I Hit a Pole, Not a Person: Who Pays?
Which coverage pays for what
| What was damaged | Coverage that commonly responds |
|---|---|
| Your car, after hitting a pole, wall, curb or ditch, or rolling over | Collision, minus your deductible |
| Your car, after hitting an animal or being struck by a falling object | Comprehensive, not collision |
| Someone else's property: a fence, sign, pole or parked car | Property-damage liability |
| Your passengers' injuries | Bodily-injury liability, and medical payments if you carry it |
| Your own injuries | Medical payments if you carry it, and your health plan |
Will it count as my fault?
Under California's rating regulation, an insurer may treat you as principally at fault only if your actions were at least 51 percent of the legal cause and the crash caused an injury or death, or property damage that was a total loss or more than $1,000. In a one-car crash there is usually nobody else to share the cause, so if the damage clears that line, expect it to count. If another driver forced you off the road and kept going, report it right away; whether that changes the finding depends on the evidence.
For the Good Driver Discount, a principally-at-fault accident with property damage only counts as one point. An at-fault accident that injures someone, a passenger included, disqualifies you for three years.
Reports you may owe, claim or no claim
- At the scene: if you damage someone's property, such as a fence or a parked car, you must stop, find the owner or leave a written note with your name, address and what happened, then notify the police or CHP without unnecessary delay.
- To the DMV: if the crash caused more than $1,000 in property damage or anyone was hurt or killed, file an SR-1 within 10 days, even if it happened on private property. Your insurance agent or broker can file it for you; police will not.
One consequence surprises people: the DMV adds a reportable collision to your driver record whoever caused it. Paying for the repair yourself doesn't keep a reportable crash off your record.
Should you file a claim?
Get a repair estimate before deciding. If it is barely above your deductible, a claim may cost more over the next few renewals than it pays now. If the car is badly damaged, or you hit someone else's property, involve your insurer, because a property owner's claim against you is what liability coverage exists for. How a one-car claim affects your rate varies by insurance company.
Not sure your current policy would have paid for this kind of crash? Compare quotes with and without collision coverage.
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Does liability insurance cover my car if I hit a pole?
No. Liability pays for damage to other people's property, including the pole. Repairs to your own car come from collision coverage, if you carry it.
Do I need to report a one-car accident to the DMV?
Yes, if it caused more than $1,000 in property damage or any injury. File the SR-1 within 10 days, even on private property.
Is hitting a curb covered?
Damage from hitting a curb is a collision loss, so collision coverage commonly pays, minus your deductible. Wheel and tire damage alone may fall under the deductible.