You need home insurance, and you also need car insurance. Though your car and your home are different items, they intersect in unique ways. For example, when you park your car in the garage, you might think it is safe. But, you never know when something might come along that damages your vehicle in the garage. If it does, your policies might interact in unique ways. How can you structure your protection to get maximum benefits?
Using your car insurance and your home insurance might help you insure a car damaged in your garage. Yet, you should always turn to your car insurance as your primary source of help.
Homeowners Insurance for Cars Damaged in Garages
Let's say that you park your car in your garage one night. You already expect bad weather and during the night, a severe storm hits. The worst-case scenario strikes. A tree crashes into the garage, causing a partial collapse. The falling roof damages your car. Now, the house has damage. But, so does the vehicle, even with everything you tried to do to protect it. So, which insurance should you use, your homeowners or vehicle coverage?
The good news is, your homeowners insurance often provides a degree of protection for a car in the garage. Many policies think of the car as a content of the garage, and your home's contents often have coverage on the policy. So, if you do need to make a claim on the home policy for the damaged car, then you might have this option.
Still, many home policies offer the most-limited protection for cars in the garage. The financial settlements offered might not be enough for your vehicle. Some policies won't cover the car at all. So, it is a better idea to turn to car insurance to cover the vehicle.
Car Insurance for Garage-Bound Vehicles
Yes, a car damaged by a tree falling through your roof often has help from car insurance. However, it must have the appropriate coverage to begin with, not just any policy.
To cover this type of vehicle damage, you generally must have comprehensive insurance. Comprehensive coverage pays for damage caused from non-accident hazards. Vehicle fires, theft, and a tree falling through the garage, generally have coverage. Comprehensive coverage usually is not mandatory for drivers to carry. Make sure you tell your insurer that you want this coverage.
In most cases, your policy can provide at least the car's cash value at the time of the damage. Yet, ask your Insurance Discounters of Texas agent about adding replacement cost insurance for the vehicle. So, if the falling tree totals the car, then you can often buy a brand new, similar car.
Also Read: Which Policy Pays For A Car Damaged in Your Garage?
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