{"id":25893,"date":"2023-05-30T12:38:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-30T19:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/?page_id=25893"},"modified":"2023-09-21T09:48:28","modified_gmt":"2023-09-21T16:48:28","slug":"comprehensive","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/auto-insurance\/coverage\/comprehensive\/","title":{"rendered":"Comprehensive Car Insurance Coverage"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What is Comprehensive Auto Insurance Coverage?<\/h2>\n
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Comprehensive car coverage protects you against losses\u00a0caused by covered events not related to a collision. These events often include storm damage and natural disasters, such as a tornado or a hurricane, falling objects such as a tree branch, theft, fire, vandalism, or animal damage.<\/p>\n

With this\u00a0type of auto policy<\/strong><\/a>, the maximum compensation you would receive if your car is stolen or totaled is the\u00a0actual cash value (ACV)\u00a0of your vehicle, minus the deductible.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Understanding Comprehensive Car Coverage<\/h2>\n

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If your car is a lease or finance, you most likely already have comprehensive under the umbrella of a\u00a0full coverage car insurance<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0policy required by your lender. This also includes\u00a0collision and\u00a0liability. Once you have paid it off, it becomes an optional coverage.<\/p>\n

Some insurers request that you purchase collision and comprehensive together. You can find it separately though and that is one good reason to do some comparison shopping.<\/p>\n

When people hear the word \u201ccomprehensive,\u201d they might think they will be compensated for everything, but that is not the case. This type of policy<\/a> protects you against property damage that is the result of covered risks not related to a car wreck.<\/p>\n

Freeway agents are skilled at taking your general information and finding\u00a0car insurance quotes<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0from multiple companies so you have affordable options that meet your needs.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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How It Works<\/h2>\n

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Comprehensive coverage may be used to help pay for or replace your vehicle if it is damaged or lost in a covered event. This type of policy usually comes with a deductible that you are comfortable with paying out of pocket. A higher deductible means a lower premium, but you must ensure you can come up with the needed funds if necessary.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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What Does It Cover and Not Cover?<\/h2>\n
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It covers pretty much anything that damages your vehicle outside of a wreck<\/a>. That includes Mother Nature in the form of flood, hail, hurricanes, earthquakes, fire and more.<\/p>\n

An example is if something falls on it, like a tree branch, it\u2019s covered. Did it get stolen? Covered. Vandalized? Covered.<\/p>\n

Damage to your vehicle that isn\u2019t covered is damage from a car wreck. Other things that are not covered include routine maintenance such as belts and hoses, brakes, tires and windshield wipers. Here\u2019s a handy table to further illustrate what is and isn\u2019t covered.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Incident<\/th>\n Covers<\/th>\n <\/tr>\n
Theft<\/strong>: This coverage protects you by replacing your vehicle at current market value if it is stolen<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Vandalism<\/strong>: Vandalism is when someone damages your vehicle on purpose, such as a key scratch.<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Fire<\/strong>: Covers you if your vehicle catches fire or is destroyed or damaged by a fire.<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Natural Disasters<\/strong> (hurricane, tornado): If your vehicle is damaged or destroyed due to a natural disaster, this policy will help you recoup your losses.<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Falling Objects<\/strong>: Falling tree limbs or other items are covered under a comprehensive policy.<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Animal Damage<\/strong>: If you run into an animal, this coverage will help pay for repairs.<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Civil Disturbance<\/strong> (riot): If your vehicle is damaged in the course of a civil disturbance, this policy will help you pay for the repairs or replacement.<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Collision<\/strong>: Comprehensive typically will not pay for repairs or replacement due to a collision with another vehicle or object.<\/td>\n No<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Another Person\u2019s Vehicle<\/strong>: There is no coverage for somebody else\u2019s vehicle.<\/td>\n No<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Medical Expenses<\/strong>: Comprehensive does not pay for medical bills.<\/td>\n No<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Normal Wear and Tear<\/strong>: Comprehensive does not pay for routine maintenance due to normal wear and tear<\/td>\n No<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/table>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Don\u2019t forget that there are other optional products that you can choose for some of these events, such as\u00a024\/7 roadside assistance<\/a>, windshield repair,\u00a0tire hazard protection<\/a>\u00a0plans and more.<\/p>\n

This insurance can be used for any legitimate claim, regardless of who is at fault.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Does It Cover Car Accidents?<\/h2>\n
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If the crash involves something like hitting an animal, then yes. That would be covered. However, if you miss the deer but hit a tree in the process, then that would be covered under collision coverage, not comprehensive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Your comprehensive policy does not cover any claim that results from a car accident with another vehicle. For your information, it also will not cover any claim for somebody else\u2019s vehicle.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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How Much Will Comprehensive Insurance Pay Me?<\/h2>\n
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If your car is stolen or totaled, your insurer will pay you the actual cash value of your vehicle (ACV), minus your comprehensive deductible. Your insurer will use different factors to arrive at an ACV figure, but you can estimate it at a\u00a0Blue Book<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0site. If your information is wildly different from your insurer\u2019s estimate, you can contest it.<\/p>\n

This type of coverage doesn\u2019t have a limit. It pays for property damage up to and including the total cost to replace your vehicle if it is a total loss and you file a claim.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Do I Need Comprehensive Coverage?<\/h2>\n
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Since this type of policy covers a wide variety of events, most beyond your control, it\u2019s probably not a bad idea to get it, depending on what your automobile is worth. Once you establish your car\u2019s rough ACV, subtract your deductible and then subtract the six-month premium. If the resulting number is a fairly large positive number, it makes sense to continue paying for extended protection.<\/p>\n

For example, say you\u2019ve got a 2020 Toyota Camry SE Sedan 4D with 75,000 miles on it in \u201cvery good\u201d condition. The current car\u2019s value is $20,000. You\u2019ve chosen a $1,000 deductible on your plan. Subtracting your deductible from the Blue Book value gives you $19,000. Subtracting the six-month premium of $80 gives you $18,920 \u2013 a very high positive. Unless you can come up with that much money if necessary, it\u2019s a good idea.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s say you have a 2002 Toyota Camry SE Sedan 4D with 150,000 miles on it in good condition. Your trade-in value here is $1,800. Subtract your deductible of $1,000 and you\u2019re at $800. Subtract your 6-month premium of $80 and you arrive at $720.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s still a positive but you have to ask yourself if spending and average cost of $160 a year on an auto policy is going to give you any great value, when the most you can expect the insurer to pay you is somewhere around $800 \u2013\u00a0if\u00a0something covered happens.<\/p>\n

If the repairs exceed its ACV, your carrier is going to declare it a\u00a0total loss<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Customizing Your Comprehensive Car Insurance Policy<\/h2>\n

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You may choose to add some additional products to your policy for greater peace of mind. Some of the more common add-ons include:<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n

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