Worst states for animal collisons: Does insurance cover it?

West Virginia leads the nation as the state where you are most likely to hit an animal, according to a claims analysis by State Farm. Montana, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Iowa rank, respectively, behind the Mountain State as the worst states for animal collisions.

Odds of an animal collision are 1 out of 116, but that likelihood doubles during deer season, from October to December. In West Virginia, the odds are one in 37. 

State Farm estimates there were over 1.9 million animal collision insurance claims in the U.S. between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.

Here is the likelihood of collision with a deer by state, according to State Farm:

Drivers in Deer-Dense States Should Carry Comprehensive Insurance

Damage from deer collisions is covered by comprehensive insurance, which is optional coverage. It also covers theft, vandalism, hail, fire and other incidents largely beyond your control. Comprehensive claims don't generally raise your rates unless you have recently filed additional claims, says Penny Gusner, senior consumer analyst for CarInsurance.com. However, it will only pay out up to the actual cash value of your car, and you will have to pay the deductible, so be sure claim amount is higher than your deductible.

If you swerve to miss a deer and are successful but crash, say you hit a tree or guardrail, that damage is covered by collision insurance, says Gusner. If your vehicle doesn't make contact with the animal the damage is considered a collision claim because you hit another car or object (or rolled your vehicle).

Comprehensive and collision coverage typically won’t bust your budget, as the average cost is fairly affordable. According to a CarInsurance.com rate analysis, the average rate for collision coverage is $526 per year, for a full coverage policy with a $500 deductible. For comprehensive the national average rate is $192. Even if you have an old car, if you drive in areas with a high deer population (or elk, moose or other large animals that may cross roads), it's wise not to drop comprehensive and collision coverages.