{"id":1205,"date":"2024-10-07T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-07T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/?p=1205"},"modified":"2024-10-08T00:26:08","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T00:26:08","slug":"does-car-insurance-cover-salt-damage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/does-car-insurance-cover-salt-damage\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Car Insurance Cover Salt Damage?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Winters can be brutal on your ride if you live in a state where snow and ice are familiar sights and it is a challenge to drive for nearly half the year. It\u2019s not just slipping and sliding on ice patches: There\u2019s also the invisible damage being done by the road salt used to give your tires a better grip on the pavement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does car insurance<\/a> cover salt damage? Is there such a thing as road salt insurance? First, a better understanding of the problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Specifics of Salt Damage to Vehicles<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Road salt and metal go together like fire and water. If it\u2019s left for long on the surface of the vehicle, the particles will wear through the protective paint job and corrode the metal. This mars the appearance and lowers the value of your car considerably. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The roadside damage to cars isn\u2019t just aesthetic. On the underside of your vehicle, the damage might be even more serious. The salt can eat away at your brake lines and exhaust system. That can be very expensive and make for a dangerous drive. And since you can\u2019t typically see what\u2019s going on under your car, it might look shiny and new on the surface and still be damaged where you don\u2019t even think to look. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does Your Auto Insurance Cover Salt Damage?<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, you cannot file a salt damage insurance claim through your auto policy. There are basically two reasons why auto insurance policies don\u2019t typically cover the rust and corrosion damage caused by road salt. In the first place, it\u2019s considered normal wear and tear. The reasoning here is that insurance companies know that no vehicle will look like you drove it off the showroom five minutes ago when it\u2019s two, three, or 10 years old. Things happen to create an acceptable level of wear and tear over time, and this minimal damage isn\u2019t covered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second reason is that insurance of all kinds covers the unexpected. If you have adequate coverage, you can file claims for collisions, theft, fire, and other sources of unanticipated loss or damage. Insurers say you can expect road salt damage to cars if you don\u2019t take steps to avoid the threat, so there\u2019s no salt damage coverage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what actions can you take to minimize the threat of salt damage? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking Action to Protect Against Salt Damage<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In most northern cities, you\u2019ll see salt trucks rumbling along most streets and highways even while the snow is still falling. This is your first clue that you\u2019ll soon need to take action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It might not make much sense to wash your car while the salt is still being distributed. Wait it out. It doesn\u2019t snow continuously in most places. Give it a day or two, then get to a car wash. You might have to do that a dozen times a winter, but it\u2019s worth the time and cost if you want to save your ride from corrosion damage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t forget the salt damage to your undercarriage. If your car wash offers a premium option with an undercarriage wash, take it every time. Even that added cost is a lot less expensive than having to get a new exhaust system because yours was worn away from corrosion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, keep in mind that just because you can\u2019t buy road salt insurance, that doesn\u2019t mean insurance won\u2019t offer added protection for harsh winter conditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Shovel<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Assessing the Need for Comprehensive Coverage<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Severe weather can impact your car<\/a> in a number of ways. That\u2019s why insurance companies usually sell collision and comprehensive coverage benefits together. Collision covers the damage caused by road accidents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But not all car damage involves other parties \u2014 or even having the engine running. That\u2019s why you need to know about comprehensive coverage<\/a>. During icy northern winters, you might go out of control and slam into a curb, tree, or other object. You might hit a deer or other wildlife because you can\u2019t brake on a slippery surface. You might not even get out of your driveway or parking lot without a tree limb heavy with snow breaking off and totaling your vehicle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comprehensive benefits cover the multiple ways your car can be lost, damaged, or destroyed besides by collision with another vehicle. When bought together, collision and comprehensive benefits can save your wallet as you drive your way through another risky winter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While discussing comprehensive and collision benefits with your auto insurance agent, also ask about roadside assistance. This auto insurance policy benefit assures 24\/7 help wherever you need it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter is the worst time to be stranded at the side of the road with a dead battery, flat tire, or serious damage from a wildlife collision. Whatever the cause, your roadside assistance operator will send you a mechanic to fix or tow your vehicle. You might find this especially appealing if you have young drivers in the family who you don\u2019t want to even think about being stranded late at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get a grip on winter driving<\/a> by taking all precautions behind the wheel and getting the insurance coverage that will protect your finances if accidents do occur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect Your Car From Salt Damage<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Winters can be brutal on your ride, but less so if you have the financial protection of Acceptance Insurance. Ask your Acceptance Insurance agent for affordable coverage to make you and your family feel safer and protect your pocketbook this coming winter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Call us at 877-405-7102<\/a> or get a quick online quote<\/a>. You can also find an office near you<\/a> to chat in person with an agent. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Winters can be brutal on your ride if you live in a state where snow and ice are familiar sights and it is a challenge to drive for nearly half the year. It\u2019s not just slipping and sliding on ice patches: There\u2019s also the invisible damage being done by the road salt used to give […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":1208,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1205"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1205"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1205\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1210,"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1205\/revisions\/1210"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acceptanceinsurance.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}