Hitting a deer: which car insurance pays, what to do and whether your rates go up

Is hitting a deer comprehensive or collision?

For most drivers, it is comprehensive. Regulators and the industry describe it the same way:

• The NAIC's consumer guide lists hitting animals under comprehensive coverage.
• The Insurance Information Institute says collisions with deer are covered under comprehensive rather than collision.
• Florida's Department of Financial Services says collision covers crashes into objects "except animals," and lists hitting an animal under comprehensive.
• New York's Department of Financial Services lists "hitting or being hit by an animal" among the losses comprehensive pays for.
• The Pennsylvania and Michigan insurance departments both say deer damage is handled by comprehensive coverage.

Policies are not all identical, though. California's Department of Insurance glossary uses a deer as an example of an object under collision coverage. Read the definitions in your own policy, or ask your agent, so you know which deductible applies. Our guides to comprehensive coverage and collision coverage explain both in full.

What if you swerve?

Swerving changes the claim. If you miss the deer and hit a tree, pole or guardrail, the damage comes from hitting an object, which is what collision coverage pays for. If you hit another car, your collision coverage pays for your car and your liability coverage pays for the other driver's. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) notes that many fatal animal crashes involve a second, more severe impact, such as hitting another vehicle or a tree.

How common and how dangerous are deer crashes?

Deer strikes are common and usually not deadly, but they can be. The Federal Highway Administration's report to Congress on wildlife-vehicle collisions estimated about 300,000 reported crashes with large animals a year, and 1 million to 2 million once unreported ones are counted. Of the reported crashes, about 26,000 caused injuries and about 200 caused deaths each year. The report found 89.7% of animal-vehicle crashes in one national dataset happened on two-lane roads.

IIHS counts deaths in crashes where the first harmful event was hitting an animal. Federal crash data do not record the species, but in a review IIHS cites of fatal animal crashes in nine states from 2000-2002, 77% of the animals struck were deer.

In 2024, the most harmful event was the collision with the animal itself in 63% of these deaths and a rollover in 12%. In the ten years 2015-2024, Texas had the most animal-crash deaths of any state, 197 of the national 1,964, which IIHS links to the size of its driving and animal populations and its share of rural roads.

At the state level, Michigan's insurance department, citing state police data, reported more than 58,000 vehicle-deer crashes in 2025, about 80% of them on two-lane roads.

When are deer crashes most likely?

The FHWA report found that crashes with large animals happen more often:

• In the morning, from 5 to 8 a.m., and in the evening, from 4 p.m. to midnight, when deer move around at dawn and dusk and traffic is heavy.
• In the fall, in October and November, which the report ties to mating season, migration and hunting season.
• In spring, in May and June, though that peak is usually smaller.

The Michigan and Pennsylvania insurance departments give the same warning about dawn, dusk and the fall. Deaths follow a different pattern: in IIHS's 2024 figures, the most animal-crash deaths came in July to September. The FHWA report also notes that the most severe animal crashes more often involve motorcycles.

What to do after hitting a deer

1. Pull over safely. Move out of traffic if the car can be driven and turn on your hazard lights.
2. Check for injuries. Call 911 if anyone is hurt, the car needs towing or you are unsure what to do.
3. Stay away from the animal. Michigan's insurance department warns that wounded deer can be dangerous.
4. Decide whether to call the police. Pennsylvania State Police say you are not legally required to call if no one is hurt and the car can be driven. Rules differ by state, and a police report can help your claim.
5. Take photos. Photograph the road, the damage, the animal if safe, and any injuries.
6. Check that the car is safe to drive. Look for leaking fluid, tire damage and a hood that will not latch, as Michigan advises.
7. Report the claim. Call your insurer or agent promptly; most companies set deadlines for reporting claims.
8. Report the carcass if needed. In Pennsylvania, you can report a dead deer on a state road at 1-800-FIX-ROAD. Other states use their transportation or wildlife agencies.

Our guides to what to do after a crash and filing a claim cover each step in more detail.

Deductibles: what you pay after a deer strike

Because a deer strike is usually a comprehensive claim, your comprehensive deductible is what comes out of your pocket, even if your collision deductible is higher or lower. Example: hitting a deer causes $4,000 of front-end damage. These are hypothetical figures to show the arithmetic.

If you live and drive where deer are common, a lower comprehensive deductible can make sense; the NAIC notes that comprehensive is less expensive than collision. The deductible chooser and our guide to choosing a deductible walk through the trade-off.

Will hitting a deer raise your insurance?

A deer strike is generally treated as not your fault, and several states write that into their rules:

• Pennsylvania. The Insurance Department says that under state law a crash with a deer or other wildlife is a not-at-fault incident, and insurers cannot add a surcharge for it.
• Texas. An insurer cannot refuse to renew your policy because of a claim for hitting an animal, unless you have more than one weather, animal or not-blameworthy claim in 12 months.
• New York. Surcharges are not permitted for claims under comprehensive coverage.
• Massachusetts. Comprehensive claims add surcharge points only after 4 or more claims totaling $2,000 or more.

If you swerved and the claim was paid under collision, ask your insurer how it will be treated, because collision claims can be reviewed for fault. Our guide to rate increases after a claim explains how insurers and states handle surcharges.

How to lower your risk

Pennsylvania's insurance and police officials suggest slowing down where deer crossing signs are posted, leaving more space behind the car ahead, and watching closely in the early morning and evening. Deer often travel in groups, so if one crosses, expect more. Wear your seat belt every trip, and remember that the FHWA found most crashes with large animals happen on rural two-lane roads.