My car turned into a giant robot and damaged my house - goes on homeowners or automotive insurance?

Question

Saw the movie 'Transformers' and this is what occurred to me during a particular scene, thought it might be fun for the insurance folks to debate (apologies if you find it too spammy). Maybe the answer is to try and sue the car's leader, Optimus Prime, but I don't know what insurance court can hold accountable a sentient robot from outer space.

Aren't you glad you're not my agent? . . . lol.

Here's the response scorecard so far:

Home Auto Neither
Why!? x
Buddy x
ivory 2004 x x
StephenWeinstein x x
mbrcatz17 x x

Very interesting indeed! But wouldn't my car becoming sentient be equivalent to someone borrowing or stealing my car, so possibly their policys should be charged?

Dang! The formatting of the table above didn't carry over! Here it is again, with H=Homeowners, A= Automotive, N=Neither:

Why!?: A
Buddy: N
ivory 2004: H A
StephenWeinstein: H A
mbrcatz17: H or N

Answer 1

If you are the owner of the car - then the automobile policy would not pay for your house (because you can not be liable to yourself and liability coverage is what pays for other peoples damages). Your car, would be repaired under the collision coverage of your auto policy.

Your homeowners policy would pay for the damage to your house.

It's not unusual to get a claim for a car that was not in gear and rolled into a house. I guess this is the closest thing to the above example.

Now...If you could prove Optimus Prime instructed the car to damage your house...your home owners insurance company would subrogate back against Optimus. Of course, you as the owner of the car, may have some liability. If the car is a minor (and therefore under the age at which you are legally responsible for your actions) then you as the owner (or parent) of the car my be responsible - were you not properly supervising your car? Where you aware of Optimus Primes reputation for destruction when you left your car in the care, custody or control of Optimums Prime?

Ultimately, you want to be thankful that Optimus sicked your car on your own house and not the neighbors house.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Same thing as if someone crashes their car into their house. This happens fairly often, such as when they are pulling into the garage and do not stop in time to avoid hitting the wall that separates the garage from the rest of the house or when they are trying to drive out of the garage and put the shift lever in the position that moves the car the other way. My parents have both tried to back out of the garage with a car door still open, thereby hitting part of the garage with the car door, although they only damaged the car doors (on two different cars) this way, not the garage.

Car insurance covers damage to the car, to humans, to property of others, and possibly to property in the car. The house of the driver does not fall into any of these categories.

I would say that the damage to the house goes on the homeowner's policy and that damage to the car goes on the automobile policy.

Answer 4

Can't be the automotive policy. Here's why: the coverage that applies to "stuff you hit" is PROPERTY DAMAGE LIABILITY. It only covers damage to OTHER PEOPLE'S property, not yours.

However, in many states, there's ALSO an exclusion under the HOMEOWNERS policy for vehicular damage caused by an auto owned OR OPERATED by a household member. So, if that's the case, neither policy is going to cover it.

Actually, this kind of claim happens ALL THE TIME. Especially with new drivers. You wouldn't believe how many people back out of the garage, before the door is all the way open. Or before REMEMBERING to open the door. It's very common.

Answer 5

No. Damage to a car that is caused by weather is only covered by car insurance and is never covered by any other type of insurance. Homeowner's insurance only covers damage to cars if the damage is caused by the home collapsing onto the car (and the owner of the car does not live in the home) or by some negligence on the part of the homeowner, not if it is caused by the weather.

Answer 6

read your homeowners policy - it may say damage done by insured vehicle is excluded - regardless if aliens took it over

so file claim with auto policy - don't know if possession by aliens is a covered loss though

Answer 7

yes but both companys will pay for the damages your car insurance will pay for your car and your house insurance will pay for your house

Answer 8

home owner insurance.

because it's the house got damaged, not the transformers.

Answer 9

Neither - because you cannot be liable to yourself.