So, it might seem like a far-fetched scenario – what if someone drives into your house? (How could that even happen?) But it’s something that happens more than one might expect. People accidentally drive into houses all the time, and as you can imagine, a car can cause some pretty intense damage to a poor, unsuspecting house. So…what happens? Are you covered? We’ll explain what could happen in such circumstances.
What could happen if someone drives into your house?
First of all – the driver should have liability insurance.
Many states require drivers to carry liability insurance, which typically consists of two parts. Bodily injury liability can help an at-fault driver cover the other driver’s medical expenses and such following an accident. Property damage liability can help them cover the repairs of the other driver’s car. Pretty much every state requires these two coverages, so the other driver should have insurance. (Which is very helpful for situations like this.) If they don’t…well, they’ve got a problem.
Here’s the thing – property damage liability can also cover damage to other property that happens to get damage. For example…someone’s house. So, if a driver happens to crash into your house and cause some damage, their property damage liability insurance can help repair your house. (And technically they’re responsible for doing so, since they’re the one who accidentally crashed into your home, after all.) Their insurance should help you get your home all fixed up following the mishap with the car.
(And that could mean you can avoid filing a home insurance claim, which is always helpful!)
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Your home insurance.
Okay, so the other driver’s car insurance is an option if someone drives into your house. However, your home insurance may also cover the damage to your house. Your policy will explain the perils that your house is protected against, and, oddly enough, damage from vehicles can often be a covered peril. (Of course, you really have to read your policy thoroughly to make sure you understand what is and isn’t covered. That’s just a good idea when dealing with any sort of insurance – read the policy all the way through and ask any questions you might have.)
Home insurance can protect your house from all sorts of whacky situations, so take some time to read through your policy. We’re guessing there will be at least a few “huh” moments that you’ll encounter. Sure, home insurance can protect you from normal things like fire, hail, storm damage, and so on…and then the more outside-the-box things like cars smashing things or meteors falling from the sky and onto the roof.
Anyways, make sure you think about your deductible. (This is the amount you’ve agreed to pay if you have a claim.) If the damages to your home aren’t more than your deductible, it may not be worth it to file a home insurance claim. It might be better to just pay for the damage out of pocket. You might need to do some number-crunching to find out if it’s worth it to file a claim or not.
So, if someone accidentally drives their car into your house, don’t despair. The other driver’s property damage liability insurance may help cover the costs – which means you don’t have to use your home insurance. However, your home insurance could also swoop in to save the day – it may cover damage from vehicles. Who would have thought? Anyways, don’t forget to think about your deductible and crunch some numbers to see if it’s worth filing a claim through your home insurance.
Speaking of home insurance (well, and car insurance) we can help with that. If you need some home insurance quotes or auto insurance quotes, our team would be happy to help. Get started with your quotes by filling out our online quote form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat.