Will Auto Insurance Pay if You Hit an Animal With Your Car?

Last Updated on December 14, 2025

Hitting an animal can do more than dent a bumper—it can total a vehicle, trigger airbag deployment, and create a serious safety hazard on the roadway.

In most cases, auto insurance will pay for damage from hitting a deer (or other animal) if you carry comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive is the part of your policy that covers damage to your car from non-collision events—like theft, hail, vandalism, and animal strikes.

Animal collisions are also more common than many drivers realize. State Farm’s latest analysis estimates about 1.7 million animal-collision claims in the U.S. from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, with deer involved in the majority of claims. (Source: State Farm Newsroom)

Below is everything you need to know about when insurance pays, what coverage applies in common animal-related scenarios, and what to do right after the incident.

Key Takeaways

• Damage from hitting a deer or other wild animal is usually covered by comprehensive coverage (not collision), as long as you carry it.
• If you swerve to avoid an animal and crash into something else, the damage is typically handled as a collision claim instead.
• You’ll pay your deductible first (often $250–$1,000+), and your insurer pays the remaining covered repair costs or the vehicle value if it’s totaled.
• Comprehensive claims may or may not raise rates—many drivers avoid a major surcharge, but some insurers can still adjust pricing or remove claim-free discounts.

Does Insurance Cover Hitting an Animal?

Yes—if you have comprehensive coverage, your policy typically covers damage to your car caused by hitting a wild animal (like a deer). Comprehensive is optional in every state, but lenders usually require it if you lease or finance your vehicle (and it’s part of full coverage car insurance).

Important: Many insurers treat “you hit an animal” as a comprehensive claim only when there’s actual contact with the animal. If you swerve to avoid an animal and crash into something else, that’s usually a collision claim. (Example explainer: Progressive)

Comprehensive Coverage Covers Animal Damage

If you have comprehensive coverage, your insurer will generally pay to repair your vehicle after you hit an animal—whether it’s a deer, bear, bird, or something smaller—up to the actual cash value of the vehicle (minus your deductible).

Comprehensive also covers many other non-collision losses, like fallen debris, fire damage, theft, vandalism, and many types of weather-related damage.

What Does Comprehensive Insurance Cover?

Comprehensive car insurance typically covers:

• Collisions with animals (deer, elk, birds, etc.)
• Fire damage
• Storm and environmental damage (hail, fallen branches, wind, etc.)
• Flood or water damage
• Theft and vandalism

If your car has been stolen, you can make a claim through your comprehensive coverage to receive compensation for your vehicle. If you do not have comprehensive coverage, your auto policy usually won’t pay for the loss.

Similarly, if you hit an animal, comprehensive coverage typically pays to repair your vehicle back to pre-loss condition (or pays the vehicle’s value if it’s totaled), minus your deductible.

Quick Guide: Which Coverage Applies?

How Car Insurance Works (And Where Animal Claims Fit In)

Some drivers carry only minimum liability coverage. Others choose “full coverage,” which typically adds comprehensive and collision for their own vehicle.

If you are leasing or financing your car, your lender usually requires comprehensive and collision. If you own your car outright, these coverages are optional—but can be valuable if your vehicle would be expensive to repair or replace.

Here are the main coverages and how they relate to animal incidents:

Liability Insurance (Required): All states require liability insurance. Most states require both bodily injury and property damage liability coverage. Liability covers damage you cause to other people and their property. If you hit someone else’s pet and you’re responsible, liability may cover the animal’s veterinary costs (pets are typically treated as property under auto liability rules).

Collision Coverage (Optional): Collision coverage helps repair your own car after you hit another vehicle or object. If you swerve to avoid an animal and crash, this is usually a collision claim.

Comprehensive Coverage (Optional): Comprehensive covers many non-collision losses—like theft, vandalism, fire, flood, and hitting an animal. Lenders typically require comprehensive on financed or leased cars. Comprehensive is also often called other-than-collision, or OTC coverage.

