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Yes. Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your own vehicle after a crash, regardless of who caused it — including a crash with an uninsured driver — subject to your deductible. It’s one of the few coverages in Georgia that pays out no matter who’s at fault, as long as you carry it.
The catch is that collision coverage only addresses your vehicle. If an uninsured driver hits you and you’re injured, collision coverage has nothing to say about your medical bills or lost income — that’s the job of uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage, a separate coverage you have to carry on your own policy.
Because these coverages work so differently, it’s easy to assume one protects you when it doesn’t. A Georgia car accident lawyer can help sort out which of your coverages actually apply after a crash with an uninsured driver.
Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your vehicle after a crash with another car or object, up to your vehicle’s value, minus whatever deductible you selected when you bought the policy.
Because it doesn’t depend on fault, collision coverage applies whether the uninsured driver caused the crash, you did, or fault is genuinely unclear.
Some Georgia drivers also carry uninsured motorist property damage coverage, which can pay for vehicle repairs after an uninsured driver’s crash without requiring a deductible in some cases, depending on the policy.
If you have both collision and UM property damage coverage, you may be able to choose which one to use, so it’s worth comparing your deductible against any UM property damage terms before filing.
Collision coverage has no bearing on injuries. If an uninsured driver causes a crash that hurts you, uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11) is what actually compensates you for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Without UM bodily injury coverage, an uninsured driver who injures you may leave you with little practical way to recover those losses, since you generally can’t collect from insurance the at-fault driver doesn’t have.
After a crash with an uninsured driver, your vehicle damage is typically handled through collision (or UM property damage), while your injuries are handled through UM bodily injury coverage — two separate claims addressing two separate losses.
Reviewing your declarations page before an accident happens is the best way to know exactly what protection you actually have.
If you use collision coverage, generally yes. Some policies’ uninsured motorist property damage coverage may apply without a deductible, so it’s worth comparing both options.
Without collision coverage, you may need to rely on uninsured motorist property damage coverage, if you have it, or pursue the uninsured driver directly, which is often difficult to collect on.
No. Collision coverage is limited to vehicle damage. Medical bills are generally covered through health insurance, MedPay, or uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage, depending on your policies.
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