Comprehensive Car Insurance: what it is & what it covers

Comprehensive car insurance has a confusing name because it is far from "comprehensive."It pays for a number of very specific problems. If you have a car loan, your lender will most likely require it.

And if your car has already paid off, you most likely want it even if you are a very good driver. That's because comprehensive coverage pays for issues that have nothing to do with the quality of your driving. It even pays for things that could happen to your car while it's parked in the garage.

What Is Comprehensive Car Insurance?

Comprehensive car insurance pays to repair your vehicle or pay you its value if the vehicle was a total loss due to a problem covered by the comprehensive coverage section in your car insurance policy.

A car insurance Deductible is the amount deducted from an insurance claim check. Let's say you file a comprehensive claim for hail damage that costs $3,500 to repair. If you have a $500 deductible, you will receive $3,000 as your payment.

What does comprehensive insurance cover?

Types of problems covered by comprehensive car insurance include:

Car theft

Glass and windshield damage

Collisions with animals, such as deer

Extreme weather, such as hail or strong winds

Falling objects

Fire and explosion

Vandalism

Civil disturbances, such as riots

Damage caused by rats

Flood

What does comprehensive insurance not cover?

What if my car is stolen from the parking lot?

Comprehensive car insurance pays for car theft if your vehicle is not found, even if you leave the keys in the car.

Car thefts with keys left in them are on the rise, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). Maybe you left your car running to turn on the air conditioning while you stopped by the grocery store. Whatever the reason, your vehicle can be an easy booty for thieves.

Monday is the hottest day of the week for stealing vehicles with keys in them, followed by Friday, according to the NICB. The most burglaries with locks occur around Las Vegas, Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, and Louisville.

What if someone scratches my car?

Damage from scratches on the car is considered an act of vandalism and will fall into comprehensive coverage.

The same will apply if you go out and find that your car has been sprayed with paint or deliberately damaged. Having a police report about the incident can be helpful when filing a car insurance claim for vandalism.

What about the animals on the road?

Hitting a deer is a classic example of a collision with an animal covered by comprehensive insurance. Animals of all sizes, such as wild turkeys and dogs, can cross the road in front of you and cause damage to cars.

Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your vehicle if you hit an animal, minus your deductible amount. If you dodge to avoid an animal and hit a tree, it will be covered by collision coverage, not comprehensive insurance.

What if my car is damaged in a Tornado?

Comprehensive insurance covers weather damage, such as tornado and wind damage. It also pays for rain damage to the car.

What if something happens to the roof of my car?

Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your vehicle caused by a falling object, such as a tree branch pressing against your car or debris hitting your car due to strong winds.

What If My Car Gets Flooded?

Comprehensive insurance covers flood damage to a vehicle, either for repairs or the value of the vehicle if the vehicle is totaled.

People who experience devastating floods often focus on draining and repairing their homes. That's understandable, because a house is a much bigger investment than a car. But flood water often also overflows vehicles.

Do I Need Comprehensive Car Insurance?

While there is no law requiring comprehensive car insurance, if you have a car loan or lease, your lender or rental company will most likely require you to have collision and comprehensive insurance.

But even if you're not required to have comprehensive auto insurance, you may want to buy it if you can't afford to pay in cash to repair or replace your car if it's damaged by problems like vandalism, falling objects, extreme weather, or fire—or stolen and not found.

Is Comprehensive Coverage Worth It?

You can consider the cost of insurance compared to potential payments to decide if comprehensive coverage is worth it.

Advantages

Cover your car if it is damaged in any way other than a collision with another vehicle, such as falling objects, fire, and vandalism.

Pay the value of your vehicle if it is stolen.

Pay for the repair and replacement of windshields and glass.

Plays an important role if you have a new car that will require a

If you have a new car that will require expensive repairs if it breaks down.

Disadvantages

Increase the cost of your car insurance.

It may not be necessary for an old car that is worth little.

What is the difference between comprehensive insurance and collision insurance?

Car collision insurance pays if your vehicle is damaged in a car accident. This is often paired with comprehensive coverage. Both are similar in terms of paying to repair your vehicle and both have deductibles if you file a claim.

The cause of damage to your vehicle determines whether comprehensive insurance or collision insurance will pay. While collision insurance covers damage to your car after an accident with another vehicle or object, such as a pole, comprehensive coverage pays for other damage, such as falling tree branches, bumping into animals, vandalism, and fire.

Examples Of Car Insurance Claims

How Much Does Comprehensive Car Insurance Coverage Cost?

The average cost of comprehensive auto insurance is $367 per year, according to Forbes Advisor analysis.

Typically, comprehensive coverage is paired with collision coverage. The average cost of collision insurance is $814 per year. Comprehensive and collision coverage together have an average cost of $1,181 per year, or $98 per month. This Total does not include liability insurance, which is mandatory in most states and has an average cost of $683 per year.

When considering comprehensive auto insurance, it is important to evaluate the value of your vehicle, the risks you face, and your ability to pay a deductible in case of a claim. The decision to purchase comprehensive coverage should be based on your individual situation and how important this additional protection is to you.

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