Does my car insurance cover damage caused by a fallen power line?
Are you curious about car insurance coverage for damage caused by a fallen power line? You may need collision coverage to cover damage caused by a fallen power line. However, if the line fell due to negligence on the part of the power company, they may be liable for the damage the fallen power line caused to your car.
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Jeff Root
Licensed Insurance Agent
Jeff is a well-known speaker and expert in life insurance and financial planning. He has spoken at top insurance conferences around the U.S., including the InsuranceNewsNet Super Conference, the 8% Nation Insurance Wealth Conference, and the Digital Life Insurance Agent Mastermind. He has been featured and quoted in Nerdwallet, Bloomberg, Forbes, U.S. News & Money, USA Today, and other leading...
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UPDATED: Nov 27, 2023
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UPDATED: Nov 27, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- If you have collision coverage, your insurance company should help if you suffer damage caused by a fallen power line
- If you don’t have collision coverage and the line fell due to negligence rather than a weather-related event, the utility company that owned the line may also be responsible
- If you hit a pole, causing the line to fall, you may be responsible and should file a liability claim with your insurance company
Does car insurance cover damage caused by a fallen power line? If you have an accident involving a power line which causes damage to your car, you may be worried about the cost.
Do you need to know how to file a car insurance claim to pay for the damages, or is someone else liable in this case? We understand why you are worried and have provided you with the answers below.
Will my car insurance cover damage caused by a fallen power line?
If you have collision coverage, your insurance company should pay for the damage to your vehicle. When you work with one of the best collision coverage car insurance companies to get this type of protection, it’ll pay for the damage to your vehicle when you get involved in a crash with another vehicle or stationary object.
However, you may also be responsible for the damage in some circumstances.
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Will I have to pay for the damage if I hit a utility pole, causing the power lines to fall?
You may be liable if you crash into a utility pole, causing the power line to fall in the first place. In this case, you should read up about full coverage car insurance, which should include liability coverage as mandated by your state.
This should pay for any claim by the owner of the utility pole. You need to file a claim with your own insurance company and provide all the details for them to process the claim.
What if I don’t have collision car insurance and my car is damaged by a fallen power line?
If you don’t have collision coverage, you may want to bring a claim against the owner of the power lines asserting negligence. This company has a duty of care to ensure that the business does not cause any danger or damage to third parties.
If you could prove that the power lines fell due to negligence on their part, you can typically get them to pay for the damage to your vehicle.
Will my insurance cover me if the power lines fall due to adverse weather?
If storms caused the power line to fall, the company that owned the lines could assert that this was due to circumstances beyond their control. They would say that they were not negligent in this case and could not prevent the downed lines.
If you do not have collision cover, you may be unable to get compensation from either your insurance company or the owner of the lines.
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What should I do if I run into fallen power lines?
You should assume that the power lines are still alive and stay in your vehicle. Then, call the emergency number for assistance and wait until help arrives. If the lines are live, the utility company must isolate the power before you exit the vehicle. Otherwise, electrocution is possible, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Will my insurance go up if I make a claim because of a fallen power line?
If you make a claim but were not responsible for the accident, your insurance rates will probably not increase.
However, if you hit a pole causing the power lines to fall and this was your fault, this will be one of the main factors that affect car insurance rates. As a result, there’s a chance that your rates will increase.
Case Studies: Car Insurance and Damage Caused by Fallen Power Lines
Case Study 1: Comprehensive Coverage
Jane Smith is a 35-year-old working professional who owns a sedan. She has comprehensive car insurance coverage and lives in an area prone to severe weather conditions, including thunderstorms.
Jane contacts her insurance company immediately and files a claim for the damage caused by the fallen power line. She provides photographs of the incident, details of the event, and any other documentation required. The insurance company sends an adjuster to assess the damage and estimate the repair costs.
As Jane has comprehensive coverage, her insurance policy covers the damage caused by the fallen power line. She only has to pay the deductible, and the insurance company takes care of the repair costs, allowing her to get her car fixed without significant financial burden.
Case Study 2: Liability-Only Coverage
John Davis is a 22-year-old college student who owns an older model car. He has liability-only car insurance coverage, which is the minimum legal requirement in his state. John lives in a suburban area with a moderate risk of power line damage due to trees and strong winds.
Since John’s liability-only policy does not cover damage caused by a fallen power line, he cannot file a claim with his insurance company for the repairs. He would need to consider alternative options such as paying for the repairs out of pocket or seeking compensation from the party responsible for the fallen power line, such as the power company if negligence was involved.
Due to having liability-only coverage, John’s car insurance policy does not cover the damage caused by the fallen power line. He will need to explore other avenues to address the repair expenses and pursue potential compensation from the responsible party.
Case Study 3: Power Line Damage Coverage Endorsement
Sarah Johnson is a 45-year-old businesswoman who owns a luxury SUV. She has an extensive car insurance policy with additional coverage endorsements. Sarah lives in an urban area where power line damage incidents are relatively common.
Sarah contacts her insurance company immediately to report the incident and initiate the claims process. She provides all the necessary details, including photographs and descriptions of the damage. The insurance company sends an adjuster to assess the damage and estimate the repair costs.
Since Sarah had specifically added a power line damage endorsement to her car insurance policy, the damage caused by the fallen power line is covered. After paying the deductible, the insurance company takes care of the repair costs, ensuring Sarah can have her car repaired without significant financial strain.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get in trouble if you hit a pole and leave the scene?
If you hit and damaged a pole, you should report the incident as soon as possible, otherwise, you may get into trouble with the authorities for leaving the scene (or a “hit-and-run”). In addition, you may need to file a claim with your insurance company to pay for the damage to the pole, as claimed by the owner.
How much does it cost if you hit a utility pole?
The cost will vary and depend on the extent of the damage. For example, will the company need to replace the pole completely, or can they repair it? Did the impact damage any other lines or equipment?
Does my car insurance cover accidental damage?
If you have collision or comprehensive car insurance in place, it will usually cover accidental damage. Collision damage refers to an accident with another vehicle or stationary object, while comprehensive insurance refers to damage caused by an impact with something like a wild animal.
Are you looking for free insurance quotes?
Your one-stop online insurance guide. Get free quotes now!
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Jeff Root
Licensed Insurance Agent
Jeff is a well-known speaker and expert in life insurance and financial planning. He has spoken at top insurance conferences around the U.S., including the InsuranceNewsNet Super Conference, the 8% Nation Insurance Wealth Conference, and the Digital Life Insurance Agent Mastermind. He has been featured and quoted in Nerdwallet, Bloomberg, Forbes, U.S. News & Money, USA Today, and other leading...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.