Other Types of Car Insurance: Some states require uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, medical payments coverage, personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, and other coverages. These generally don’t pay for damage to your vehicle from hitting an animal—but PIP/MedPay can help with injuries to you and your passengers depending on your state and policy.

What to Do Right After You Hit an Animal

1. Get to safety. Pull over if you can, turn on hazards, and check for injuries.
2. Call police if needed. If the animal is blocking traffic, someone is injured, or your car isn’t safe to drive, contact authorities.
3. Don’t approach the animal. An injured animal can be unpredictable and dangerous.
4. Document everything. Take photos of damage, the roadway, and any relevant signage (like deer-crossing signs).
5. Start the claim. If damage is significant, contact your insurer and ask whether the claim will be processed under comprehensive or collision.

For defensive driving tips (including why swerving is risky), see the Insurance Information Institute’s guidance here: Avoid a deer-car collision (III).

How an Animal Collision Insurance Claim Works

If you hit an animal and your car is damaged, you can usually file a comprehensive claim (assuming you carry comprehensive coverage). The steps are similar to other claims: document the loss, contact your insurer, and get an estimate/inspection.

Whether it’s worth filing depends mostly on your deductible and the size of the repair bill. Comprehensive deductibles commonly range from $250 to $1,000+. For many drivers, $500 is a common choice. (General deductible overview: NerdWallet)

1. You hit an animal and damage your vehicle.
2. You contact your insurer to open a claim and confirm whether it’s comprehensive or collision.
3. You pay your deductible, and your insurer pays covered repairs (or pays the vehicle’s value if it’s totaled), subject to your policy terms.

Will My Rates Go Up After Hitting an Animal?

Sometimes—but not always. Animal-strike claims are generally treated as comprehensive claims, and many drivers don’t see a big surcharge the way they might after an at-fault collision.

That said, insurers can consider claim history when setting rates, and a comprehensive claim may still affect your premium (or you could lose a claim-free discount), depending on your insurer and state. (Example insurer explanation: Progressive)

If you’re worried about a price jump, ask your insurer how the claim will be rated, then compare quotes at renewal.

Common Animal-Related Scenarios (And How Insurance Pays)

1) You Hit a Wild Animal

This is the classic “deer ran out” situation. If you have comprehensive coverage, it generally pays for the damage (minus your deductible). If you don’t have comprehensive, you’ll usually pay out of pocket for repairs.

2) You Swerve to Avoid an Animal and Damage Your Vehicle

If you avoid the animal but hit a guardrail, tree, ditch, or another vehicle, that’s usually covered under collision coverage. Collision claims are also more likely to affect your premium than comprehensive claims.

Safety-wise, many serious crashes happen when drivers swerve to avoid an animal. In general, it’s safer to brake firmly and stay in your lane when possible. (See: III guidance)

3) You Injure a Pet

If you hit your own dog or someone else’s dog, your coverage depends on who owns the animal and whether you were negligent.

Your Own Pet: Because your pet is your property, your property damage liability coverage won’t pay your vet bills. However, some insurers offer pet coverage (often as an add-on or included perk) for pets injured while riding in your vehicle.

Someone Else’s Pet: If you injure someone else’s pet with your vehicle and you’re responsible, your property damage liability coverage may pay the veterinary costs (up to your limits). If the owner failed to control their pet and you weren’t negligent, you may not be legally responsible—so talk to your insurer before agreeing to pay anything out of pocket.

FAQs on Hitting an Animal With Your Car

Final Word on Hitting an Animal With Your Car

Most animal-related claims are straightforward once you know which coverage applies.

If you hit an animal, comprehensive coverage typically pays for your vehicle damage (minus your deductible). If you swerve and crash, collision coverage usually applies. And if you hit someone else’s pet, property damage liability may cover vet bills if you’re at fault.

If you’re unsure how your policy will handle your specific situation, contact your insurer and ask whether the loss will be processed as comprehensive, collision, or liability.