When shopping for auto insurance, it's necessary to consider not only how much it costs, but also what it covers. This means you need to dig deep and know what the coverage can pay for besides the usual damage to your car, injury to its occupants, and liability for other people damages. With that in mind, here are four types of losses that car insurance can pay for:

Pet Injury

Some car insurance policies also cover pets injured in car accidents. In fact, some insurers will pay for pet injury irrespective of fault. In addition to finding out whether an insurer will cover pet injury, find out what the coverage limit too. This is necessary because veterinary bills can sometimes soar into thousands of dollars, and it's important to know that your insurance will pay as much of this as possible.

Damages Incurred During Riots

These days, riots can break out at any time, and they can lead to considerable damage. Flying missiles can crack your windshield, stones can dent your car's body, and petrol bombs can burn your car. While some insurance policies don't offer protection for this loss, others will reimburse you for them.

Rodent Damage

Believe it or not, rodents can cause great damage to your car. For example, mice can get into your car and chew on the upholstery and electrical wiring. Most modern cars rely on electronics for their functions, which means damaged electrical wiring can cause malfunctions in different parts of the car.

Such rodent damage may be covered depending on the wording of your comprehensive coverage. If you already have insurance, read through the covered perils section to confirm whether rodent damage is listed or excluded. If the language isn't clear, talk to your insurance agent for further clarification.

Earthquake Damage

Those who have homeowners insurance know that standard policies do not offer protection or earthquake or flood damage. Fortunately, the situation is different for automobile insurance. If an earthquake ripples through your neighborhood and the ripples crack your windows, your auto insurance might come to your rescue. It just depends on what kind of policy you have.

It is better to learn all these things before you experience any loss. Therefore, when shopping for auto insurance, compare all the covered risks to understand exactly what you are getting in each case. Scrutinize the excluded risks too. If a risk isn't listed as covered or excluded, get clarification from your insurance agent; don't make any assumption.