What Doesn’t Car Insurance Cover?
From pet injuries and personal belongings to routine maintenance and repairs, what’s covered under insurance depends on the type of coverage.
Written by Andrea Barrett
Reviewed by Jessa Claeys
Table of Contents
From routine maintenance and repairs to personal belongings inside your vehicle, your car insurance policy doesn’t protect you from everything—but you can purchase additional types of insurance coverage that can.
Almost all states require a certain amount of
car insurance
to protect you financially if you’re involved in a car accident. For most people, basic liability insurance
is all they purchase—often, it’s all that’s required by law and it’s the cheapest. But liability insurance only protects you from paying for damage you cause to other people and their property in the event of an accident. It doesn’t protect your vehicle—or much else, for that matter. Different types of auto insurance coverage apply to different situations—no single coverage type is a failsafe option. So, what isn’t covered by your policy? Things you assume might not actually be. Let’s dive into the details.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversWhat damage isn’t covered by car insurance?
Personal items inside your car
If your personal belongings are stolen from your car—or worse, your entire vehicle is stolen—having
comprehensive coverage
will pay to replace the car itself. But it won’t cover any personal property left inside, such as sunglasses, shoes, electronics, and other valuables. If you’re in a situation where your vehicle has been stolen, you may be able to file a claim under your
homeowner’s insurance
or renter’s insurance
to cover your in-vehicle losses. Routine car maintenance and repairs
Need an oil change or a tire rotation? If you’re talking about
basic car maintenance
or mechanical repairs caused by normal wear and tear
, insurance won’t cover it. These expenses are part of owning a car. Unless you’ve purchased an extended car warranty (they’ll sometimes cover certain parts) or maintenance plan through your dealership, you will be responsible for covering those costs.
Excluded drivers on your policy
Although some insurers will cover other drivers using your car, that’s not always the case. If you’re involved in an accident where someone else is driving your vehicle (and they’re not on your policy), your auto insurance company will likely have a host of questions before they cover the damage.
Who are they? Do they live with you? Do they have active insurance?
If you live with someone who drives your car, they should be listed on your policy as an included driver to ensure they’re covered when they drive your car. And it should go without saying that any named excluded drivers on your policy typically won’t be covered if they’re involved in an accident.
Simply put, if the driver’s name isn’t on your auto insurance policy, your insurer can refuse to pay for the damage. Other drivers increase the risk of accidents or claims, so insurers adopt this rule to prevent policyholders from letting friends or teens drive their vehicles without paying for the added risk.
Be mindful, however, that anyone driving your car with your permission may be covered if your policy has a permissive use clause. Read your policy carefully or ask an agent for details before accepting a claim refusal.
Rideshare and delivery services
Driving for a rideshare company or delivery service like Uber or Lyft is a great side hustle that can help generate a bit of extra cash, but any losses while transporting passengers or delivering orders are not covered under your standard auto policy. Ridesharing services are considered a commercial activity, which is an exclusion in personal car insurance.
Fortunately, most rideshare companies offer some coverage when the app is active and drivers are transporting passengers, but it’s usually limited to liability insurance. Investing in
rideshare insurance
is a good idea if you want complete coverage while on the job.Are you overpaying for your car insurance?
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Classic, high-performance, or exotic cars
Standard car insurance policies will cover a wide variety of cars, but not classic, exotic, and high-performance cars—these require special insurance policies. Not only are these cars more expensive than most vehicles, but they’re more likely to be stolen and generally need special and costly repairs if damaged. The increased costs associated with these cars can’t be covered under a conventional auto insurance policy, so you’ll have to shop around for specialty coverage.
MORE:
Classic car coverage
Damages exceeding your limits
Car insurance policies have a limit for a reason—if you’re involved in a crash, car insurance companies will only pay out up to the coverage limits you purchase. If you bought $20,000 in liability insurance (
bodily injury liability
and property damage liability
), but losses total $25,000, you’ll be responsible for covering the remaining $5,000. While increasing your limits offers more financial protection in the event of an accident, note that it also increases your insurance rates.
The other option is to purchase an umbrella policy to cover losses exceeding your insurance policy limits. The one advantage of buying an umbrella policy over increasing your policy limits is that it applies to your home and car insurance policies. However, some insurance providers may require you to increase your car insurance limits first.
Pet injuries
Many people drive with pets in their vehicles, but it comes with the same dangers as driving other passengers around. If your pet is injured in an accident, collision coverage may cover the cost of vet bills—but only if it’s explicitly stated in your policy. If your policy doesn’t cover pets, consider add-ons like
pet injury coverage
to protect them. If you’re not at fault in an accident and your pet is injured, the other party’s liability insurance (property damage liability) should cover the medical expenses for your dog or cat. However, you would need to
file an insurance claim
with the other party's insurer for reimbursement. Keep in mind that if the other driver has the minimum liability coverage, it might not be enough to cover all of the expenses.
Mechanical breakdowns
Whether it’s a
flat tire
, a dead battery, or an engine failure
, breakdowns happen—but they’re not covered under your standard car insurance policy unless caused by a covered peril. For example, if you hit a stop sign and it causes your engine to stop working, collision insurance would cover that. Unlike collision and comprehensive insurance,
mechanical breakdown insurance
covers the costs of general breakdowns, including those caused by wear and tear and accidents. Your vehicle’s value should be a significant factor in buying mechanical breakdown insurance. Because new cars are more valuable than older vehicles and have a longer operating life, their value is likely high enough to validate further investment. Some insurers will also limit coverage to new or leased vehicles that have less than 15,000 miles and are less than 15 months old.
Note that you can also purchase
towing and labor coverage
, which is similar to roadside assistance and will cover many of the costs associated with vehicle breakdowns, but it won’t cover the repair or replacement of vehicle parts.Custom parts, modifications, and upgrades
If you’ve suped up your car with aftermarket parts and modifications, even if it’s something as simple as a sound system or custom wheels, they won’t be covered under your normal insurance policy. Policies may cover up to $1,000, which likely isn’t enough to repair or replace things like audio systems, lift kits, rims, spoilers, and other mods.
If your car has several aftermarket parts, investing in additional coverage is recommended to keep them protected from an accident or theft.
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FAQs
What car insurance covers damage to your vehicle?
If you’re involved in an accident, at fault or not, having collision and comprehensive coverage offers protection against damage to your vehicle since liability coverage (bodily injury and property damage) only covers the other parties involved—not you.
Collision coverage protects you financially if you’re involved in an accident with another vehicle or object. Collision insurance isn’t legally required in most states, so including it on your policy is optional.
Comprehensive coverage, on the other hand, will cover the cost of repairs or replacement if your vehicle is damaged in a non-vehicle-related accident, such as hitting a tree or sign, theft or vandalism, and hail or windstorms. For people with a
car loan
, your lender will likely require you to have comprehensive coverage for the duration of the loan. For personal purchases, comprehensive is optional.What is uninsured motorist coverage?
An uninsured motorist is someone operating a motor vehicle who does not carry the minimum mandatory car insurance coverage. The rate of uninsured and underinsured drivers can be pretty high, depending on the city and state you live in.
Uninsured motorist coverage
(UM) helps cover the cost of lost wages, hospital visits, and property damage associated with an accident with an uninsured driver who can’t cover your expenses (i.e., they don’t have any liability insurance). On top of liability coverage, many states require drivers to carry minimum amounts of UM insurance or personal injury protection
(PIP) for these instances.
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