Collisions are a surefire way to ruin your sunny Sunday afternoon. Instead of waiting until your car looks more like an accordion than a freshly washed ride to the barbeque across town, chat with a friendly, local auto insurance agent about your collision coverage
Why? Well, let’s start with the obvious questions.
What Is Collision Coverage? How Is It Different from Comprehensive Coverage?
Comprehensive and collision coverage work together to offer drivers solid financial support when their cars are damaged for any reason. Collision coverage matters when you have an accident behind the wheel, while comprehensive covers every other way your car might be damaged.
If you’re driving in Georgia and get in a fender bender, your collision coverage will have your back. This means that if you hit someone else’s car or damage their property, or even if you accidentally roll your own car, your insurance will have you covered. Your liability will help pay for damages you cause to another person’s property, while collision will help pay for repairs for your own damages.
Comprehensive car insurance in Georgia is a great choice, as well, and handles off-road loss or damage such as car theft, vandalism, getting your vehicle tossed around in a Georgia tornado, or having a tree limb drop on it while your car’s parked in your driveway.
Why Do I Need Collision Coverage?
When it comes to the types of car insurance in Georgia, it’s cheaper (and legal) to only have liability insurance. The downside is that liability only financially protects others in an accident where you’re at fault. For the damage done to your vehicle, the only choices are to either fix the car out of pocket or don’t fix it.
Now, here are top seven reasons for carrying collision coverage on your auto insurance policy.
1. Driving Is Risky
You likely get behind the wheel so frequently that you don’t even think of the risk. That’s true whether you’re dropping the kids off at school, meandering around on a few errands, or driving halfway across the state for work.
Wherever you’re headed in the Peach State or beyond, the risk of anything from a fender bender to a serious accident is always present. You might not be injured, but you could sustain thousands of dollars in damages in the blink of an eye.
2. The Cost of Car Repairs Is Outrageous
Let’s consider just one small fact: the cost of repairing a single airbag can be $2,000 or more. If more than one airbag goes off in a simple bump, well, that’s just the opening round in your repair estimate.
Do you have that kind of cash on hand? Few of us do.
If the accident was not your fault, but the other driver has no insurance or not enough, you could be left with maxed-out credit cards to make the repairs.
What if you were the cause of the accident and you’ve got other drivers and property owners sending you bills for damages? Your liability insurance will help pay those bills – but only up to your policy limits. There won’t be any money to pay for your own repairs.
Collision coverage is the hero to the rescue in both scenarios. Whether your fault or not, you’ll be able to get repairs so you aren’t left without wheels or a maxed out credit card.
3. Other Drivers Maybe Aren’t as Responsible as You
Georgia is an at-fault state. That means the driver deemed to be at fault for the collision can turn to their insurance company for help with costs associated with the accident.
Fair enough. But what if the person at fault is an uninsured driver or doesn’t carry enough to pay for all damages? What if it’s a hit-and-run driver at fault who’s never found? Uninsured motorist coverage is a good idea, but only collision will kick in even if the accident is your fault.
The point is that not every driver is as responsible as you. In situations where there’s no possibility of a financial settlement from the at-fault driver’s insurance company, your collision coverage will handle the damages. You’re covered even when it’s not your fault.
4. The Fault Might Be Yours
Ouch. The truth hurts, but sometimes you’re the guilty party. Whether you’re in bumper-to-bumper traffic in downtown Atlanta or visiting relatives on unfamiliar roads in Ty Ty, Georgia, you could be the party at fault.
Yes, you could cause an accident without making stupid or irresponsible mistakes. That’s why they are called accidents. Whether it’s poor driving in miserable weather, a stressed-out situation in congested city traffic, or a fence post in your blind spot, you’re suddenly in a bad situation.
What will you do if the officer who investigates to determine who is at fault in the accident pins the fault on you, and you’re suddenly responsible for thousands of dollars in damages?
The primary purpose of collision coverage in Georgia is to provide vehicle repairs to your auto, even if you are at fault.
5. When Your Ride Is Mothballed, So Is Your Life
After an accident involving a wall that wasn’t supposed to be there (or at least that’s your argument), your mechanic gives you an estimate of $3,000 to get your car running again.
It might as well be three million dollars, because you don’t can’t pay that kind of bill out of pocket. Maybe if you save for a few months, but in the meantime, you’re stranded.
If you’re close to public transportation or can walk or ride a bike to most places, you can get by for a while. But how realistic is that? Can you imagine riding your bike in the pouring rain? Face it: you need your vehicle to be in prime running condition as soon as possible.
Your collision coverage will kick in to save the day, but keep in mind you’ll still need to come up with a deductible.
6. Your Collision Coverage Might be Mandatory
Do you need collision coverage to satisfy the requirements of the State of Georgia? Nope — but it might still be mandatory in your case. That’s because many finance companies won’t lend you the money to buy a car unless you have this specific type of insurance.
7. You Can Control the Cost of Collision Coverage
Collision coverage costs more than liability, but it offers so much more financial protection. The good news is that you can largely control the cost of the benefit.
Your auto insurance agent can show you how to reduce the cost by taking on a higher deductible or a lower coverage limit. And if you’re dealing with an independent auto insurance agent, they can go shopping for the most affordable coverage from a large selection of insurers.
That’s because independent agents don’t work for just one insurance company. Instead, they contract with several insurers so they can compare rates and bring their customers the best deals in comprehensive and collision coverage.