It’s a rare accident, but that doesn’t make it something that people shouldn’t worry about. Especially if your house is close to a busy street. Maybe you’ve wondered what would happen if a car crashed into your house. Would the driver be held liable? Would you have to pay for the damage? These are all questions coming to your mind in this scenario.
Well, let’s see what will go on if it happens to you.
Will the Driver’s Vehicle Policy Pay for the Damage?
When someone else is causing damage to your home, it’s obvious you expect them to pay for it. After all, you shouldn’t spend your money fixing something that someone did out of their own negligence.
Well, when it comes to cars crashing in a home, or just any other type of car accident, it’s always the responsible party at fault for it. As such, they will be required to pay you for the damage they’ve caused. The property damage clause of an auto policy will make this possible.
If the driver was under the influence of alcohol, then he/she will have to face even more penalties. Driving under any kind of influence is against the law. Even if they seek the help of DUI defense lawyers, this won’t make them any less guilty.
The issue at hand is that there is a limit to the amount of coverage you can receive. Each state in the U.S. has property damage coverage minimums. But it’s up to every driver to select the amount of coverage they want.
For our primary question, what if the damage caused by the car crash of that amount is higher than their property damage coverage amount? Who is going to cover the additional amount of money?
Your Homeowner Policy Might Help
When thinking about “Much Can I Afford to Spend on a House?” one of the variables is homeowners insurance. It’s almost always required. Since you have it, your policy should be able to cover the additional damage caused by a driver who crashed into your home.
You must find the homeowner’s policy and read it to make sure the damage caused by vehicles is coverable for you. Usually, a policy will protect the owner of the house from damage such as vandalism, smoke, fire, theft, and, lastly, vehicles. The term “vehicles” must be listed there.
If it isn’t, then you must contact your insurance agent and find out what you can do in this case.
What Should You Do If It Happens?
Before you do anything else, you must check if you or the driver and his passengers are safe and without injuries. Don’t move the injured party! Also, whether there are injuries or not, you should call 911 immediately. Tell them what happened and they will direct your next course of action.
Afterward, you need to collect the information that will help you get the damage covered. Collect the contact information, names, and insurance of the driver, as well as yours. Let the homeowner’s insurance company know about the case and provide them with the collected data.
Final Thoughts
If a car crashes into your house, that’s a scary thing! Don’t panic. Stay calm and follow the advice in this article. Hopefully, no one was harmed and your most valued possessions are still safe. Then, check with each insurance company to see if all the money for repairing the damage will come from sources other than yourself. We hope that’s the case!
