Insurance Content Navigation

• What Does Car Insurance Cover in Kentucky?
• What Isn’t Covered by Car Insurance in Kentucky?
• Vehicle Collisions with Deer Stats
• Does Car Insurance Cover Hitting a Deer in Kentucky?
• Do I Need Full Coverage to Be Insured against Hitting a Deer?
• What If I Am Injured after Hitting a Deer?
• Here’s How a Kentucky Independent Insurance Agent Can Help

Drivers have to be aware of many impending threats while they’re on the road. Collisions with large animals like deer are just one risk drivers need to be prepared for, but it’s (literally) a big one. Fortunately, having the right kind of Kentucky car insurance can help.

Better yet, a Kentucky independent insurance agent can help you get equipped with the right kind of car insurance for this scenario and many others. They’ll get you set up with all the coverage you need, long before you have to file a claim. But first, here’s a closer look at car insurance in Kentucky and when/how it covers hitting a deer.

What Does Car Insurance Cover in Kentucky?

According to insurance expert Paul Martin, what your car insurance policy in Kentucky covers depends on the specific types of coverage you purchase. That being said, Kentucky’s minimum state requirements for coverage include property damage liability, bodily injury liability, and personal injury protection.

Standard car insurance policies in Kentucky can include:

• Liability insurance: The two mandatory forms of liability coverage in Kentucky provide protection for lawsuits stemming from bodily injury and property damage claims made against you by third parties.
• Personal injury protection: The other mandatory type of car insurance in Kentucky, personal injury protection (PIP), covers the costs of treating injuries to the policyholder and their passengers after an accident.
• Collision insurance: Protects your vehicle from damage caused in collisions — but not collisions with large animals.
• Comprehensive insurance: Protects your vehicle against many other threats, such as theft, flood damage, and collisions with large animals like deer.
• Uninsured motorist coverage: Protects you if you get into an accident with a driver who does not carry any/enough car insurance of their own.

The best way to insure you get set up with the right type of car insurance is to work with a Kentucky independent insurance agent. They’ll review all your concerns and provide you with the coverage you need to feel safe on the road.

What Isn’t Covered by Car Insurance in Kentucky?

While policies can vary, Martin says that the most common exclusions under standard car insurance are as follows:

• Routine maintenance costs: Car insurance does not cover general wear and tear of your car and other routine maintenance costs.
• Business use of the vehicle: Personal auto insurance never covers business use of your vehicle. For commercial or business uses, you’ll need to purchase commercial auto insurance to be covered for numerous perils.

A Kentucky independent insurance agent can help you get the coverage you need in every area, and help address any concerns you have about coverage exclusions.

Vehicle Collisions with Deer Stats

Collisions with large animals like deer on the road happen more often than you might think. It’s not only important to be aware of this in your home state of Kentucky, but also no matter where you drive in the country. Check out some stats for car collisions with large animals like deer across the US to better understand the importance of awareness on the road combined with the proper coverage.

• In 2018, 190 people were killed by collisions with animals.
• There is a 1 in 116 chance a driver will have a collision with an animal like deer.
• The vast majority of animal collisions are with deer.
• About 10,000 injuries and 175-200 fatalities are caused by deer accidents annually.
• Deer accident costs skyrocketed from $162 per incident to $4,314 in the span of one year.
• Deer travel about 3,000 miles annually, meaning their risk of being hit is high.

Knowing the risk and cost of deer collisions, it’s crucial to talk to your Kentucky independent insurance agent about getting the right type of car insurance to cover deer-related accidents.

Does Car Insurance Cover Hitting a Deer in Kentucky?

That depends on the type of coverage you have. If your car insurance only covers regular collisions, then you won’t be protected against collisions with large animals, like deer. However, purchasing comprehensive coverage expands your coverage greatly to collisions with deer and numerous other threats, like:

• Falling objects
• Fire, high winds, and hail
• Riots and vandalism
• Windshield damage
• Explosions and missiles

Talk to your Kentucky independent insurance agent about the importance of adding comprehensive coverage to your car insurance policy for protection against these threats and more.

Do I Need Full Coverage to Be Insured against Hitting a Deer?

Well, the term “full coverage” doesn’t really mean anything by itself, and is in fact a great misnomer in the car insurance world. When folks think of “full coverage,” Martin says, they’re often hoping for a full picture of protection against numerous threats to drivers, including many types of collisions.

The coverage you really need in order to be insured against hitting a deer is called comprehensive coverage, which can also be referred to as “other than collision.” This is the only type of car insurance that covers accidents with large animals. If you still have questions about what type of coverage you need, or the misnomer of “full coverage,” speak with your Kentucky independent insurance agent.

What If I Am Injured after Hitting a Deer?

Hopefully your car insurance policy includes PIP coverage. Without this form of coverage, unfortunately, the treatment costs for your injuries, or injuries to any of your passengers, will not be covered by your policy. That’s why it’s so important to get all the coverage you need from the beginning. A Kentucky insurance agent can be your greatest ally when it comes to assembling a car insurance policy that covers you from every possible angle.

Here’s How a Kentucky Independent Insurance Agent Can Help

When it comes to protecting Kentucky drivers against collisions with deer and all other threats, no one’s better equipped to help than an independent insurance agent. Kentucky independent insurance agents search through multiple carriers to find providers who specialize in car insurance, deliver quotes from a number of different sources, and help you walk through them all to find the best blend of coverage and cost.