Comprehensive Auto Insurance

What is comprehensive insurance? Comprehensive car insurance from the best auto insurance companies will protect your car from various mishaps, from hitting a deer to hail damage, by paying for repairs or your totaled car’s value in a covered claim. State laws do not require it, but if you have a leased car, your lender will require you to carry comprehensive coverage. 

To help you decide if comprehensive coverage is right for you, we’ve covered everything from the basics of comprehensive insurance to the average rates. 

Pros and Cons of Comprehensive Insurance 

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Comprehensive is a very useful coverage that pays for repairs if a driver’s car is damaged from weather, animals, and similar incidents. In addition, if the insurance company decides your car is totaled, comprehensive insurance will pay you your car’s value. Before we dive into the specifics of comprehensive insurance, let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons.

If drivers don’t pay attention to their vehicle's value, they may end up paying more in comprehensive rates in a year or two than their vehicle is worth. 

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What Comprehensive Insurance Covers

What does comprehensive insurance cover? Comprehensive insurance covers a wide variety of events, although in some states, you may have to purchase fire or flood insurance separately to be fully covered. The main causes of damages that comprehensive insurance will usually cover include the following: 

• Animal collisions
• Falling objects
• Fire and explosions
• Vandalism and theft
• Weather extremes

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Some of the incidents covered under the weather category include hail, lightning, floods, and heavy winds. 

What is not covered by comprehensive insurance? 

Some insurance companies may not include fire and flood damage in their comprehensive policies if your area is prone to fires and floods. Comprehensive insurance also won’t cover any of the following: 

• Any damages or injuries from an accident you cause. If you cause an accident, your liability insurance is responsible for paying for others’ injuries or property damage. 
• Damages to your car from a collision with an object or another vehicle. If you caused the accident and have collision insurance, it will be covered under collision. If the accident wasn’t your fault, the other driver’s liability would cover it. 
• Injuries to you or your passengers. Comprehensive insurance doesn’t cover injuries to drivers or passengers from an accident. 

Not everything is covered under comprehensive claims, as your other insurance coverages are intended to take care of the abovementioned incidents.

How Comprehensive Deductibles Work 

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The majority of comprehensive coverages will have a deductible unless drivers pay for the more expensive plans with zero deductible. Generally, comprehensive deductibles range from $500 to $2,000. 

When you choose a car insurance deductible amount, you agree to pay that amount in a covered claim. So if you have a $500 deductible, you will have to put $500 toward repairs, and your insurance will cover the remainder of the bill. 

If your car is totaled under a comprehensive covered event, then insurance will pay for the car's value minus the comprehensive deductible. So if your car is currently worth $10,000, but you have a $1,000 deductible, insurance will pay you $9,000. 

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While raising your deductible will lower the cost of your comprehensive insurance rates, keep in mind that you need to make the deductible amount something you can pay. If you would be unable to pay the deductible to get your car repaired, then you should lower the deductible amount even if it raises your rates slightly. 

Comprehensive Insurance Vs. Full Coverage 

Comprehensive insurance is often confused with full coverage insurance. However, they are not the same thing. Comprehensive insurance is a specific coverage, whereas full coverage insurance refers to when drivers carry multiple different types of insurance on their vehicle. 

Typically, full coverage refers to when a driver carries liability insurance, comprehensive insurance, and collision coverage. Other coverages that may be added to a full coverage policy include medical payments, personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist. 

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The Cost of Comprehensive Insurance 

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Cost can be a huge deterrent for some drivers when choosing coverages. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), the average cost of comprehensive insurance is $172 for drivers. 

Of course, this cost will vary based on where a driver lives, their personal driving history, their vehicle, and other factors. Some of the most expensive states for comprehensive insurance, according to the III, include Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota. 

On the other hand, cheap states for comprehensive insurance include Washington, Delaware, and Ohio. The best way to see the cost of comprehensive insurance for you is to get quotes from a few different companies in your area. This will also help you find the best rate. 

Deciding if You Need Comprehensive Insurance 

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If you are having trouble deciding whether you should purchase comprehensive insurance or pass on it, there are a few things you should consider. If you fit into the following situations, you should probably purchase comprehensive insurance. 

• You have a loan or lease. Your lender will require you to carry comprehensive insurance to protect their assets. Keep in mind it is usually cheaper to purchase your own personal comprehensive insurance than to buy it through the lender. 
• You have a relatively new car or an expensive car. You should carry comprehensive insurance if you would face heavy financial losses if your car were damaged or totaled. 

However, there are also situations where you can skip carrying comprehensive insurance. The best way to determine if you don’t need comprehensive insurance is to calculate your car’s cash value and consider it in relation to your deductible and monthly payments. 

For example, if your car is so old that it is only worth $2,000, and your deductible is $1,500, it’s not worth keeping comprehensive insurance. Your monthly payments would soon equal or surpass the small payout that insurance would give you after an accident. In some cases, you may even end up paying more for comprehensive insurance over time than the amount the insurance company would give you in a claim.  

The Final Word on Comprehensive Auto Insurance 

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Comprehensive is a useful coverage that covers claims for animal collisions, weather damages, and more. However, if drivers have older cars that are no longer worth much, they can skip having comprehensive coverage with no financial risk. 

If you have a newer car or a leased car and want to find comprehensive coverage, use our free quote comparison tool. It will help you find the best insurance rates in your area.

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