Does insurance cover a mower hitting my car with a rock?

It’s no secret that lawn mowers can be dangerous. When you have large blades spinning at 3,000 rotations per minute, it’s not hard to imagine why. If you or anyone else happened to catch a heavy rock under the deck, it’s going to go flying!

It’s true that sometimes lawn mowers cause damage with flying debris. Whether the car is a moving target or sitting still, a lawn mower can shoot debris right into it. This is one reason why it is illegal to blow your lawn clippings directly into the road in most states.

Accidents happen. But when they do, who pays? Will insurance cover damage caused by a lawn mower throwing rocks?

In short, yes. In most circumstances, insurance covers damage caused by a lawn mower. But whose insurance and what type of insurance will cover the damage from a lawn mower will depend on the circumstances. If you’re the victim of a rogue piece of debris hitting your car, enter your ZIP code into our free tool above to find your best rate!

What happens if you hit your own car with a rock while mowing?

If you hit your own car with a rock or other debris from a lawn mower, it may fall under your own car insurance policy. But this depends on a few things.

This scenario would generally be covered under comprehensive insurance. This type of insurance pays for repairs to flood-damaged cars, vandalized cars, and similar issues.

If you do not have comprehensive coverage you may be left paying out of pocket for any damage you cause to your own car with a lawn mower. Keep in mind, this type of coverage is optional, as affirmed by the experts with the Insurance Information Institute (III).

But, if you have glass coverage, you may be in luck. Damage to glass in your car would be covered under your “glass coverage policy.”

Unfortunately, it may still be a better option to just pay out of pocket for repairs. The cost of most glass repairs is under $1000.

So if you happen to damage your own car while mowing the lawn, it may be covered under your car insurance by your comprehensive or glass repair coverage.

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What if your neighbor’s mower hits your car with a rock?

If your neighbor sends a rock into your car while he is mowing the lawn, it will be covered under his homeowner’s insurance policy. Although, it may still be better for him to pay out of pocket rather than filing a claim and dealing with the subsequent hike in insurance premiums.

But, if your neighbor declines to pay, your car insurance may pick up the tab under your comprehensive or glass coverage. Of course, if that doesn’t work for you, or if your neighbor isn’t being very “neighborly,” there is always small claims court. So, if a neighbor damages your car with a rock, it will normally be covered under their homeowner’s insurance policy.

What if a lawn care company hits your car with a rock?

What if a lawn care company caused damage to your vehicle?

Whether the lawn care workers were on your neighbor’s property or yours, if they send a rock through your car window, or even your home, it is their responsibility to ensure the damage is fixed.

Fortunately, most reputable lawn care companies have “liability insurance,” which covers them when things like this happen. These types of incidents happen to even the best lawn care providers.

Again, if they do not pay up, you may be able to file a claim with your car insurance provider if you have comprehensive or glass coverage. They may decide to go after the lawn care company from there. In my experience, most lawn care professionals will recognize their mistake and quickly remedy the situation.

In short, if a lawn care company sends a rock into your car, the damage will be covered under their liability insurance policy.

Read more: Does car insurance cover broken windows?

How can you avoid causing damage while mowing?

After a decade of mowing lawns, I’ve put a lot of thought into avoiding damage from flying debris. Though you may not be able to stop a flying rock from somebody else’s lawn mower, you can avoid damage to your property, or others by following a few simple practices.

Discharge Clippings Away From Valuable Property

One of the best ways to avoid damaging someone’s property is to discharge the clippings toward the lawn rather than toward the street, driveway, or your home. There are many reasons to do this, but the most important reason is to avoid injuring somebody or someone’s property.

Blow Clippings Away From the Road

It’s no secret that the road is full of cars. Blowing grass on the road can be a risky action. If you happen to catch a rock or a metal object, you may send it straight into a moving car.

Even worse, in some places, there are laws against grass on the roads. These clippings can be a hazard for motorcyclists. Additionally, the nitrogen-rich content of grass clippings may make them a hazard to your local waterways.

Whether it is illegal in your area or not, it’s best to avoid blowing grass clippings into the road as much as possible.

Bag or Mulch Your Clippings

Most damage caused by lawn mowers comes from using a “side-discharge”. Which means anything under the deck is shot out the side at high speeds. This is the default deck on most mowers.

In my experience, the very best way to avoid flying debris from a lawn mower causing damage is to use a bagger or mulching kit on your mower.

A mulching kit for a lawn mower is typically much cheaper than a bagger, and in many folks’ opinions, it is better for the lawn. A mulching kit consists of a cover over the side-discharge and a set of mulching blades. This combination keeps the grass under the deck and cuts it into small pieces, which quickly break down in your yard.

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What should you do if a lawn mowing incident occurs involving your car?

If a lawn mower does happen to hurl a rock into your car, you will want to document it for your records.

Be sure to:

• Take photos
• Write down the time, date, and location
• Gather the “at fault” party’s information (if possible)

Does insurance cover a mower hitting my car with a rock? The Bottom Line

Accidents happen. If you happen to see damage to your vehicle caused by a lawn mower, it can be stressful. If nobody comes forth at first, don’t be surprised. They may not have even noticed what had happened. After all, mowers are very loud.

If a lawn mower is the culprit, and you collected the right information, it won’t be very hard to find the at fault party.

Whatever your circumstances, there is coverage for just about any incident involving a lawn mower damaging a car. Just make sure you have all the information you need, and then get back to making your lawn the best on the block! With all this in mind, take advantage of our free tool below to compare the best rates, so you’re prepared for this exact type of out-of-nowhere accident!

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