Usually, yes, as long as you carry collision. Sliding off the road and into a ditch, a pole, or a snowbank is normally a collision claim, not comprehensive. If you only carry liability, which is all Pennsylvania requires, the damage to your own car generally isn’t covered.
We hear this one every winter. The first real lake-effect band rolls in, and somebody on Route 5 out by Lake City ends up nose-first in the ditch. Here’s how it usually shakes out.
Collision, not comprehensive
A lot of people figure snow is “weather,” so it must be comprehensive. Comprehensive handles things like hail, a tree falling on a parked car, or hitting a deer. Once your car is moving and slides into something, that’s normally collision, and your collision deductible is the one that applies.
If you only carry liability
Liability pays for damage you do to other people and their property. It doesn’t fix your own car. If you’ve got an older car with liability only, a slide into the ditch is usually out of pocket.
If you take out a mailbox or a fence
Damage to somebody else’s mailbox, fence, or yard usually goes under your liability coverage. Your own car’s damage would still go under collision, if you have it.
If you’re just stuck
If the car’s not damaged and you just need to be pulled out, that’s a tow, not a claim. Roadside or towing coverage handles that if you added it. If you didn’t, it’s usually a call to the tow truck and a check you write.
If someone gets hurt
In Pennsylvania, your own medical benefits on your car policy help with injuries to you and your passengers no matter who was at fault.
Will it raise my rates?
It might. Sliding off on your own is often treated as an at-fault accident, but every company handles it a little differently. If you’re worried about it, call us before you file and we’ll talk it through.
If it happens to you
Put your flashers on and stay in the car if it’s not safe to get out. If anyone’s hurt or you’re blocking traffic, call 911. Take photos of the car, the road, and anything you hit. Then call us before you pick a body shop.
The quick check before the first storm
Pull up your declarations page and look for “collision” with a deductible next to it, and see if towing or roadside is on there too. If you’re not sure what you’ve got, give us a call and we’ll look at it with you. It takes five minutes, and that’s a lot better than finding out from the ditch.
Call us at (814) 774-0272
