What is Comprehensive Car Insurance?

While comprehensive car insurance sounds like it should protect your car in all situations, car insurance isn’t quite that simple. Comprehensive coverage is for a specific list of things, so it’s important to know what’s included and what’s not.

You can think of comprehensive coverage as the next step up from bodily injury liability coverage. Simply put, comprehensive insurance covers damage not caused by hitting another vehicle or object. It also covers replacement costs if your car is stolen.

Comprehensive coverage is there to cover situations you might not have expected. Some examples include: a ladder hitting your bumper after falling off the construction truck in front of you, the big oak tree in the front yard falling on your car after being struck by lightning, or walking outside to find that your car is no longer where you left it the night before.

Do I need comprehensive coverage?

One of the best ways to know if you need comprehensive auto insurance is to ask yourself what would happen if your car was stolen. Could you afford to replace it without making big sacrifices? If your car isn’t worth very much and you have money saved up, you might not need comprehensive coverage. But if replacing your car would cause financial stress, comprehensive coverage could help tremendously.

Comprehensive coverage isn’t mandatory. Lenders might require it if your car is being financed or leased, but if your car is paid off, you can choose to decline this coverage.

What does comprehensive auto insurance cover?

Comprehensive insurance protects against:

• Theft
• Natural disasters and storm damage
• Windshield damage
• Fire or explosion
• Vandalism
• Falling objects
• Contact with an animal

Comprehensive insurance does not protect against:

• Damage to your car if you’re in an accident with another vehicle or object (collision coverage)
• Damage to other cars (collision coverage)
• Medical bills (bodily injury liability coverage)

What is the risk of not having comprehensive car insurance?

Without comprehensive car insurance, you’re taking on the financial risk of repairing or replacing your car if something unexpected happens. Keep in mind that if you decline comprehensive insurance, you can't get collision insurance. Collision is the type of insurance you need if you get into an accident with another vehicle.

Is there a limit to what comprehensive insurance will cover?

You’ll need to choose a deductible (usually $500–$1,500) which is the amount you cover if you file a claim. Once you file a claim and pay your deductible, insurance will usually reimburse you for the actual cash value of your car — which accounts for depreciation due to age and wear and tear on the vehicle.

Unlike many other insurers, we offer a full glass coverage option with a $0 deductible under comprehensive car insurance. So, if a rock shatters your windshield, the glass could be replaced at no cost to you!

Find your local rep for more details on the different types of car insurance coverage and what might be best for you.

Updated 10-2-23