subject: Car Insurance - Covering the Cost of Repairs to your Bumper [print this page] Car Insurance - Covering the Cost of Repairs to your Bumper
If you're involved in a collision and your car bumper is damaged, your car insurance should be able to cover the cost of repairs. Over the years bumpers have increased in size, effectiveness and aesthetic appeal. As a result they're now more costly to repair or replace so it is worth checking specifications relating to bodywork in your car insurance policy.
The UK is home to a large number of car insurance providers. If you decide to compare different car insurance policies online, be aware that cheap car insurance policies tend to offer limited cover and may not necessarily include your bumper.
As cars have developed, bumpers have become more effective. They now help to reinforce the vehicle, protecting passengers and engine parts during a collision. There were 170,591 road accidents reported to the police involving personal injury in 2008, 6% fewer than in 2007[1]. One of the reasons why this figure keeps decreasing year on year may be the increased effectiveness of bumpers along with other improved safety features.
However, whilst bumpers are now more effective in serious collisions, they may not fare so well in minor scrapes. The original purpose of bumpers was to protect vehicles going over low speed bumps. This meant that bumpers were relatively simple, unglamorous parts of a car and could be cheaply and easily repaired or replaced.
The ergonomic design of many modern bumpers may increase the overall attractiveness of a vehicle, but this design change also has disadvantages: although bumpers now form an integrated part of the vehicle's overall aesthetic appeal, they no longer function as effectively as sacrificial, shock absorbers.
Rather than cushioning low impact bumps and grazes, modern bumpers are easily marked, scratched, cracked and dented. Although bumpers were originally designed to protect your car, it is now possible to buy buffers to protect your bumper! In addition, because bumpers are now an elegant part of a car's overall bodywork, if you're involved in an accident and your bumper is damaged it can often be more complex and costly to repair.
After an accident if your car can still be driven legally and is roadworthy, reputable car insurance companies will deliver a courtesy car to you when your car is picked up for repairs. In this way, car insurance providers can keep you mobile while your car is being fixed. Before long your vehicle should be back with you, looking as good as ever.
