It’s that time of year on the South Plains. Bucks are chasing does across FM roads at dusk. Every morning, somebody pulls into Lubbock with a crumpled hood and fur stuck in the grille.
Deer collisions climb in October and peak in November, right as rut season kicks in. If it happens to you, you’ll have two calls to make: one to your insurance company, and one to a body shop.
Here’s the part a lot of drivers don’t know. Your insurance company pays for the repair. It doesn’t get to pick who does it. In Texas, that choice belongs to you, and it’s written into state law.
First: is a deer hit even covered?
Usually, yes, but probably not the way you think.
Hitting a deer falls under comprehensive coverage, not collision. Comprehensive is the part of your policy that handles things like hail, theft, falling limbs and animals. If you only carry liability, damage to your own car isn’t covered.
A few things to know:
- Your comprehensive deductible applies. That’s often a different number than your collision deductible. Check your declarations page.
- Swerving can change the claim. If you swerve, miss the deer and hit a fence or land in a ditch, that’s typically a collision claim instead. It’s one reason most safety experts say to brake hard and stay in your lane.
- A deer claim usually isn’t treated as an at-fault accident, because you didn’t cause it. Ask your agent how your company handles it.
What to do right after you hit a deer
- Get off the road and turn on your hazards. Don’t walk up on an injured deer. A hurt animal can kick hard.
- Take photos. Get the damage, the scene, the road, and any hair or blood on the vehicle. That evidence helps your claim go through as comprehensive.
- Check whether it’s safe to drive. Look for fluid leaks, a pushed-in radiator, broken headlights, or a hood that won’t latch. If anything’s off, get a tow.
- Call your insurance company to open a claim. Get a claim number.
- Call the shop you want. Not the shop they want. More on that below.
“We’ll send you to one of our shops.” Here’s what that really means.
When you open a claim, a lot of adjusters will steer you toward a shop on their “preferred” list. This is sometimes called a direct repair program. Those shops have a contract with the insurer: they agree to the insurer’s labor rates and parts rules, and in return the insurer sends them work.
That’s the insurer’s business arrangement. It isn’t yours. Here’s what Texas law says:
- Texas Insurance Code §1952.301: An insurer can’t directly or indirectly limit your coverage by requiring a specific repair shop.
- Texas Insurance Code §1952.302: An insurer, its agent or an adjuster can’t state or suggest, out loud or in writing, that you must use a particular shop, or a shop on their list, for the repair to be covered.
- Texas Insurance Code §1952.305: Your insurer has to give you written notice of your right to choose your repair shop.
The Texas Department of Insurance has gone a step further. It says that hinting you might pay more at a shop that’s not on their list can conflict with the law, because it discourages you from choosing your own shop.
So if you hear any of these, know your rights:
| What you might hear | What it actually means |
|---|---|
| “You’ll need to take it to one of our shops.” | You don’t. Texas law says the choice is yours. |
| “We can only guarantee the repair at our shops.” | You can still choose any shop. Ask the shop you pick about its own warranty. |
| “It’ll be faster if you use our network.” | Maybe, maybe not. Speed isn’t a reason you have to use their shop. |
| “You may have to pay the difference somewhere else.” | TDI says that kind of pressure can conflict with the law. Ask them to put it in writing. |
We’re a body shop, not a law firm. This is general information, not legal advice. If you’re in a real dispute with your insurer, the Texas Department of Insurance takes complaints.
Why the shop you pick matters on a deer hit
A deer hit looks like a front-bumper job. It often isn’t.
A 150-pound buck at 60 miles an hour can push back into the radiator support, the condenser, the headlight mounts, the hood hinges and the sensors behind the bumper. On newer vehicles, the lane-keep cameras, adaptive cruise radar and parking sensors all live up front. If the shop doing the work is trying to hit a number on someone else’s rate sheet, that’s where corners get cut.
When you pick the shop, you pick who’s working for you.
Why Lubbock drivers pick Hub City, no matter who they’re insured with
- We work with every insurance company. You don’t need to be on anybody’s list to bring your car here. We handle the claim paperwork and talk to your adjuster for you.
- We write a complete estimate. We find the damage behind the bumper before we start, not halfway through, so you’re not stuck waiting on supplements.
- We’re I-CAR certified, BBB A+ rated, and family-owned. This November marks twenty years in Lubbock. Dan and the crew have been fixing deer hits since before half the trucks on Loop 289 were built.
- Your money stays here. When you choose a local shop, your money goes back into Lubbock. Dan gives to causes all over town, and the Boys & Girls Club is the biggest of them.
Your insurance company has its preferred shops. You get to have one, too.
Hit a deer? Call Hub City first.
We’ll walk you through the claim, tell you exactly what’s damaged, and get you back on the road. You don’t need your insurer’s permission to call us.