WHAT TO DO WHEN
HAVE AN ACCIDENT ON A PUBLIC STREET
Fault is usually determined by the police officer that is called to the scene. Keep a copy of your insurance card, and vehicle registration in your console or glove box in case this information is needed at the scene. After an accident call your local Police Department, and ask for an accident report, or if it was on private property ask for an incident report to give to your insurance company.
HIT YOUR NEIGHBOR'S CAR
Maybe you just hit your neighbor's car backing out of your driveway; in this case you would be the insured and your claim would fall under collision which would cause your collision deductible to come into play. Your neighbor's vehicle that you just hit will fall under your liability portion of your policy, and your insurance company will pay 100% of their claim including a rental vehicle. For you to have an insurance paid rental vehicle you must have rental on your policy. It is a common error to believe that just because you have full coverage on your policy that you automatically have rental coverage. This is not true. Vehicle rental is a separate coverage. The cost of adding it to your policy for the year would be less than the cost of a two-day rental. The best advice is to call your agent and ask if you have rental coverage.
YOU ARE REAR ENDED
You could have been rear-ended at a stop sign; in this case you would be the claimant, (if the other party has the minimum insurance required by law). They do not have to have full coverage for their policy to pay for your repairs. Full coverage would only benefit them, because without it their repairs would not be covered. If the person who hit you has no insurance, your insurance company would then have to accept the responsibility for the claim, and it would be filed under the "uninsured motorist, or collision" part of your policy, and your collision deductible would apply. Your insurance company would then sue the other party for the amount of the claim. As long as the other driver has the minimum requirements by law, your vehicle repairs would be covered under their insurance policy. In this situation you would have no deductible, and a rental vehicle would be provided for you at no cost.
YOU HAVE AN ANIMAL RELATED COLLISION
In the circumstance of an animal related collision: In this case your claim would be filed under the comprehensive terms of your policy, (as long as you hit the animal). If you swerve to miss the animal and hit another object like a tree or the ditch, then the claim falls under your collision deductible, and your collision deductible would come into play.
YOU ARE IN A HIT-AND-RUN
A hit-and-run accident will fall under your collision deductible unless the person who caused the damage is caught and has proper insurance. If the person who is responsible for the accident has insurance, then you are now the claimant and the claim will be paid for through their insurance company. If you know where the hit-and-run occurred, look around for any video surveillance cameras that might be on buildings or poles in the area. You might find information that could be helpful in finding the person responsible for your damages.