Whats the difference between full coverage and comprehensive

Q: Is full Comprehensive worth it?

Comprehensive insurance can save you money if you cant afford to pay for repairs (to your or someone elses car) or live without your car. Third party property, fire and theft insurance might suit you if you park on the street. It will save you money if your car gets stolen.

What does comprehensive insurance cover?

Comprehensive insurance coverage protects your vehicle against unexpected damage that's not caused by a vehicle collision. Such incidents may include:

Table of Contents Show

What does comprehensive insurance cover?
When can I add comprehensive coverage to my policy?
Is comprehensive insurance required?
Is comprehensive insurance worth it?
Is comprehensive insurance the same as full coverage?
What's the difference between comprehensive and collision insurance?
Key terms in this article
Comprehensive vs. collision insurance
How much comprehensive and collision coverage cost
How to save on comprehensive and collision insurance
Do I need comprehensive and collision insurance?
Is comprehensive the same as full coverage?
Is full Comprehensive worth it?
What is considered to be full coverage?

Theft
Vandalism, fire, and explosions
Windshield and glass damage
Falling trees/limbs and other objects
Rocks/objects kicked up by or falling off cars
Storms, hail, wind, floods, lightning, and earthquakes
Accidents with animals (e.g., hitting a deer)

When can I add comprehensive coverage to my policy?

You can typically add comprehensive coverage at any time to the following policies:

Auto insurance
Motorcycle insurance
RV insurance
Boat insurance

You may also be able to purchase comprehensive coverage for ATVs, golf carts, snowmobiles, and other types of vehicles.

Is comprehensive insurance required?

Comprehensive coverage is not required by law in any state, but it's usually required by lenders if you are leasing or financing your vehicle. If you own your vehicle outright, you can decide whether comprehensive coverage is worthwhile.

Is comprehensive insurance worth it?

If you are not required to obtain comprehensive coverage by your leasing or financing company, the question of whether you need comprehensive insurance will come down to the value of your car, your personal preferences, and your financial circumstances.

If your vehicle's cash value is relatively low and you have a higher deductible, for example, it may not be worthwhile to carry comprehensive coverage. On the other hand, it may be worthwhile if your vehicle has a higher cash value, or you cannot afford the cost to repair or replace your vehicle out of pocket. If you prefer to be covered against any unforeseen events, then comprehensive insurance may help give you peace of mind behind the wheel.

Is comprehensive insurance the same as full coverage?

Comprehensive insurance is defined as coverage for non-collision-related damage to your vehicle, which is why it's sometimes called "other than collision" coverage. "Full coverage," on the other hand, is an ambiguous term often used to refer to both comprehensive and collision coverage, plus any other coverage your state mandates. Liability is a required coverage in most states, for example, while comprehensive is optional.

What's the difference between comprehensive and collision insurance?

Comprehensive coverage and collision coverage both insure your car, but they cover different events. Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage caused by events considered to be outside of your control, like theft, vandalism, hitting an animal, glass breakage, fire, and weather-related incidents (e.g., hail).

Collision coverage protects against damage to your car from hitting another vehicle or object, regardless of fault. Learn more about comprehensive vs. collision coverage.

Comprehensive and collision insurance are two of the most important types of car insurance to understand. They’re not legally required by any state, but they can come to the rescue in a variety of situations.

Collision and comprehensive coverage are often sold as a package. Both pay to fix damage to your own car or replace it entirely — but they don’t cover injuries or damage to anyone else’s property.

See what you could save on car insurance

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Key terms in this article

Here are some common terms you will see associated with comprehensive and collision coverage.

A deductible is a set amount that is subtracted from a claim payout. When you buy your insurance policy, you select your deductible. If you choose a high deductible you will have a lower car insurance premium, but you will also pay more out-of-pocket if you make a claim.

The value of your car in its current condition, not the price when you bought it or the trade-in value at a dealership. Cars decrease in value over time, so the actual cash value of your car will be less (sometimes significantly) than the purchase price.

Comprehensive vs. collision insurance

The main difference between comprehensive and collision insurance are the situations covered. Collision insurance pays for damage to your car if you hit an object or another vehicle, while comprehensive coverage pays for theft or damage from causes such as bad weather, fire or fallen trees. Some insurers require that you purchase collision and comprehensive insurance together, while other insurers may allow you to purchase these two types of coverage separately.

Collision insurance pays for:

Damage to your car in an accident you cause.
Damage to your car if you hit an object such as a fence or pole.
Damage to your car if someone else hits you. Another option in this case is to make a claim against the other driver's liability insurance.

Comprehensive insurance pays for:

The actual cash value of your car if it's stolen and not recovered, and damage from:

Weather such as tornadoes or hail.
Floods.
Fire.
Falling objects.
Explosions.
Crashes with an animal, such as striking a deer.
Riots and civil disturbances.
Vandalism.

How much comprehensive and collision coverage cost

To get realistic comparisons, we analyzed rates for minimum-coverage policies and compared them with policies with comprehensive, collision and higher liability limits. Together these three types of coverage are commonly considered “full coverage” car insurance.

