What Is Part D Coverage?
Coverage for YOUR Vehicle
Part D pays to repair or replace YOUR covered auto when it's damaged. This is "first-party" property coverage - it protects your own vehicle.
Collision Coverage
Covers damage from the upset or impact of your covered auto with:
- + Another vehicle
- + An object (tree, guardrail, building)
- + The ground (rollover)
Example: You rear-end someone. You slide off the road and hit a mailbox.
Other-Than-Collision (Comprehensive)
Covers losses from things other than collision:
Collision vs Comprehensive - Easy Way to Remember:
Collision = You HIT something. Comprehensive = Something HAPPENS to your car (that isn't a collision).
The Key Insight: What's the Difference?
Think About Control vs. Circumstances
COLLISION Coverage:
Your car hits ANOTHER VEHICLE or OBJECT - things you could have potentially avoided by driving differently (braking, steering, etc.)
OTHER-THAN-COLLISION (Comprehensive) Coverage:
Things that HAPPEN TO your car that you can't control - acts of nature, animals, theft, vandalism
| Loss Type | Coverage Type | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Hit another car | COLLISION | You could have braked or steered away |
| Hit a tree | COLLISION | You could have steered away |
| Hit a telephone pole | COLLISION | Impact with an object you could avoid |
| Car flips over (upset) | COLLISION | Result of your driving |
| Hit a deer | COMPREHENSIVE | Animals are unpredictable - not your fault |
| Hail damage | COMPREHENSIVE | Weather - can't control |
| Theft | COMPREHENSIVE | Criminal act against you |
| Vandalism | COMPREHENSIVE | Criminal act against you |
| Flood | COMPREHENSIVE | Weather - can't control |
| Fire | COMPREHENSIVE | Often not driver's fault |
| Falling objects (tree branch) | COMPREHENSIVE | Can't control what falls from sky |
| Windshield cracked by rock | COMPREHENSIVE | Missile/glass breakage - unpredictable |
EXAM TRAP: Hitting an Animal = COMPREHENSIVE, Not Collision!
This is one of the most frequently tested concepts. Students naturally think "collision" because your car hit something. But remember:
Think of it this way: The animal hit YOU, not the other way around!
Animals dart out unpredictably. You can't control their behavior. That's why it's comprehensive coverage - it's something that happened TO your car that you couldn't prevent by driving differently.
More Tricky Scenarios to Know
Additional Exam Scenarios
Now that you understand the core concept, here are more examples that frequently appear on exams:
Hit a Deer (or any animal)
Contact with a bird or animal
Tree Branch Falls on Car
Falling object
Windshield Cracked by Rock
Missile or falling object / glass breakage
Hit a Telephone Pole
Impact with an object
Car Flips Over
Upset of vehicle
Slide Into a Ditch
Impact with ground/object
Transportation Expenses
Rental Car Reimbursement
Part D includes coverage for transportation expenses when your covered auto is out of commission due to a covered loss.
For Collision/Other-Than-Collision Loss
Pays for transportation expenses incurred by the insured, including:
- + Rental car costs
- + Public transportation
- + Taxi fares
Daily Max: $20/day
Total Max: $600
For Theft (Total Theft)
If your entire vehicle is stolen:
- + Coverage begins 48 hours after the theft
- + Ends when vehicle is returned OR loss is paid
Daily Max: $20/day
Total Max: $600
48-Hour Waiting Period for Theft
Transportation expenses for theft don't start until 48 hours after you report the theft. This prevents claims when cars are just "misplaced."
Part D Exclusions
Coverage Does NOT Apply To:
Public/Livery Conveyance
Using your car as a taxi, Uber, etc.
Damage Due to War
War, civil war, insurrection, rebellion, revolution
Nuclear Hazard
Nuclear reaction, radiation, or radioactive contamination
Racing
Racing facility - racing, speed contests, driver training
Wear and Tear
Normal depreciation, mechanical/electrical breakdown
Tires
Damage to tires UNLESS caused by same event that damages the vehicle
Electronic Equipment
Designed primarily for reproducing sound (aftermarket stereos)
Custom Furnishings
Special carpeting, insulation, furniture in vans/trucks
Radar/Laser Detectors & CB Radios
Devices for detection of speed measuring equipment, CB radios, scanning equipment
Tire Exception
Flat tire from a pothole? Not covered. Tires damaged in the same accident that damages the car? Covered.
How Losses Are Paid
Insurer's Payment Options
The insurer may pay for the loss in money, OR repair or replace the damaged or stolen property.
Actual Cash Value (ACV)
Payment is based on the Actual Cash Value of the stolen or damaged property at the time of loss.
ACV = Replacement Cost - Depreciation
Maximum Payment
The most the insurer will pay is the lesser of:
- 1. The actual cash value (ACV) of the stolen/damaged property
- 2. The amount necessary to repair or replace the property with like kind and quality
Deductible
Any deductible shown in the declarations will be subtracted from the loss payment.
You typically have separate deductibles for Collision and Other-Than-Collision.
Appraisal Process
If You and the Insurer Disagree on the Amount of Loss:
Each party selects a competent appraiser
The two appraisers select an umpire
The appraisers each state the amount of loss separately
If they can't agree, they submit their differences to the umpire
Agreement by any two of the three sets the amount
Each party pays their own appraiser and shares the umpire cost equally.
Exam Trap Alerts
Deer = Other-Than-Collision: Contact with any animal is NOT collision!
$20/day, $600 max: Transportation expense limits. Know these numbers!
48 hours for theft: Transportation expenses for stolen vehicles don't start until 48 hours after reporting.
Tires: Only covered if damaged in the same incident that damages the car.
ACV: Payment is Actual Cash Value (replacement minus depreciation), not replacement cost.
Appraisal: Two appraisers + one umpire. Any two agreeing sets the amount.