Does comprehensive auto insurance cover if you hit a rad hazard?

john_colasante · 07-26-2005, 05:19 AM

Situation. My mother called and said she hit something large in the road at night and it destroyed the engine crankcase of her newish VW Golf. I was advising her to check with insurance because she has full coverage. Does insurance cover this type of thing typically? Apparently something in the road perhaps a chunk of metal ripped a hole in her crankcase, all of the oil came out, and the engine siezed pretty quickly. Ouch.

Tishabet · 07-26-2005, 05:22 AM

Boy! What do you think she hit? Had to be something pretty solid to destroy the crankcase!

legion · 07-26-2005, 05:30 AM

This would normally be covered under collision, as she was driving the vehicle and struck something. A nice claim rep might consider it under comp, but don't hold your breath.

See what it would cost to fix. (I'm guessing very pricey.)

See what her deductible on collision is (most insurers require some sort of deductible on collision).

Go with the option that costs less. Keep in mind, that this could lead to an increase in her rates, but that depends on her insurer's underwriting rules.

304065 · 07-26-2005, 05:39 AM

JC,

Without resorting to the lawyer cop-out "it depends on the policy" I would think the answer would be YES.

Flashback to 1995, I and a few friends were piled into my 1991 318iS on the way to a hockey game. The weight of the hockey equipment, as well as the bulk of the players, had the car riding pretty low. Anyway, it was my second year in Law School and my eyes were completely shot, but out of pride I refused to wear eyeglasses. You can see what's coming next (but I didn't)-- as I was dropping everyone off at the rink, I ran over a concrete curb and shattered the magnesium oil pan into a hundred pieces. Fortunately I killed the ignition just as the low-oil light came on.

All was replaced under the comprehensive policy, all I paid was a small deductible. You should definitely look into it.

kaisen · 07-26-2005, 06:14 AM

Yes, of course you're covered if you hit something on the road.

It just happened to me for the first time ever about two weeks ago. Someone lost the full size spare to their boat trailer, two other cars hit it, then a semi skidded it into my lane. I was doing about 75mph at the time, with traffic on all sides. All I had time to do was aim to straddle it rather than hit it with one of my wheels.

It was a jarring impact. The car slowed, sputtered, made a grinding noise, and smoked, so I immediately pulled to the side of the road and shut it down. The noises and smell were from skidding the tire and wheel along the ground for a few hundred feet.

The wheel/tire was pinned under the car. After making sure there were no leaks, I backed up and it dislodged, dropping chunks of expensive looking alloy shrapnel.

Short version: pushed motor up 3/4 inch, grenaded motor mount and trans torque arm (the shrapnel pieces), bent the subframe/cradle, broke bits off the oil pan and trans pan, and bent a few bolts and mounts. Final bill $3300.

Thank god it wasn't my car. The other two cars that hit it also had undercarriage damage and had to be towed away.

E

ckissick · 07-26-2005, 07:36 AM

I guess the answer varies. Last year my wife hit a chair on the freeway and did some body damage to the car. She told the insurance lady, and the lady asked, "Was the chair moving?" My wife said,"No". The lady replied, "I'll ask again, was the chair moving?" My wife, "Uhh, yes." Insurance lady, "Good, then you're covered."

Don't ask me why, but that was the case with our policy. Good thing the insurance lady was so nice.

john_colasante · 07-26-2005, 09:58 AM

Thanks for the feedback guys

campbellcj · 07-26-2005, 09:50 PM

My former boss had an '89 Carrera and hit a large rock/debris in one of the Malibu canyons, which caused a sudden, complete loss of oil pressure. He got a crate-motor replacement fully paid by insurance, which was north of $10K at that time.