Comprehensive Car Insurance

Comprehensive car insurance is coverage that can help pay to repair or replace your insured vehicle after certain losses that don’t involve a collision with another vehicle or object. It is sometimes referred to as “other than collision” coverage.

Covered losses may include theft, vandalism, fire, hail, and other severe weather, flooding, falling objects, and animal-related damage. Comprehensive coverage generally includes a deductible, and coverage depends on the policy terms, exclusions, deductible, and circumstances of the loss.

Comprehensive insurance works differently from collision insurance, which generally applies to covered damage when your vehicle hits another vehicle or object, and liability insurance, which helps with covered injuries or property damage you’re legally responsible for causing to others.

Because comprehensive coverage, deductibles, and pricing can vary by insurance company, comparing options can help you understand your choices. Freeway works with multiple insurance companies, and a licensed Freeway agent can help you compare car coverage, deductibles, and pricing based on your vehicle, needs, and budget.

Comprehensive Coverage Example

Suppose a storm causes a tree branch to fall onto your parked vehicle. If the damage qualifies under your comprehensive coverage, the insurer can evaluate the repair cost. You would generally be responsible for the full deductible, and the policy may help cover the remaining amount.

Does Comprehensive Insurance Cover Hitting a Deer?

Generally, damage from hitting an animal is handled under comprehensive coverage rather than collision coverage. Although your vehicle physically strikes something, animal-related damage is typically categorized differently from damage caused by a crash with another vehicle or a stationary object.

Comprehensive insurance does not cover every type of vehicle damage or expense. Common exclusions or losses handled by other coverage include:

Comprehensive insurance primarily protects the insured vehicle against qualifying physical damage or loss. It does not directly provide medical coverage for the driver or passengers, and it does not replace liability coverage for injuries or property damage you cause to other people.

For example, if hail damages your insured vehicle while it is parked outside, comprehensive coverage may help pay for covered repairs after the applicable deductible. Whether coverage applies depends on the vehicle, cause of loss, exclusions, deductible, and other policy terms.

A comprehensive claim generally follows these steps:

The cost of comprehensive car insurance varies based on the vehicle, insurance company, deductible, location, and other rating factors permitted in your state.

Your deductible can affect the cost of comprehensive coverage. A higher deductible may reduce your premium, but increase the amount you’re responsible for after a covered loss.

Because pricing can vary between insurance companies, comparing quotes can help you look for more affordable comprehensive coverage. Available discounts can also affect what you pay. A Freeway agent can help you compare available pricing and discounts from multiple insurance companies.

The amount comprehensive insurance pays depends on the type and extent of the covered loss. If the vehicle can be repaired, the insurer generally evaluates eligible repair costs and applies the deductible according to the policy.

If the vehicle is stolen and not recovered or is declared a total loss after a covered event, the settlement is generally based on its actual cash value, subject to the deductible and policy terms.

A vehicle may be declared a total loss when repair is not economically reasonable under the claim, policy, vehicle value, repair cost, and applicable state rules. Extensive floods, fire, or falling-object damage could potentially result in a total loss.

When a covered comprehensive event results in a total loss, the settlement generally reflects the vehicle’s actual cash value before the loss, subject to the deductible and policy terms.

What Is Actual Cash Value (ACV)?

Actual cash value, or ACV, generally reflects what your vehicle was worth immediately before the covered loss. Factors used to determine ACV may include the vehicle’s age, mileage, pre-loss condition, features and equipment, comparable vehicles, and relevant market information.

The amount you originally paid for the vehicle isn’t necessarily the amount used to determine a covered total-loss settlement.

Comprehensive insurance is generally not required by state law. A lender or leasing company, however, may require it while a vehicle is financed or leased because it has a financial interest in the vehicle.

Once the financing or lease requirement no longer applies, comprehensive coverage is generally optional. State insurance requirements and lender or lease requirements are separate obligations.

Comprehensive coverage may be worth considering if a major non-collision loss would be difficult to handle on your own. Instead of focusing only on the vehicle’s age, look at its value, your deductible, and the financial impact of repairing or replacing it.

Consider factors such as:

Comprehensive insurance may help cover certain windshield or auto glass damage caused by covered events such as hail, falling objects, vandalism, or storm debris.

How the deductible applies can vary by policy and state, and some policies or jurisdictions may treat glass repair or replacement differently from other comprehensive claims. Review your policy before assuming a particular repair is covered.

Comprehensive and liability insurance protect against different financial risks—comprehensive focuses on qualifying non-collision damage to your insured vehicle. Liability coverage addresses certain injuries or property damage when you are legally responsible for a covered loss.

Liability insurance uses different limits and coverage structures and does not replace comprehensive protection for your own vehicle.

Comprehensive insurance doesn’t cover every expense that can come with vehicle damage or an unexpected roadside event. Depending on the insurance company and policy, additional coverage or protection options may be available, such as: