Car insurance provides a lot of coverage for nearly every type of vehicle, but even full coverage doesn’t cover everything.
When people talk about full coverage car insurance, they’re not referring to a specific type of insurance. Instead, they mean full coverage as in the highest amount of coverage a car can have. Full coverage generally includes:
Comprehensive coverage: This provides coverage for incidents involving fire, windstorms, hail, falling rocks or trees, theft, vandalism and other damages that aren’t a result of collision.
Collision coverage: This provides coverage for incidents involving collision with a vehicle or object.
Liability coverage: Liability coverage is required to some extent in nearly every state. Bodily injury liability and property damage liability offer compensation to the victim(s) if you cause bodily injury or property damage to someone else.
Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage: If you crash with a driver that doesn’t carry insurance, this coverage provides compensation for the damages.
This may seem like a comprehensive list that covers every danger your car may face, but there are unfortunately many other issues that “full coverage” insurance doesn’t cover.
Damages incurred under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Normal wear and tear.
Incidents incurred when the driver doesn’t have a valid driver’s license.
Intentional damage.
Criminal acts.
War, terror attacks, invasion, foreign enemy action, mutiny, rebellion, civil war, radiation, and nuclear weapons or material.
Engine failure or malfunction, unless caused by a covered incident.
Accidents that occur while operating the vehicle for work purposes.
There are certain ways to extend your car’s coverage to include some of these damages, such as normal wear and tear. For accidents that involve work, you may or may not be covered. If you use your vehicle for work, you may need . A commercial auto insurance policy provides coverage for vehicles used for business. You can purchase your own commercial auto insurance policy, as an employer’s policy won’t necessarily extend to your personal vehicle. Speak with your employer and an insurance agent about your specific car insurance needs.
How Much Does Full Coverage Car Insurance Cost?
Full coverage costs depend on a variety of factors such as your:
Age
Credit score
Claims history
Location
Marital status
Driving record
Vehicle weight, size, age and safety rating
In Texas, the average cost of full coverage car insurance is $1,934 a year, which is approximately $161 a month. For the minimum required coverage in Texas, the average cost is $726 a year (around $60.50 a month). Less coverage means lower premiums, but it also means you’re at risk for paying more out of pocket after an accident.
Does My Car Insurance Still Cover Me If Someone Else Was Driving?
There are some tricky subjects when it comes to car insurance. In general, your car insurance should still provide coverage even though someone else was driving your vehicle. If your vehicle was stolen and has comprehensive and collision coverage, any damage the thief does should be covered by your policy. There are some exceptions, however.
Your car insurance claim may be denied if:
You allow someone without a valid drivers’ license to drive the vehicle.
You allow someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol to drive the vehicle.
You allow an excluded driver to drive the vehicle.
With a car insurance policy, you can add a list of excluded drivers who are not allowed to drive the vehicle. If an excluded driver steals the vehicle, your car insurance will cover you. If you knowingly allow an excluded driver to drive the insured vehicle, however, any damage they cause likely won’t be covered.
When inviting employees to work within a certain space, employers have a responsibility to make that space as safe as possible. Accidents may happen, but it’s important to avoid preventable injuries. Some jobs, such as contractors and construction workers, are filled with hazards that seem impossible to avoid. For others, however, it’s easy to implement safety measures.
Purchase workers compensation insurance. Most businesses are required to carry workers compensation no matter if they have two employees or a thousand. This insurance helps pay for medical expenses if an employee is injured on the job. The rest of this list also introduces ways to avoid a Workers Compensation claim. While workers compensation insurance should pay for the medical expenses, an employee is still able to sue the company for certain injuries.
Choose a safe space. Scour the work location for any health threats. This includes physical hazards as well as pollution or chemical hazards. If there are any potential issues, be sure they are fixed before company employees begin working.
Provide safety training. Certain jobs have unique risks, such as dog kennels, where employees should be taught how to safely handle aggressive dogs to avoid bites. When hiring employees, provide training on specific hazards and how to safely deal with those risks.
Have emergency plans. Create detailed plans in case of emergency and have these procedures posted where every employee can easily see.
Describe physical job requirements clearly in the job posting. Employees should understand the physical requirements for the job they apply for so they can decide whether they can meet those requirements. This may help avoid workers compensation claims.
Perform drug testing. Employees under the influence of drugs or alcohol are more likely to cause injury to themselves and others. Intermittent drug testing may prevent such accidents.
Evaluate employees for safety measures. Evaluate your employees to ensure they are still following proper safety measures and that they are capable of safely performing the job.
What Happens When an Employee is Hurt at Work?
Though you take all the preventative measures possible, injuries can still occur. When they do, make sure the injured employee receives medical attention immediately. Clear employees and guests from the site of injury and document every piece of the accident. Take pictures if applicable. Once the employee receives medical help, have them document the incident on paper. Then contact your workers compensation representative. From there, the insurance company that provides your workers compensation insurance will investigate the claim (which is one reason it’s important to document every aspect of the accident) before deciding to offer compensation.
Even if your business has workers compensation insurance, an employee can still file a lawsuit. Intentionally criminal acts or injury aren’t covered beneath this insurance, nor are injuries that occur from a fight the employee started. Workers compensation typically helps cover the employer’s legal fees if the employee chooses to sue for certain injuries despite receiving workers compensation. Instances an employee might sue include:
The business doesn’t carry workers compensation
Discrimination or wrongful termination
Sexual misconduct
Violations of public policy, such filing a workers compensation claim
Third-party injuries
Toxic substance injuries or illnesses
Flawed products or equipment
These instances are generally not covered beneath workers compensation. Workers compensation covers for physical injuries obtained on the job. Misconduct and discrimination are major issues that are not covered beneath workers compensation. To avoid claims concerning either of these issues, screen your directors, officers and other employees as well as provide sensitivity training. Creating a safe environment is the employer’s responsibility and not one to be taken lightly. Contact Us today to speak with an agent.
Car insurance provides a lot of coverage for nearly every type of vehicle, but even full coverage doesn’t cover everything.
When inviting employees to work within a certain space, employers have a responsibility to make that space as safe as possible. Accidents may happen, but it’s important to avoid preventable injuries. Some jobs, such as contractors and construction workers, are filled with hazards that seem impossible to avoid. For others, however, it’s easy to implement safety measures.