If you are at fault for the wreck, meaning you caused it, then you will have to pay for your damage out of your own policy. However, to reap this benefit, you need collision insurance. Collision insurance will pay for repairs or for a total loss following the wreck. Many auto policies don’t automatically include this coverage, however. Always request that your agent add it to your policy.  

If a wreck is not your fault, the responsibility to pay might fall on the driver who caused the wreck. As a result, Minnesota drivers must carry property damage liability (PDL) insurance. This is the coverage that will compensate third parties through the at-fault driver’s policy.  

Your auto insurance will generally not cover possessions carried in your car. However, your homeowners insurance might provide compensation. This applies also if you collide with your own property, like your mailbox. You will file the mailbox damage claim under your homeowners policy.  

If you damage someone else’s property, like their fence, mailbox or home, then your PDL coverage will apply. It might also allow them to claim damage for certain possessions in a damaged car, like computers or phones.