Collision Coverage for Seniors in Michigan
Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your car after it hits another vehicle or object, or rolls over, no matter who caused it.
What collision coverage pays for
Covers
- Hitting another vehicle If you cause the crash, this pays for damage to your own car, not the other driver's.
- Hitting a fixed object A mailbox, a guardrail, a parked car in a lot, a tree you backed into, all of it falls under this coverage.
- Single car rollovers If your car rolls or flips without another vehicle involved, this still applies.
- Potholes and road damage Collision with the road surface itself, like a deep pothole that bends a wheel or cracks a frame, is covered.
- Hit and run damage to your car If the other driver takes off and can't be identified, this coverage steps in to pay for your car.
Doesn't cover
- Weather and falling objects Hail, flooding, a tree limb landing on your car, that's comprehensive coverage, not collision.
- Theft of the vehicle A stolen car is handled by comprehensive coverage, not this one.
- Injuries to you or passengers Medical costs from a crash are handled by personal injury protection or medical payments coverage, not collision.
- Mechanical breakdown A transmission failing or an engine dying on its own has nothing to do with a crash, so this won't pay for it.
- Damage to someone else's car That's what liability coverage is for, and it's a separate part of your policy.
Whether it's worth it depends mostly on what the car is worth, not your age
The math here has nothing to do with being a senior and everything to do with the car. If your car is paid off and worth very little, the most this coverage could ever pay you is that small amount, minus your deductible. Many people keep paying for coverage that could barely cover a single repair bill.
If you could cover the cost of a new or newer car from savings without strain, you may not need this coverage at all. Some people choose to self-insure for collision once they've built up enough set aside for exactly this kind of loss, and that's a reasonable call if the numbers work for you.
How much you drive matters too. Someone who still commutes or drives a lot of highway miles faces more exposure than someone who drives short distances a few times a week. Less time on the road generally means less chance of needing this coverage.
Where the car sits overnight and during the day also plays a role. A car kept in a garage in a quiet area faces different risks than one parked on a busy street or in a crowded lot, though that factor matters more for comprehensive coverage than for this one.
How a collision claim actually plays out
When you file a claim, you pay your deductible first and the coverage pays the rest, up to what your car is worth. The insurer sends someone to look at the damage, or asks for photos, and then either approves a repair shop estimate or declares the car a total loss if repairs would cost more than the car's value.
If it's a total loss, you get a payout based on your car's value right before the crash, not what you paid for it years ago or what it would cost to replace it new. That number can surprise people who've driven the same car a long time and assumed it was worth more.
Have your policy number, the other driver's information if there was one, and photos of the scene and damage ready when you call. A police report helps too, especially if the other driver left or there's a dispute about what happened.
Repairs get paid either straight to the shop or to you, depending on how your insurer handles it. Keep in mind your deductible comes out of whatever the final payment is, so a smaller repair might cost you more out of pocket than it's worth filing a claim over at all.
Collision vs. comprehensive coverage
Collision Coverage
This pays for damage to your car from a crash with another vehicle or object, or from flipping over, regardless of who's at fault. It's tied directly to an impact.
Comprehensive Coverage
This pays for damage that isn't from a crash, like weather, fire, theft, vandalism, or an animal strike. The two are usually sold together but they cover different kinds of events.
If you're deciding whether to drop one, think about which risk worries you more: hitting something, or something happening to the car while it sits still.
Real situations
You're pulling out of a church parking lot and clip a concrete post you didn't see.
This pays for the damage to your car, minus your deductible, since it's a collision with a fixed object.
A hailstorm hits while your car is parked at the grocery store and dents the hood and roof.
This doesn't pay, because hail damage falls under comprehensive coverage instead.
A deer runs into the road at dusk on a county highway and you can't stop in time.
This pays for the damage from the impact, since hitting an animal counts as a collision in most policies.
Once you know whether you want to keep, adjust, or drop collision coverage, you're ready to compare quotes that match that choice.
Questions people ask about this
What happens to collision coverage on a leased car?
Leasing companies almost always require you to carry collision coverage for as long as you have the lease. Check your lease agreement for the specific deductible limit they require, since it may be lower than what you'd choose on your own. Dropping it early could put you in breach of the lease terms.
Does collision coverage follow the car or the driver?
It generally follows the car, so if you lend your vehicle to someone and they crash it, your coverage typically applies. If you're driving a borrowed or rented car, whether you're covered depends on your own policy's terms. It's worth checking your policy's language on this before lending your car out regularly.
Can I add collision coverage back after dropping it?
Yes, you can usually add it back at any renewal or mid-term by contacting your insurer. There may be a brief waiting period or a vehicle inspection required before it takes effect. This varies by insurer, so ask directly what their process is.
Does collision coverage cover a cracked windshield?
Only if the crack happened from a crash, like hitting debris in the road. A windshield cracked by a rock while driving, with no other impact, usually falls under comprehensive coverage instead. Check which coverage applies before filing, since the deductibles can differ.
Is collision coverage required by law?
Whether any coverage is legally required varies by state, so check your own policy or your state's rules directly. In many cases it's only required if you have a loan or lease on the vehicle, not by law itself. Once a car is paid off, the choice is often yours to make.
