What Is Comprehensive Car Insurance? Understanding Coverage for Non-Collision Incidents
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What is comprehensive car insurance coverage? This type of insurance — known also as "other than collision" insurance — goes above and beyond basic liability policies to make sure your car is covered in a variety of incidents. If you’re concerned about repair costs in instances of theft, natural disasters, or run-ins with animals, then a comprehensive policy might be right for you.
While comprehensive insurance isn’t required in most cases, it’s important to know what it is and how it works so that you can make an informed decision about whether the investment is right for you. Continue reading our guide to comprehensive car insurance to learn about what it covers plus other policy details.
What Is Comprehensive Car Insurance and How Does It Work?
Comprehensive insurance coverage is a type of insurance that is meant to pay for damages to your vehicle if it is damaged in a non-collision incident, such as theft, vandalism, fire, natural disasters, or glass damage. Comprehensive insurance policies are typically optional unless you are financing your vehicle and your lender requires comprehensive coverage.
If your vehicle is damaged in one of the covered incidents, you can file a claim which will help to pay for repairs based on the actual cash value of your vehicle. However, comprehensive coverage includes a deductible, which means you will have to pay that amount out of pocket.
What Does Comprehensive Car Insurance Cover?
One of the primary incidents includes theft and vandalism. If your car is damaged by anyone breaking into your vehicle or otherwise damaging it on purpose, your insurance company can help with repairs. However, comprehensive auto insurance will not cover personal property stolen from your vehicle. If you have homeowners insurance, you might be able to get coverage for your stolen property.
Comprehensive coverage will also help with some damage due to natural disasters, fires, and falling objects. While some policies will exclude certain natural disasters, many will cover at least flood and fire damage. You can also file a claim for damage from falling objects, such as trees, branches, snow, and ice.
You may also receive coverage for incidents involving animals. However, the incident must be a direct impact with an animal. For example, hitting a deer would be covered by most comprehensive policies. However, if you hit something because you swerve to avoid the deer, this would not be covered as it’s now considered a collision.
Comprehensive coverage will not cover damages to another vehicle, medical expenses, or legal expenses related to any incident.
Comprehensive vs. Collision Insurance: What’s the Difference?
Comprehensive and collision coverage are similar in that they both cover damages to the policyholder’s vehicle. However, they differ in the incidents in which they are used. Collision insurance covers damages from collisions, while comprehensive auto insurance coverage is used for non-collision incidents.
In simple terms, collision coverage is typically used when you hit another object. Comprehensive coverage, on the other hand, is used when your vehicle sustains damages from an incident that does not involve hitting another object. For example, if you hit a tree, collision coverage would pay for repairs. But if the tree falls on your car, then comprehensive coverage is used.
These two types of coverage can be used together to give you total protection for your car. Between these two auto insurance policies, your vehicle could be covered in just about any incident.
When Should You Consider Comprehensive Car Insurance?
Comprehensive coverage may be required if you are financing your vehicle. Lenders want to ensure that the vehicle is covered if it is stolen or totaled before you finish paying off your loan. Comprehensive is typically combined with gap insurance to help cover your loan if you can no longer use the vehicle.
If you aren’t required by your lender to purchase comprehensive coverage, it’s likely optional. States typically require only necessary coverages to help protect a base layer of drivers’ assets, such as liability car insurance. However, comprehensive coverage might still be a good investment for some people.
If you live in a high-crime area, comprehensive may be more expensive, but it will also provide the coverage necessary to pay for repairs if you become the victim of theft or vandalism. The same goes for people who live in areas that are prone to strong natural disasters.
On the other hand, if you drive an older vehicle or pay more for insurance than what the car is worth, then a comprehensive policy might not be cost-effective.
Review the insurance requirements of your state:
How Comprehensive Insurance Deductibles Work
A comprehensive deductible is the amount of money you must pay out of pocket if you file a claim under your comprehensive policy. For example, a deductible of $500 means you would need to put $500 of your own money toward repairs, while the the insurance company covers the rest.
Some insurance companies will allow policyholders to choose their deductible, as long as it's over a specified minimum amount. Choosing a higher deductible would mean that you have to pay more out of pocket when you file a comprehensive claim. However, it also means that your monthly premiums would go down since the insurance company wouldn’t have to pay as much. If you have savings that could be used toward vehicle emergencies, a higher deductible might be a good choice to save money in the long run.
How To Find the Best Comprehensive Car Insurance With EverQuote
Online comparison tools are an excellent way to find a comprehensive policy that meets both your coverage and price needs. EverQuote can provide you with quotes from multiple providers in one place, which makes the research process easier and quicker.
When comparing comprehensive car insurance quotes, you should consider factors such as price, policy details, and company reputation. Purchase from reputable companies that have limited exclusions and can offer discounts that help reduce your rates.
Shop Around for the Best Car Insurance Quotes
Insurance options vary by ZIP code and driver profile. The best way to get the right comprehensive coverage for you is to compare custom options. Getting custom quotes from EverQuote is free and only takes a few minutes. Enter some basic information, such as your name and vehicle information, and we’ll have quotes available to you immediately.