Black Friday Shopping Insurance Breakdown
Any of our readers crazy enough to attempt the stores the day after Thanksgiving? Black Friday is an extremely popular shopping day and, if I’m being honest, I’ll be one of the crazy people out there hitting the stores. The holidays are a very expensive time and it makes it even more important to save money.
Standing out in the cold for a bargain may seem wild; our wallets may not think so. Guess who is worried about your insurance coverage on black Friday? We are! And you should be too. Busy stores, busy parking lots, and more make for room for more accidents.
What happens if you:
- Are hit by a car in the parking lot
- Hit a pedestrian in the parking lot
- Are involved in a Hit and Run Accident
- Hit something in the parking lot
- Have your car vandalized
- Experience your car breaking down
- Experience a break-in
Hit by a car in the parking lot
We really hope this doesn’t happen to anyone this shopping season, but unfortunately you see it on the news way too often. If you are hit by someone in a parking lot as a pedestrian you are covered under personal injury protection of their auto insurance policy.
This pays for medical expenses in excess of $2,000 that are not reimbursed by your health insurance. There is an $8,000 limit. The policy will pay all reasonable expenses incurred as a result of the accident for necessary medical, surgical, X-ray and dental services. This includes prosthetic devices, ambulance, hospital, and professional nursing.
Hit a pedestrian in the parking lot
First, let us remind you the importance of safe driving. It is easy to get distracted with all of the stress and worry of the holidays, but it’s important, especially when behind the wheel, to focus. You may want to get out of the parking lot as soon as possible once you scoop up all those deals, but be weary of the other people in the parking lot.
If you are in a parking lot and you hit someone, they may come after you to pay for their injuries. If this does happens to you, you are protected under your bodily injury on your car insurance policy. This is why it’s important to have high bodily injury limits. It’s one of those coverages you think you will never need to use, but in the event that you do the cost can very easily add up.
Hit and Run Accident
In most instances, you will need to contact your insurance carrier and let them know that your vehicle was hit and the person responsible fled. They may ask that you report the issue with the police when this does happen. It may also be in your best interest to report the situation. Maybe similar situations take place or there is video proof of the accident and the police are able to find the culprit.
The collision coverage on your car insurance will cover you in this situation. The same can be said if you are in an accident with someone that does not have insurance or is under-insured.
You hit something in the parking lot
Whether it is distractions within your car or parking lot or even deals piled up blocking your vision, it is a prime day for parking lot accidents. These accidents may not always involve another vehicle or person. Keep your vision as clear as you can, make sure your mirrors are properly adjusted, and eliminate any and all distractions to avoid this happening.
If you aren’t lucky enough to avoid distractions and you end up hitting a parked car the damages will be covered under collision coverage. If you happen to hit a lamp or other object and it causes damage to your car, it will be covered under your comprehensive coverage, that great coverage that helps you out when you are in an accident with anything other than another car.
Vandalism while you’re shopping
Picture this, you return to your car after shopping and find a broken window, ding from a cart, or worse. What would you do? Do you have insurance for this? If your car is keyed or vandalized your car will once again be covered by your comprehensive coverage on your auto insurance. This also applies a ding from someone else’s car door and things like that.
Experience your car breaking down
Let’s just start by saying is there anything worse than your car breaking down in a completely packed parking lot? We are talking way too many people and way too many cars and there you are stranded. It’s not ideal, but you could get through it! If this happens you’d want to have roadside assistance or towing and labor coverage. Some companies will require that you arrange the tow and then they will reimburse you.
Others will take care of everything for you as long as you use the company they work with. If you have a car that frequently breaks down or seems to be in danger of breaking down, you may want to call your agent and check on this coverage and your insurance companies’ rules on this coverage. This way, if it happens you’re not only covered, but you know exactly what you need to do.
Experience a break-in while shopping
This doesn’t seem as likely as some of the other scenarios considering, like we have been mentioning, just how busy the parking lots will be on this day and throughout the season. However, you can see that it may happen given the fact that criminals will realize just how many valuable items may be in your vehicle. I mean it must be the most popular day of the year for electronics purchases, right?
If someone breaks into your car while you are shopping, the contents of your car are covered under the personal property portion of your homeowner’s or renters insurance policy. The damage done to your car is covered under the comprehensive portion of your auto policy.
Happy Shopping, friends! You know who to call if you have any questions at all about your coverage, our agents and service staff are here ready to help at 888.865.1244. Don’t have a policy with us? Call us and we can shop our multiple carriers for the right policy for you. Hey, it could end up saving you some money. More money saved on your home and auto insurance means more money to spend on holiday gifts.
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