Short answer: hitting a deer is usually a comprehensive claim, not a collision claim, so your comprehensive deductible applies and the claim is generally treated as not your fault. Swerving to miss the deer and hitting a tree, a guardrail or another car is usually a collision claim instead. If you carry only liability coverage, neither one pays to fix your car.
Deer crashes are not a rural problem in this part of the state. The Illinois Department of Transportation counted 14,436 crashes involving deer in Illinois in 2024, and Cook County had more of them than any other county, with 550. Lake County had 353. November is the worst month of the year: it accounted for 3,037 deer crashes, about 21% of the annual total, as mating season keeps deer moving at dawn and dusk.
Here is how the coverage on a typical Illinois auto policy applies when a deer is involved, and what to do in the first hour after it happens.
Which Coverage Pays When a Deer Is Involved
An auto policy splits damage to your own car into two coverages. Collision pays when your car hits another vehicle or an object, or rolls over. Comprehensive, sometimes called “other than collision,” pays for damage from things like theft, hail, falling trees, fire and contact with an animal. The way the damage happened decides which one applies, and the difference matters because each has its own deductible.
| What happened | Coverage that usually applies | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| You hit the deer | Comprehensive | Comprehensive deductible; usually treated as not-at-fault |
| A deer runs into the side of your car | Comprehensive | Same as above |
| You swerve and hit a tree, sign or guardrail | Collision | Collision deductible; may be treated as at-fault |
| You swerve into another car | Collision for your car, liability for theirs | Collision deductible, and a liability claim against your policy |
| The car behind you rear-ends you after you brake for a deer | The other driver’s liability | Their insurer pays your damage if they are found at fault |
| You carry liability coverage only | None for your car | You pay your own repairs |
That table is why IDOT’s advice to drivers is to stay in your lane, brake firmly and avoid swerving. It is the safer choice on the road, and it usually leads to the simpler insurance claim. A comprehensive claim for an animal strike is generally treated differently from an at-fault accident, though each insurer applies its own rating rules.
The Deductible Math
Deer damage is rarely minor. A deer strike often hits the bumper, grille, hood, headlights and radiator at once, and modern cars put cameras and radar sensors behind the grille and windshield. Those sensors have to be replaced and recalibrated, which is why a crash that looks like a dented bumper can turn into a repair bill in the thousands.
Many drivers carry a lower deductible on comprehensive than on collision, for example $250 or $500 on comprehensive and $1,000 on collision. If yours are set that way, the coverage that applies changes what you pay out of pocket. It is worth checking both numbers on your declarations page before November, not after a deer comes out of the forest preserve.
What to Do Right After You Hit a Deer
- Get off the road. Pull onto the shoulder if the car is drivable and turn on your hazard lights.
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt or the car is in a traffic lane. IDOT’s guidance is to pull over, turn on your hazards and call 911. A police report also helps the claim.
- Stay away from the deer. IDOT warns drivers not to get out to check on an injured deer or drag it from the road. An injured deer can kick hard.
- Take photos. Photograph the damage, the road, any hair or blood on the car, and the location. That is the evidence that makes it a comprehensive claim.
- Do not drive a car that is leaking fluid or has a broken headlight at night. A tow is cheaper than a second accident or a ruined engine.
- Report the claim. Call your insurer or your agent with the photos and the police report number, if you have one.
Injuries, Rental Cars and Towing
Comprehensive and collision pay for the car, not for people. If you or a passenger is hurt, medical payments coverage on your auto policy and your health insurance are the usual sources. Illinois does not require personal injury protection, so check whether your policy includes medical payments coverage and at what limit.
Rental reimbursement and towing are optional coverages. Without rental reimbursement, a car that sits in a body shop for two weeks waiting on parts and sensor calibration means two weeks of paying for a rental yourself. Both coverages are inexpensive to add, and deer season is a good time to confirm they are on the policy. Our post on roadside assistance coverage explains the towing side.
When Liability-Only Coverage Makes Sense
Dropping comprehensive and collision on an older car saves premium, and for a car worth a few thousand dollars it can be a reasonable choice. The trade-off is that a deer strike becomes your expense in full. If you could not easily replace the car out of savings, keep comprehensive at least. It is usually the less expensive of the two coverages, and it is the one that answers deer, hail and theft.
Where and When Deer Crashes Happen
IDOT’s 2024 figures show that 79% of deer crashes happened at twilight or at night, and 42% happened in October, November and December combined. In the north and northwest suburbs, the highest-risk stretches are roads that run along forest preserves, golf courses and river corridors, especially in the hour around sunrise and sunset. Where you see one deer, expect more behind it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hitting a deer covered by comprehensive or collision?
Hitting a deer is usually covered under comprehensive. If you swerve to avoid the deer and hit something else, such as a tree, a guardrail or another car, the damage is usually a collision claim.
Will hitting a deer raise my insurance rates?
A comprehensive claim for an animal strike is generally treated as a not-at-fault claim, so it is less likely to raise your rate than an at-fault accident. Each insurer applies its own rating rules, and several claims in a short period can still affect your price.
Does liability insurance cover hitting a deer?
No. Liability coverage pays for damage and injuries you cause to other people. Damage to your own car from a deer is paid by comprehensive coverage, and only if you carry it.
Should I swerve to avoid a deer?
IDOT advises drivers to stay in their lane, brake firmly and avoid swerving. Swerving can put you into oncoming traffic or a fixed object, which is usually more dangerous than the deer and turns the claim into a collision claim.
When are deer crashes most common in Illinois?
November is the highest-risk month. In 2024 it accounted for about 21% of Illinois deer crashes, and most deer crashes happen at twilight or after dark.
This article provides general educational information, not legal advice or a coverage determination. How a claim is handled depends on your policy language, your deductibles and the facts of the loss. Crash figures are from the Illinois Department of Transportation’s 2024 data.
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