Does Car Insurance Cover Me If I Hit A Pole?

Navigation

Will my car insurance cover me if I hit a pole?
How is hitting a pole covered by insurance policy?
How much of the damage from hitting a pole is covered?
If basic insurance will not cover hitting a pole, what will?
Expert(s) Found on this Page

Will my car insurance cover me if I hit a pole? 

I was driving in the rain and my car hydroplaned and I slid into a pole. I didn't hit the pole on purpose, but technically, it's my fault. Will my insurance cover me hitting the pole with my car? 

While no one intentionally hits a pole, unfortunately it happens. Most people might think that insurance will automatically cover hitting a pole, especially if the factors that led to you hitting the pole were out of your control. However, insurance will only cover hitting a pole if you have a collision policy. 

• Collision coverage: This covers repairs to your car in case of a collision with another vehicle or inanimate object, like a pole.

While collision coverage goes beyond the legal minimum requirement for insurance, seeing as most car accidents are the result of a collision with something else, it's smart to have that insurance coverage. 

How is hitting a pole covered by insurance policy?

I hit a pole with my car and I've been told that my insurance will cover it, but I don't understand the process of how my insurance will cover the accident. 

If you have collision insurance and you hit a pole, the first thing you want to do is call your insurance agent or your insurance company and file a claim. They'll open a claim, investigate the accident, and determine whether they'll cover the incident. 

If your insurance company determines that you will be covered under your policy, they will work with you to send your car to an approved body shop to get the damage fixed. From there, you just need to sit back and wait to hear from your insurance company. They'll work directly with the body shop to get your car fixed, and you'll be notified when your car is ready to be picked up. 

How much of the damage from hitting a pole is covered? 

The body shop says that I have $2,500 in damage after hitting a pole with my car. How much of that will my insurance cover? 

Your insurance will cover all of the damage to your vehicle (up to your limit,) minus your deductible. 

Your collision coverage will have a limit, which is the maximum amount your policy will pay toward a covered claim. Usually the limit is the price of your vehicle, so as long as hitting a pole does not cost you more than the price of your vehicle, then your insurance will cover the amount. 

Whatever the price, you will always have to pay your deductible. The amount of your deductible will depend on your insurance policy and coverages, and can range anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars. 

So if you hit a pole and you have $2,500 in damage with a $500 deductible, you're responsible for $500 and your insurance will be responsible for $2,000. 

How much do I have to pay if insurance does not cover all the damage? 

Is there ever a situation where my insurance would not cover all of the damage from hitting a pole? If so, how much do I have to pay if my insurance doesn't cover all the damage? 

As long as you have collision coverage, and the damage to your car is not more than the limit on your collision policy, your insurance will cover the total cost of the damage. 

Let's say that you have a low collision limit, like $5,000, and the damage to your car is $7,000. You would owe the difference between your policy limit ($5,000) and the cost of damage ($7,000). However, at this point, it's likely that the damage is worth more than the value of your car and it's not worth fixing. In this scenario, your insurance company may offer to total your car and send you a check for the total value of your car minus your deductible. 

If you have the proper coverage and your car isn't totaled, you will never owe more than your deductible.

If basic insurance will not cover hitting a pole, what will? 

I didn't purchase collision insurance when I bought my insurance plan. If I hit a pole and my basic car insurance policy does not cover the damage, what will? 

Having collision insurance is the only thing that will cover you hitting a pole. Collision insurance is often included in full-coverage car insurance policies, so you could also consider that route. If you have a basic insurance policy that does not include collision insurance, I'd consider talking to your independent insurance agent about your policy and how you can adjust your policy so it includes collision to get the best coverage for an affordable price.