How Does Texas Collision Car Insurance Work?

Answer 1

One thing that new drivers may be surprised about is how many different kinds of car insurance coverage there are. This is no different in the state of Texas. Many new Texan drivers may wonder what collision coverage is. To help, below is an explanation of how Texas collision car insurance works.

Collision coverage is a kind of insurance coverage that comes standard in most car insurance policies. This is no different for many Texas policies. Collision coverage is designed to provide a driver protection if that driver were to ever hit another car on the road or a stationary object.

Collision coverage is different from other forms of insurance due to the fact it is designed only to protect a driver's own vehicle. If a car hits a telephone pole, for example, the collision coverage could be used to pay for repairs made to that vehicle. The coverage, however, will not pay for repairs made to another driver's car in a multiple car accident.

Collision coverage will not pay for a person's medical bills or the medical bills of anyone else harmed in an accident. Those bills must be paid using a policy's PIP or BIL coverage. Collision coverage will also not pay for damage done to any other kind of property. If a car crash damages a person's residence, for instance, another form of coverage must be used to pay for those expenses.

However, in Texas, collision coverage cannot actually be purchased on its own like in other states. It can only be purchased as part of comprehensive car insurance coverage. Comprehensive coverage covers many things in addition to collisions. It is also used to protect a driver in case the vehicle is damaged by an "act of God."

Such an act would include damage from severe weather. If the windshield of a car is broken by especially large hail, the comprehensive coverage can be used to pay for the repair bills. In Texas, this coverage also covers any time a car is damaged in a collision. However, this is not always the case in other states.

Comprehensive coverage is actually optional in the state. For this reason, a person can choose not to have comprehensive and collision coverage. However, this is probably not a wise idea. If any damage were to happen to the vehicle due to a collision or an act of god, the driver would be left to pay for those expenses out of pocket.