Does your insurance company cover damage from off-roading?

I have been with State Farm for 20+ years. I've had several 4x4 trucks for off-roading. I had asked my insurance company if I'm covered while driving off of the main road. I didn't use the term off-roading. The agent told me I was covered. But reading all the fine print in the policy, I couldn't verify one way or the other with all their legal mumbo jumbo.

Anyone have an experience with this?

 

I'm an underwriter with a mid-level insurance company. I've never seen an exclusion in an auto policy that kicked in the second your tires hit dirt. With that said, I have to say that policy language varies from company to company so there really is no one-size-fits-all answer to your question.

If your agent told you that it's covered, then you have coverage. Even if he's wrong, he has an Errors and Omissions policy that will cover you for taking his bad advice.

 

At least here in Utah a lot of dirt roads - even some pretty gnarly trails - are considered county/state roads so your insurance definitely covers in that situation. Not sure if your area is the same way but just something to keep in mind

 

I should also add that there is more to a coverage decision than what kind of surface you are driving on. Agents use the term 'full coverage' way to often. The truth is that every policy has exclusions so there is no such thing as 'full coverage.'

There are things that can happen off-road that wouldn't be covered.

 

I'm with state farm too. when I asked my agent about it he said it was covered too. he also said they wouldn't know where it happened as long as I could get it back to a road

 

I'm not insurance agent, but I figured if you damage your truck, your at fault, you pay your deduc and your premiums go up. Do it too many times and your company will drop you. So your vehicle should be covered while your doing back flips in dirt pipes with your truck.

 

Always be honest when talking to an adjuster. Lying can cause a denial of coverage.

There really isn't much of a reason to lie anyway. I've seen claims paid from stupid things like a distracted driver getting road head. There is no exclusion for stupidity but honesty goes a long way.

 

I wouldn't lie to them either. what he was getting at is there not going to go to the scene and examine what happened.

 

Rolled my Jeep, Farmers covered it 100%, bought it back from them for a few hundred bucks and turned it into a buggy. It is still being wheeled today by friends.

 

When I questioned my carrier they said it was covered if it was a named road on a map. They also didn't say it wasn't covered if not on the map. With most trails on public lands being mapped these days I expect your pretty well covered. If you wreck it on private property who knows?

 

i dont see why there would be an exclusion. Part of the reason your insurance premium is higher is when they see 4x4

 

You're covered. In a past life, I adjusted auto claims for USAA..one time we had some moron kid drive a one week old Ford Fiesta off a fire access road and total it. Insurance covers stupidity. Typically, the only things enthusiasts need to worry about are timed racing events.

 

This is unfortunately why our insurance rates are so high.
Nothing like paying for others idiot mistakes......

 

Same as ive heard, as long as it isnt a timed competition.

 

My insurance is more for off road vehicle

 

Years ago, I helped a college kid drag his 6-month-old S2000 out of Texas World Speedway and push it into a ditch off the highway so he could claim that he wrecked it there. No idea how it turned out...

edit: it wasn't a timed event though, just a track day.

 

I have USAA, and have had a couple of claims relating to off-road damage; was covered both times. One of which was even at an off road park, and they didn't care. Told me that unless it was related to a race or competition, I was covered.

 

Depends on the claims rep, their supervisor and the auto damage adjuster. I’ve seen claims denied for misrepresentation. People doing a track day then claiming they hit a pole on a residential street. If it’s a lazy adjuster than you might get away with it.

 

Holy necro thread, Batman!