Hail damage- several insured vehicles on the same policy were damaged by hail on the same date. A claim was filed under Comprehensive coverage. We would need to set up a claim on each vehicle and take the deductible for each vehicle – Correct?
Please be specific with the policy language regarding same.
New York Subscriber
We're looking at the ISO PP 00 01 Personal Auto Policy – your form may be different. Under part D, Coverage for Damage to Your Auto, it clearly states that if loss to more than one "your covered auto" results from the same "collision" loss that only the highest deductible will apply. Hail damage is considered an other than "collision" loss, along with fire, theft, animals, etc. There is no such statement for coverage for multiple vehicles for the same other than "collision" loss.
The beginning of that coverage section clearly states that " We will pay for direct and accidental loss to " your covered auto" or any "non-owned auto", including its equipment, minus any applicable deductible shown in the Declarations."
Therefore, for other than collision losses, the deductible should be applied per vehicle. While that seems unfair to the insured, the vehicles could be parked in various locations. With the collision exception for multiple vehicles and one accident, the vehicles are generally involved in the same accident at the same time. Having said that, if your company has a procedure that only one deductible would apply to an other than collision loss for multiple vehicles that's fine, that's your company's practice. But insureds must be treated equally. Going strictly by policy language, a deductible should be applied per vehicle.