said, it doesn't hurt to have the police show up to make an official report about what happened. It can help clear up any potential confusion that may be a result of the accident with the deer.
Will Your Auto Insurance Premiums Increase?
Comprehensive insurance claims are handled differently than collision claims, your accident with a deer may not have a direct impact on your insurance premiums at the time of renewal. Always check with your insurance agent, since every insurance company handles claims differently.
You keep a copy of your insurance policy in your file drawer, but do you know how to read and understand the policy? Having an insurance policy will protect you from losses, but it won't protect you from all losses. To get a better understanding of what your policy will and will not cover, read through this blog. You will learn about all different types of insurance policies and learn the terminology used in the documents that you have read. Hopefully, by the time you have read through the content here, you will know exactly where your insurance policies are lacking so you can make changes.