Auto Insurance Q: Is this Comp. or Collision?

Factual Questions
1

I was an idiot earlier and tried to drive into my garage with my bike atop my roof rack. However, the car/bike compbiation is about 6 inches taller than the garage opening.

So, the bike rack was ripped off the roof and wedged itself between the open garage door and the trunk. The only damages to the car are a few scratches (through the paint) on the roof, and a couple small dents in the trunk lid, with associated scratches.

So I may be looking at a few hundred dollars worth of body shop time. I’m debating whether it will be worth it to file a claim, and am waiting until tomorrow to call my insurance company and ask about this.

The big question is whether this kind of claim would fall under my collision or comprehensive coaverage. If it’s collision, my deductible makes it not worth claiming. Plus, my premiums would go up, making it a double whammy. But if it’s comprehensive, it’s my understanding that such a claim will not raise my premiums (although that may only apply to ceratin kinds of comp. claims in certain states). Also, my comprehensive deductible is only $100, so it may be worth filing a claim.

Anyone have a clue how this would be considered? It would appear to be in a fuzzy area between the two coverages. Yes, I accidentally collided with something…and that would suggest collision. But, my car didn’t actually run into anything; somthing strapped to my car did. And besides, when you take a rock to your windsheild, you collide with said rock, but the claim is still comprehensive.

It seems like the kinds of miscellaneous, not-an-auto-accident kind of event that comprehensive coverage is supposed to take care of. But I have no idea how the adjuster will feel about that. Do any of the Dopers haveexperience with similar claims.

Someone, please relate a similar boneheaded story and make me feel better.

2

No fuzzies, it’s Collision. A freeway rock that breaks your windshield is a missile (comprehensive).

As you stated, depending on the state & the company…Collisions may not have a surcharge if the claim is small enough. Many companies will only hit your rates if THEY have to pay $1000 or more. Smaller claims are “free.” The deductible always applies, of course.

To determine if something is comprehensive or collision, read your policy. Comp perils are normally identified: “Theft, fire, missiles, vandalism…” But as a general rule, if your car is damaged because of something you did as its operator it’s collision. This includes parking it by a riverbank which collapses an hour after you leave the car. Shopping carts smashing into your car is a collision loss, unless the cart is pushed by wind–in that case, weather is the proximate cause of the loss, so it’s comp. Running over/into animals is comp. Running over/into potholes is collision. 'cause potholes don’t tend to change position in the roadway unpredictably the way elk do. Hitting dead animals used to be considered collision, but it is so hard to prove the thing was dead before you hit it that most companies just assume you killed it & call it comp.

I’ve never done what you did. I used to have a player for the Seattle Supersonics who did this kind of stuff all the time.