Does insurance cover if I hit my car?
Asked by: Jasmin Kautzer | Last update: June 27, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (22 votes)
Will insurance pay if I hit my own car?
If you carry collision and comprehensive coverage on your auto policy, your insurance company may pay to cover the damage from a single car accident, minus your deductible. If you don't carry collision or comprehensive coverage, you'll have to pay for any damage out of pocket.
Should I file an insurance claim if I am not at-fault?
Always File a Claim, Regardless of Who Was At-Fault
One of the primary questions we receive from clients who have been in an accident is whether they should report the accident to their own auto insurance carrier, particularly when the accident was not their fault. And the answer to that question is: always.
Is it better to use your insurance or theirs?
After a car accident, you should notify your insurance company and file a claim, and not deal with the other driver's insurer. Except in rare circumstances, it is not wise to contact them. Your insurance company represents you, and the other driver's insurance company represents them.
How does insurance work if it's not your fault?
You will file a claim with your auto insurance for damage to your vehicle, medical bills, property damage, and, potentially, lost wages due to injury. The car insurer collects money from the at-fault driver's coverage. Your claims might be limited by the other driver's coverage limits and the state where you live.
What do you do if you hit an animal when driving?
What happens if I don't call my insurance after an accident?
There is no California law per se about notifying your insurance company after a collision, but your auto insurance policy is a contract. When you signed it, you agreed to the stipulations in the contract, which will almost certainly include the requirement to notify the insurance company promptly after an accident.
Do I lose no claims if it wasn't my fault?
Does a non-fault claim affect my no-claims bonus? It might sound unfair, but you can lose your no-claims bonus for an incident even if it wasn't your fault (unless you've got a protected no-claims bonus). After all, it's a “no-claims bonus”, not a “no-blame bonus” – and a claim is a claim, regardless of who's at fault.
What happens if someone hits your car?
Don't leave the scene or move your car. Locate the person who hit your car and exchange information (if possible) Take photos and contact the authorities to file a police report. Contact your insurer and file a claim if necessary.
Who gets the insurance check when a car is totaled?
If you own the car outright, you will receive the check. If not, the check goes to the leasing company or the lender, otherwise known as the lien holder. If you owe money on the vehicle, you should notify the lending company that your car has been totaled.
Should I call my insurance if it was my fault?
Yes, you will want to call your insurance provider regardless of whose fault you believe it may be. Your insurance provider will be able to walk you through the next steps of filing a claim and finding out what your coverage does and does not cover.
When someone hits you, do you call your insurance or theirs?
You should call both, regardless of who you think is at fault. If it turns out the other driver is at fault, their insurance will pay, but it's helpful to have your insurance company involved.
What happens when a car accident wasn't your fault?
The first step is to get the other party's car insurance information and then report the accident. You should call 911 or the police to respond to the scene. You must also report the accident to both your own insurer and theirs. Generally, this will start the claims process with the at-fault party's insurer.
Should I file an insurance claim for bumper damage?
It may not make sense to file a claim if the bumper damage is minor and the repair cost is lower than your auto insurance deductible. If you have a low deductible, it may be worthwhile to file a claim, even for minor repairs.
What happens if I hit one of my own cars?
Your liability insurance won't cover damage to your own property or vehicle. To be covered for damage you cause to your own car, you'll need to add collision and comprehensive to your auto insurance coverages.
How does car insurance work if you hit something?
If all you have is liability insurance, that won't provide coverage for auto body repairs when you hit something in the road. If you want your insurance to help cover the cost of collision repairs in this type of situation, you'll have to add comprehensive coverage and collision coverage to your policy.
Will my insurance go up if I hit an object?
Insurance companies consider hitting an object in the road to be an accident. Unfortunately, that means you will need to use your collision coverage, the incident will be considered your fault, and you'll likely see an increase in premium.
Will my insurance pay off my car if it's totaled?
Your insurer will determine whether the vehicle is a total loss, based on repair costs. Your insurer will issue payment for the actual cash value of the totaled vehicle, minus your deductible on your comprehensive or collision coverage.
Can you ask for more money when your car is totaled?
In some cases, you may get more insurance money for a totaled car than for repairs. In addition, it is possible to negotiate a higher settlement by providing evidence that your car was worth more than the insurance company's initial valuation.
Will insurance fix a totaled car?
When a vehicle is totaled, it means the insurance company believes it isn't worth repairing. The insurer may replace your totaled car with an equivalent one or offer you a cash payment equal to your car's value. If you believe the insurer's offer is too low, you can challenge it.
Does insurance cover someone hitting your parked car?
Will my insurance company cover the damage if someone hits my parked car? In short, it depends on the coverage on your auto insurance policy. For example, Collision Coverage typically covers costs to repair or replace damage done to your car if it's damaged by another vehicle - regardless of who fault.
Should I file an insurance claim if I am at fault?
If you damage someone else's vehicle during a significant collision, and you're at fault, you should always file a claim.
What to do if someone hits your car but no damage?
You Should Report Your Accident Even If There Was No Damage
It is important to obtain a copy as it serves as valuable evidence for your case. While the report attempts to document most of the issues related to the incident, it is never all-inclusive.
Will my insurance go up if I don't make a claim?
Will my car insurance go up after an accident? Unfortunately, the simple answer to this is yes. Whether the accident was your fault or not, making a claim will usually lead to an increase in your car insurance premium the next year and you could see an increase even if you don't make a claim.
Can I make a claim if it wasn't my fault?
If you're injured in an accident that was not your fault, you or your 'legal personal representative' (such as the next of kin in the case of death) can claim compensation from the at-fault driver's compulsory third party (CTP) insurer.
What happens to my no claims if I don't have insurance?
Unfortunately, this grace period only tends to last for two years. If you go longer than that without having insurance, you won't get any discount on your new policy. And that (usually) means you'll have to build up your no claims bonus from scratch.