Is a broken side mirror covered by car insurance?
Broken side mirror car insurance coverage for your car is only available if you have full coverage. Liability insurance will cover you if you break someone else's side mirror. Comprehensive insurance will pay for a broken side mirror caused by debris or vandalism. Collision insurance will cover your broken side mirror if it occurs during a car accident.
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Jeff Root
Licensed Insurance Agent
Jeff is a well-known speaker and expert in insurance and financial planning. He has spoken at top insurance conferences around the U.S., including the InsuranceNewsNet Super Conference, the 8% Nation Insurance Wealth Conference, and the Digital Life Insurance Agent Mastermind. He has been featured and quoted in Nerdwallet, Bloomberg, Forbes, U.S. News & Money, USA Today, and other leading fina...
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UPDATED: Apr 13, 2023
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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about car insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything car insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by car insurance experts.
UPDATED: Apr 13, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- If you break someone’s side mirror, you may be able to use liability coverage to pay for the repairs
- If your side mirror is broken, collision or comprehensive could help to cover the cost
- Compare the cost of repairs to the cost of your deductible before deciding whether to use your insurance
A broken side mirror is nothing to overlook. If your mirror is scratched or completely broken, you may be curious whether your car insurance will cover the cost of repairs.
To discover whether a broken side mirror is covered by car insurance, you will need to assess how the mirror was damaged, the different types of car insurance coverage that could help, and whether paying the deductible is worth it.
Once you learn more about broken side mirror car insurance, enter your ZIP code above to compare car insurance costs from multiple companies.
What car insurance types will cover a broken side mirror?
While most auto insurance coverage is fairly self-explanatory, it can be difficult to remember which types cover what when it comes to minor incidents and accidents.
Let’s take a look at the most common types of auto insurance available to see which would be most helpful when it comes to a broken side mirror.
Your options for car insurance are fairly broad. However, only two main types of coverage will protect you in the case of a broken side mirror on your own car. These types are comprehensive and collision.
Car Insurance Options to Cover Broken Side Mirror
Coverage Options | Description |
---|---|
Liability | Most states require you set amount of liability coverage which protects other drivers in the case of an accident |
Comprehensive | This coverage and collision coverage are typically required by your lender or lease holder. If you own your vehicle outright, this is an optional coverage. It will pay for damage from non-accident related events such as hail, vandalism, and theft. |
Collision | This provides financial protection for your vehicle. It will pay for damages after a crash. |
Comprehensive coverage is likely required if you’re making payments on your car. This type of coverage protects your car from a non-collision event, such as bad weather, theft, or vandalism.
If your car was parked when someone broke your mirror, comprehensive coverage is what you need to fix it.
Collision coverage, which is also typically required by your lender, protects your car in the event of a car accident. If your car mirror is broken when another car causes an accident, collision coverage would help repair it.
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Is it worth it to pay the deductible to repair a broken side mirror?
Regardless of how your mirror was broken, you will need to decide whether it’s worth it for you to file a claim for the incident with your insurance company.
The main thing to consider here is when to use your deductible. If your deductible is $500 and repairs to your side mirror are less than that amount, then you should not file a claim.
If the cost of repairing the mirror is higher than your deductible, then you may want to file a claim.
No matter the reason for the repair, filing a claim with your insurance company could cause your insurance rates to increase.
It’s up to you to decide whether paying out of pocket in the short term could reap better long-term benefits when it comes to car insurance.
What do you do if you hit the mirror of a parked car?
If you hit the mirror of another car — regardless of the specifics of the incident — you will be held responsible for the damage. This means it will be your job to pay for repairs.
The first thing you will need to do is check to see what type of coverage you carry in your car. Because you are likely legally required to carry liability insurance, your auto insurance will cover the cost of fixing the mirror.
You will want to consider whether paying the deductible — and the inevitable increase of your own car insurance rates — is worth the help your insurance would offer in covering the cost of the broken side mirror.
What can I do if someone broke off my side mirror?
If another driver or pedestrian is responsible for breaking your mirror, it should be their responsibility to pay for the damage.
In much the same way that you would be responsible for breaking someone else’s, that individual would have to pay for your mirror to be replaced.
If they decide they want to file the claim with insurance, then their insurance company may cover it for you. But it is also an option for them to pay for your broken mirror out of pocket.
If someone is responsible for breaking your mirror while your car is parked, and that individual then leaves the scene without admitting fault or addressing the issue, things can be a bit tricky.
Ultimately, it is still that person’s responsibility to pay for the damage. But if you do not know who broke your mirror, then you will end up paying for it yourself. This scenario is one in which it matters what type of car insurance coverage you carry.
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Are side mirrors covered under warranty?
Damage to your side mirror may be covered under your car’s warranty. To know whether this is the case, you will need to check with your lender or the company that provides the warranty.
Your car’s warranty will not cover damage to someone else’s side mirror. This is when you will need to use your car insurance.
Where can I get my car side mirror fixed?
Finding someone to repair your broken side mirror shouldn’t be too difficult. Most auto repair shops would likely be willing to take on the task. Where you go to have your mirror fixed depends on whether you are using insurance or paying out of pocket.
If you’ve decided to pay your deductible and have your insurance cover the rest, then you will need to research which companies your insurance will pay to do the work to your side mirror.
If you’re going to pay for the repairs yourself, you can choose whoever you’d like to do the work. The cost to repair side mirror damage should determine which option you decide.
The Bottom Line
Does insurance cover a side-view mirror that’s broken? If you have full coverage insurance that includes comprehensive and collision, you should be covered.
Comprehensive auto insurance covers damage caused by accidents that aren’t your fault. For example, if debris damages your car or if someone sideswipes it while it’s parked, that’s covered under comprehensive insurance.
On the other hand, if you’re the one who caused the damage, that’s covered by collision insurance. If you sideswiped a stationary object or if you caused an accident with another vehicle, that’s covered by collision insurance.
The cost of replacing a side mirror replacement can vary drastically depending on the car.
Getting the replacement part can cost anywhere from $35 to $90. If you aren’t installing it yourself, parts and labor will cost from under $200 to over $300. Even though mirror repairs may sound like a trivial amount of money and time, the cost doesn’t have to be your own financial responsibility.
If you’re searching for broken side mirror car insurance rates, enter your ZIP code below to explore your best options.
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Jeff Root
Licensed Insurance Agent
Jeff is a well-known speaker and expert in insurance and financial planning. He has spoken at top insurance conferences around the U.S., including the InsuranceNewsNet Super Conference, the 8% Nation Insurance Wealth Conference, and the Digital Life Insurance Agent Mastermind. He has been featured and quoted in Nerdwallet, Bloomberg, Forbes, U.S. News & Money, USA Today, and other leading fina...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about car insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything car insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by car insurance experts.