Deer Season Is Claim Season

If you've driven in West Virginia for any length of time, you've had a close call with a deer. Maybe more than one. Maybe you weren't so lucky.

West Virginia consistently ranks in the top three states for deer-vehicle collisions. It's not a matter of if — it's when. And most people don't think about what their insurance covers until they're standing on the shoulder of Route 19 staring at a caved-in hood.

Here's the one that surprises people: it's not collision coverage. It's comprehensive.

Comprehensive covers things that happen to your car that aren't a crash with another vehicle — deer, falling trees, hail, theft, vandalism, a rock through the windshield. If you only carry liability, or if you dropped comprehensive to save money, a deer strike comes out of your pocket.

And deer damage isn't cheap. A deer hit can easily run $3,000-$6,000 in body work, and if the airbags deploy, you're looking at $8,000-$10,000 or more. On an older vehicle, that can be a total loss.

October through December is peak season — deer are mating and moving. Dawn and dusk are the worst times. And if you're on a two-lane road through the woods — which is basically every road in West Virginia — your odds go up.

But it's not just fall. We see deer claims year-round. Spring is another spike when does are moving with fawns.

• Slow down at dawn and dusk, especially on rural roads
• If you see one deer, expect more — they travel in groups
• Don't swerve hard to avoid a deer — hitting a guardrail or rolling into a ditch is usually worse than the deer strike itself
• Use your high beams when there's no oncoming traffic

Pull up your declarations page or call us. Do you have comprehensive? What's your deductible? If you're driving a vehicle worth $10,000+ without comprehensive coverage, you're gambling every time you get behind the wheel.

Not sure what you've got? Give us a call at our Elkins or Buckhannon office. We'll pull up your policy and tell you exactly where you stand — takes about five minutes.

*This is general information, not specific advice for your situation. Every policy is different.*