Car policy confusing? Ask Poli.
Is hitting a deer collision or comprehensive?
Animal strikes usually fall under comprehensive, which matters because the deductibles are often different.
What filed auto forms generally say
Contact with a bird or animal is generally treated as a comprehensive loss in filed auto forms, not a collision loss.
Swerving to avoid an animal and striking a tree or ditch is normally the opposite: that is typically a collision claim, with the collision deductible.
Because the two deductibles often differ, the classification decides what you pay out of pocket for the same night's damage.
Why your policy can still say something else
Some forms define animal contact expressly; others leave it to the comprehensive definition. Deductibles are declarations facts.
Clauses to look for in your own document
- Part D — Other Than Collision (Comprehensive)
- Part D — Collision Coverage
- Deductible
- Definitions — Collision
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PoliSays explains document wording. It is not an insurer, broker, or law firm, and nothing here is advice.