If ice fell off the roof of my apartment building and crushed the front of my car, will my car insurance cover it?

You can make a claim with your insurance company if you have comprehensive coverage included in your car insurance policy. Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your car caused by something other than a car accident, such as fire, vandalism, natural disasters, theft and collisions with animals. Keep in mind that you will have to pay a deductible. If the falling ice caused $900 worth of damage, and your deductible is $1,000, then your insurer will pay nothing.

• A car insurance policy includes several types of coverage:
• Bodily injury liability
• Property damage liability
• Medical payments or personal injury protection (PIP)
• Collision
• Comprehensive
• Uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage
• Extras, such as roadside assistance

All states, except New Hampshire, require drivers to carry liability insurance, which pays for injuries and damage you cause others if you're at-fault in a car accident. Some states require medical payments or PIP coverage, which pays for injuries suffered by you and the passengers in your car, regardless of who was at fault for an accident.

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Uninsured motorists coverage, which is mandatory in some states, pays for your medical bills if an uninsured driver hits your car or you're a victim of a hit-and-run accident. Underinsured motorists coverage kicks in when someone causes an accident, but doesn't have enough insurance to cover all your medical bills. In that case, the insurance company of the at-fault driver pays out to its limit, and then your underinsured motorist coverage pays the remaining bills up to your limit.

Extras, such as roadside assistance, and both collision and comprehensive coverage are optional in all states. Collision pays for damage to your car if you cause an accident. Oftentimes drivers with older cars, which have lost much of their value, opt not to carry collision or comprehensive coverage to lower their car insurance rates.

Other than filing a claim with your insurer, another option is to contact your landlord and ask to be reimbursed.

For more, see car insurance basics.