Understanding Insurance Coverage After a Crash: What Does Collision, Comprehensive, and Liability Cover in Colorado?

After a car crash, one of the first and most confusing steps is figuring out which insurance coverage applies and what it pays for. If you’re like most drivers, you may not think much about your policy until you need to use it. Then, the terms collision, comprehensive, and liability become critically important, and possibly overwhelming.

At Genco Injury Attorneys, we regularly help injury victims in Denver understand what their auto insurance covers, how to access benefits, and when another party’s coverage should pay instead. Here’s a breakdown of the three most common types of coverage and what you need to know after a crash in Colorado.

What Liability Insurance Covers in Colorado

Liability insurance is required by law in Colorado and is designed to protect others when you are at fault in a crash. It does not cover your own injuries or vehicle damage.

Colorado’s minimum required liability coverage includes:

• $25,000 for bodily injury or death to one person.
• $50,000 for bodily injury or death to multiple people.
• $15,000 for property damage.

If another driver caused your crash, their liability insurance should pay for your medical expenses, property damage, and other losses—up to their policy limits. If you caused the collision, your liability coverage pays for the other party’s damages.

Important note: Liability insurance does not pay for your injuries or damage to your vehicle. For that, you need different coverage.

What Collision Coverage Pays For

Collision insurance is optional in Colorado unless required by your lender or leasing company. It pays to repair or replace your vehicle after a crash, regardless of who caused it.

Collision coverage is beneficial if:

• You were at fault in the crash.
• The at-fault driver has no insurance.
• The crash was a hit-and-run.

You don’t want to wait for the other insurer to accept liability.

You will likely need to pay a deductible, which is the portion of the repair costs you must cover before your insurer pays the rest. Collision insurance only covers damage to your vehicle, not your medical bills.

What Comprehensive Coverage Includes

Comprehensive insurance also covers damage to your vehicle, but not from collisions.

Instead, it protects you from non-crash-related damage, such as:

• Theft or vandalism.
• Fire.
• Hail or falling trees.
• Flooding.
• Damage caused by animals.

Like collision coverage, comprehensive is optional unless required by your lender. You will also have a deductible, and the payout is typically based on the actual cash value of your car at the time of the loss.

Why Understanding Coverage Matters for Injury Victims

Knowing what coverage you have, or what the other driver lacks, can make a huge difference in your recovery. It affects whether you can get your car repaired, how quickly medical bills are paid, and what resources are available if the at-fault party has insufficient insurance.

At Genco Injury Attorneys, we help Denver residents:

• Read and understand their policies.
• Deal with uncooperative insurance adjusters.
• Pursue claims through all applicable policies.
• Coordinate health insurance, MedPay, and property damage coverage.

If you’ve been hurt in a crash, let our team guide you through your insurance options and fight to maximize your recovery. Contact us today for a free consultation.