Here are the rates for drivers with good credit and no recent traffic violations or accidents at the five largest auto insurance companies in the U.S. (In most states, drivers with good credit typically qualify for lower rates than those with poor credit. Four states — California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan — don't allow insurers to use credit in setting car insurance rates.)

Company

Full coverage

Minimum required coverage

Annual difference

Allstate

$1,994

$648

$1,346

Geico

$1,233

$370

$863

Progressive

$1,739

$625

$1,114

State Farm

$1,381

$473

$908

USAA*

$1,238

$396

$842

*USAA is available only to military members, veterans and their families.

Car insurance rates vary widely by state for similar policies, and adding comprehensive and collision coverage costs more in some places than others. Below are the average cost differences between minimum and full coverage policies in every state for a driver with good credit and no recent tickets or accidents. Keep in mind that your own rate will depend on the value of your car, your location, your driving history and the deductible amount that you choose.

State

Full coverage

Minimum coverage

Annual difference

National

$1,630

$561

$1,069

Alabama

$1,735

$575

$1,160

Alaska

$1,344

$418

$926

Arizona

$1,669

$588

$1,081

Arkansas

$1,920

$507

$1,413

California

$2,005

$629

$1,376

Colorado

$1,950

$512

$1,438

Connecticut

$1,785

$884

$901

Delaware

$2,138

$969

$1,169

Florida

$2,780

$1,084

$1,696

Georgia

$1,715

$719

$996

Hawaii

$1,188

$391

$797

Idaho

$1,050

$338

$712

Illinois

$1,383

$512

$871

Indiana

$1,153

$354

$799

Iowa

$1,131

$240

$891

Kansas

$1,840

$482

$1,358

Kentucky

$2,488

$911

$1,577

Louisiana

$3,094

$957

$2,137

Maine

$1,102

$374

$728

Maryland

$2,062

$945

$1,117

Massachusetts

$1,169

$459

$710

Michigan

$2,125

$913

$1,212

Minnesota

$1,463

$548

$915

Mississippi

$1,900

$575

$1,325

Missouri

$1,760

$537

$1,223

Montana

$2,008

$460

$1,548

Nebraska

$1,424

$349

$1,075

Nevada

$2,581

$1,002

$1,579

New Hampshire

$1,277

$443

$834

New Jersey

$1,971

$973

$998

New Mexico

$1,505

$413

$1,092

New York

$2,020

$941

$1,079

North Carolina

$1,255

$402

$853

North Dakota

$1,302

$368

$934

Ohio

$1,098

$391

$707

Oklahoma

$1,965

$472

$1,493

Oregon

$1,383

$681

$702

Pennsylvania

$1,535

$458

$1,077

Rhode Island

$2,149

$866

$1,283

South Carolina

$1,611

$601

$1,010

South Dakota

$1,502

$311

$1,191

Tennessee

$1,439

$407

$1,032

Texas

$1,749

$611

$1,138

Utah

$1,655

$667

$988

Vermont

$1,108

$353

$755

Virginia

$1,460

$533

$927

Washington

$1,317

$472

$845

Washington, D.C.

$1,993

$758

$1,235

West Virginia

$1,622

$512

$1,110

Wisconsin

$1,271

$374

$897

Wyoming

$1,484

$336

$1,148

See what you could save on car insurance

Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.

How to save on comprehensive and collision insurance

As you can see, average annual rates can vary by hundreds of dollars, so it’s worth shopping around for car insurance quotes from several companies to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Another way to save money is by raising your comprehensive and collision deductibles. An insurance deductible is a predetermined amount that is subtracted from a claim payout. Many policies offer options as high as $2,000. But do this only if you’re prepared to spend more of your own funds to fix or replace your car.

Do I need comprehensive and collision insurance?

About 79% of all U.S. drivers buy comprehensive coverage, and 75% buy collision, according to the Insurance Information Institute, which based its analysis on 2019 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

You should consider buying comprehensive and collision insurance if:

You lease your vehicle or took out a loan to buy it. Your lender or leasing company probably requires you to carry collision and comprehensive coverage.
You couldn’t afford to replace or significantly repair your car if you crashed it or someone stole it.
Your area has a high incidence of car theft, vandalism, severe weather (like hail) or animal collisions.

You probably don’t need comprehensive and collision insurance if your car is older and not worth a lot. Remember the maximum payout will be the value of your car if it’s totaled or stolen, minus the deductible.

If your car’s value is low, consider whether the potential payout would be worth the premiums you’ll pay. Remember, too, that the deductible amount will reduce any claims check.

Check out NADAguides for your car’s current value.

Is comprehensive the same as full coverage?

In most cases when an insurance company, agent, or lender references full coverage auto insurance they typically mean comprehensive and collision plus any other coverages required by your state. On Screen Text: Full coverage auto insurance. Comprehensive + collision + state-required coverages.

Is full Comprehensive worth it?

Comprehensive insurance can save you money if you can't afford to pay for repairs (to your or someone else's car) or live without your car. Third party property, fire and theft insurance might suit you if you park on the street. It will save you money if your car gets stolen.

What is considered to be full coverage?

Full coverage car insurance is a term that describes having all of the main parts of car insurance including Bodily Injury, Property Damage, Uninsured Motorist, PIP, Collision and Comprehensive. You're typically legally required to carry about half of those coverages.