I guess the real lesson is just to double-check your coverage—especially if you live somewhere with wild weather. Comprehensive might seem like a waste until it’s not.
Yeah, this is exactly what’s been stressing me out lately. I just got my first car and honestly, picking insurance was way more confusing than I expected. I kept going back and forth on whether to add comprehensive or not. It felt like I was just throwing money away for “what ifs,” but then you hear stories like the Kansas hail thing and it makes you think twice.
My dad kept telling me, “You never know what’s gonna happen, better safe than sorry.” I ended up adding comprehensive even though it bumped my monthly payment up a bit. Still not sure if it’s overkill, but after reading stuff like this, I’m glad I did.
It does bug me that all the care you put in doesn’t really matter to insurance companies. Like, what’s the point of babying your car if they’re just gonna lowball you anyway? But yeah, at least when you go to sell, people can tell you actually cared. That counts for something, even if it’s just not feeling like an idiot when something random happens.
Totally get where you’re coming from. Insurance feels like paying for a fire extinguisher you hope never to use, but when the kitchen’s on fire, you’re glad it’s there. I used to think comprehensive was just for people with fancy cars, but after a rogue shopping cart took out my side mirror, I changed my tune. And yeah, it’s annoying how much effort we put into keeping our cars nice just for insurance to shrug at resale value. Still, at least you know you did what you could—sometimes that’s all you can control.
Yeah, that hail story is rough. I used to think “comprehensive” was just a fancy add-on, but after seeing a neighbor’s car get trashed by a freak hailstorm, I bit the bullet and added it. It’s not cheap, but Kansas weather doesn’t mess around.
Insurance feels like paying for a fire extinguisher you hope never to use, but when the kitchen’s on fire, you’re glad it’s there.
That’s exactly it. I’d rather grumble about the premium than be stuck with a totaled car and no help. Still stings when they lowball you on value, though...
Yeah, those “comprehensive” add-ons sound like a money grab until you see what a hailstorm can do. I’m in Missouri, so not too far off from Kansas weather, and I’ve seen hail come out of nowhere and just wreck a whole row of cars. I still remember my cousin’s old Civic—looked like someone took a golf club to it. He didn’t have comprehensive either, and he got nothing for it. That was all I needed to see.
The lowballing is the worst part, though. You pay in for years, then when you finally need help, they want to argue your car isn’t worth what you know it is. I had to haggle back and forth with my adjuster after a deer hit totaled my Outback. Ended up getting a bit more, but it was like pulling teeth.
Have you ever actually had to file a claim for hail or storm damage? I’m curious if anyone’s ever had a smooth process with that, or if it’s always a hassle. Sometimes I wonder if it’s just the luck of the draw with which adjuster you get…
Yeah, I hear you on the “money grab” feeling—until you see what a hailstorm can do to a car. I’ve seen claims go both ways, honestly. Sometimes it’s smooth, sometimes it’s like arguing with a brick wall. Had a client once who got their check in under two weeks after a nasty storm, but another guy had to send photos, estimates, and practically a blood sample before they’d pay out. It really does seem to depend on which adjuster you get and how busy they are after a big storm. Not saying it’s fair, just... that’s how it goes more often than not.
