By Steven M. Ladd

The Horan Companies

If you’re anything like me, then your first reaction when something runs in front of you while driving would be to swerve! However, that might not always be the best choice. Of course, you’d have to make that decision within that split second before you no longer have a chance. So why does it matter? For full disclosure, we’ll look at this through the lens of your insurance rates rather than the lens of humanity.

There are two parts to your auto insurance which pay for damage done to your car: Comprehensive (aka Other Than Collision) and Collision. Though optional, most insureds usually carry both types on vehicles made within the last 10 years or so. Each has a deductible, which will vary based on what you chose when you purchased the policy.

I’ll briefly explain what “collision” means as it applies to your insurance policy. Collision provides coverage for damage done to your vehicle due to the colliding with another vehicle or object (including the ground). The insurance company’s position is that you are responsible for maintaining control of your vehicle at all times. Even if you slide on black ice and end up in a ditch with your bumper on the ground, that is still considered a collision.

Comprehensive, on the other hand, is a bit more broad. It covers damage due to fire, theft, explosion, wind, falling objects, vandalism, riot, flood, water, hail, glass breakage and yes, a living bird or animal. Comprehensive claims are less impactful on one’s insurance rate when compared to a collision loss because you have less control over these accidents.

Now, back to the deer.

Since a living animal (notice how I keep saying living?) is considered comprehensive, and thus is the only thing you can hit while your car is in motion without it being a costly collision claim, does it make sense not to swerve? From a financial perspective, it would.

If you try to avoid hitting the animal and as a result hit a guardrail, telephone pole or street sign, you’d be facing a more trying outcome. The damage done to your car is now the more price-burdensome collision kind. The damage done to the guardrail? That is on you as well. Except that is a property damage claim, and an at-fault one to make life even more fun. Depending on your property damage liability limits, you could be coming out of pocket to make up the difference.

So, the next time you have almost no time to make a decision, what will you do? Swerve or continue? If you’re the next one coming down the road after the person who continued, you’d better swerve! That dead deer is now an object that should have been avoided!

Don’t you love insurance?

Steven M. Ladd is an insurance agent with Horan Companies, Inc. He can be reached at (315) 635-2095  or [email protected].