Does Auto Insurance Cover Car Repairs? Your Complete Guide

When your car needs a fix, you might wonder if your insurance will help pay for it. It’s a great question, and many people feel confused about it. So, does auto insurance cover repairs? The simple answer is it depends. This guide will break down when your insurance policy helps you and when it doesn’t. We will make it super simple to understand.

When Does Insurance Cover Your Repairs?

Your car insurance is there to help with unexpected problems, not for everyday car care. Think of it like a safety net for sudden events. Two main types of coverage that pay for repairs.

• Collision Coverage: This is for when you get into an accident. It helps pay to fix your car if you hit another vehicle or an object, like a fence post or a guardrail. It covers your car’s damage, even if you were at fault.
• Comprehensive Coverage: This is for almost everything else. It covers damage that is not from a crash. According to ICBC, this includes things like theft, vandalism, fire, earthquakes, explosions, and even things falling on your car, like a tree branch or hail.

What Auto Insurance Almost Never Covers

It is also important to know what your insurance won't pay for. This helps you avoid surprises later on. Insurance is not meant for regular upkeep. Here are some common things that are not covered:

• Routine Maintenance: This includes normal car care like oil changes, new tires, replacing brake pads, or getting a tune-up.
• Mechanical Breakdowns: If your engine suddenly stops working or your transmission fails because of age, insurance won't cover it. This is usually called wear and tear.
• Pre-existing Damage: Your insurance won't pay for any dents or scratches that were already on your car before your policy started.

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Understanding Different Scenarios

Let's look at a few examples to see how this works in real life. Seeing the rules in action can make them much clearer.

You Hit Another Car

This is a perfect example of when collision coverage helps. Your insurance will help pay for getting your vehicle fixed. A professional shop, like Cerna Collision, can handle these kinds of repairs and work directly with your insurance company to make it easy.

A Tree Branch Falls on Your Car

This is not a car crash, so comprehensive coverage takes care of it. Even though it wasn't an accident, insurance helps because it was a sudden event you couldn't control. This coverage protects all kinds of vehicles, from a family car to a luxury Range Rover.

Your Engine Stops Working on the Highway

If your engine just stops working because it's old, this is seen as a mechanical breakdown. Unfortunately, standard insurance policies do not cover this. This is a classic case of wear and tear, which is the car owner's responsibility.

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How to File a Claim for Covered Repairs

If something happens that your insurance does not cover, what do you do next? Filing a claim is easier than you think if you follow a few simple steps.

1. Contact Your Insurer: Call your insurance provider right away to tell them what happened.
2. Document the Damage: Use your phone to take lots of clear pictures of the damage. Also, write down what happened.
3. Get an Estimate: Your insurance company will ask for a repair estimate from a body shop. Dealing with all the paperwork can be a hassle, but getting professional claim assistance can make the whole process go much more smoothly. 

Conclusion

Let’s wrap it up. Your car insurance is for sudden, unexpected events, not for routine maintenance or problems from old age. It's so important to read your own policy to see what it covers.

Ultimately, knowing does auto insurance covers repairs comes down to what caused the damage. If you ever need repairs after an accident or covered event, always choose a trusted ICBC-accredited body shop to make sure the job is done right.