Comprehensive Car Insurance: When You Need It + When You Don’t

With so many types of coverages, deductibles, and options, choosing the right car insurance coverage can make your head spin. If you're like me and like to shop for new auto insurance annually, it's important to know the types of coverage you need.

One of the most commonly debated types of auto insurance coverage is comprehensive car insurance. This optional insurance add-on covers incidents unrelated to collisions, and our guide will detail what this type of policy covers and how it works so you can decide whether it's worth the cost. You might be required to have this coverage if you're still paying off your vehicle.

What is comprehensive car insurance?

Comprehensive car insurance typically covers non-collision incidents, such as theft or vandalism, damage caused by natural disasters or animals, or a falling tree hitting your car. It is an optional add-on you may choose to get to increase the overall insurance coverage on your car.

In the event of a covered incident, you would be reimbursed up to the actual cash value of your car. Rather than choosing a coverage limit, as you would with other policies, the most you could be paid out is the amount your vehicle is worth minus the deductible.

Is comprehensive car insurance required?

No state requires comprehensive car insurance, although most require you to have at least some form of auto insurance, such as minimum liability insurance coverage. 

However, despite state laws, you may need comprehensive coverage if you finance or lease your vehicle. Most lenders require this to protect their investment in an event that wouldn't qualify for collision coverage.

What comprehensive car insurance covers

Comprehensive insurance covers non-collision damage to your vehicle. 

Here are some common damages covered:

• Theft of car or parts
• Vandalism
• Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes
• Falling objects, such as trees or branches
• Contact with animals
• Fire
• Riots and civil disturbances

What comprehensive car insurance doesn't cover

Like any insurance coverage, comprehensive car insurance doesn't cover everything. Here are some damages that wouldn't cause this type of insurance to kick in:

• Damage to your car from a collision with another vehicle or object
• Damage to another car or piece of property resulting from a collision
• Medical expenses that result from a car accident
• Mechanical breakdown
• Normal wear and tear
• Routine car maintenance
• Theft of personal items within your vehicle

Despite what its name might suggest, this add-on coverage is not designed to protect your vehicle against anything. Rather, it's meant to provide an extra cushion for things outside of your control and give you more complete coverage than you'd have with liability or collision insurance alone.

Should you get comprehensive car insurance?

While there's a low chance of a tree falling on your car, it can be worth safeguarding against potential financial headaches down the road with added coverage — in some cases.

Even if you aren't required to get comprehensive insurance, I'd consider it if:

• You drive a new or high-value vehicle.
• You would struggle to pay for repairs not covered by your other policies out of pocket.
• Your area is prone to natural disasters, such as floods or hurricanes.
• Theft or vandalism rates are high where you live.

Consider skipping comprehensive coverage if your vehicle isn't worth much since you can only be reimbursed up to the actual cash value of your car, and you could up paying more for coverage than you could possibly receive back.

Comprehensive vs. collision insurance

Comprehensive and collision auto insurance are not two words for the same thing. Collision insurance protects your vehicle against damages caused by collisions. It would cover: 

• Accidents with other vehicles (for which you are or are not at fault)
• Accidents involving objects like trees or guardrails
• Rollovers

A good rule of thumb is this: If collision coverage applies, comprehensive coverage will not. Conversely, if comprehensive coverage applies, collision coverage will not.

Note that collision coverage only applies to damages to your vehicle and would not reimburse other drivers for accidents they're also involved in. Lenders often require both comprehensive insurance and collision insurance for leased or financed vehicles.

Comprehensive vs. full coverage insurance

Full coverage car insurance isn't a type of policy but a term that includes several potential coverage options, such as some or all of the following:

• Liability insurance (property damage and bodily)
• Personal injury protection (PIP)
• Uninsured/underinsured coverage
• Comprehensive insurance
• Collision insurance

Full coverage covers all or most of the bases and ensures you have ultimate coverage. It can be incredibly costly to hold many different policies and add-ons, so it's important to make sure it's worth it for your driving needs, vehicle, and budget.

How much does comprehensive car insurance cost?

Comprehensive coverage typically accounts for a relatively low percentage of your full car insurance costs. According to Insurance.com, the average cost of comprehensive insurance is around $421 per year as of November 2024.

These factors may affect your costs:

• Where you live
• The type of car you drive and value of your vehicle
• Your driving record
• How often you drive
• Where you park your car
• Your age
• Your gender
• The types of policies you want and the limits you choose for coverage
• The car insurance deductible on your comprehensive policy

Remember, the deductible is the amount you pay before your insurance covers anything. For example, if you have a $500 deductible and your car needs $2,000 in repairs resulting from falling objects during a windstorm, you would have to pay $500 if that were your first claim, and your insurance would cover the remaining $1,500. Choosing a higher deductible might decrease your monthly insurance premiums.

How to get the right auto coverage

Knowing how to get car insurance ensures you get the right coverage for your situation while saving money when possible. Here are a few tips to keep in mind during your search:

• Understand different policies. Liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage are all different. Knowing what these and other policies cover could help you decide what you need.
• Know your location requirements. Most states require a minimum amount of liability coverage, but the amount of necessary coverage can vary depending on your city. Certain states may also require additional insurance, such as personal injury protection and uninsured motorist coverage.
• Know the factors that affect your rate. You can't control your age and don't always have much control over where you live. But certain factors, such as deductible amounts and coverage limits, are often your choice.
• Review your coverage needs. How much auto insurance coverage do you need? What types of coverage do you feel are necessary? For comprehensive coverage, consider where you live, the value of your car, and your ability to cover damages out of pocket.
• Compare insurance providers. To find the best car insurance for you, compare options from several insurance companies. Rather than looking at rates from one company, review multiple companies to see which offers the best coverage at the lowest prices.

Compare car insurance rates in Ohio

By clicking the button below I understand and agree that this site uses site visit recording technology (provided by Trusted Form, Jornaya, and Microsoft Clarity) Privacy Policy

Check Rates

FAQs

Bottom line

Not everyone needs comprehensive insurance, but it can be a good idea. Comprehensive coverage is usually fairly low-cost compared to other types of coverage, and it covers you in those "rare instances" that you think may never happen to you. However, it won't always be worth it.

Get quotes from several insurance companies and compare the coverage options offered to ensure you get the best policy for your needs.

Save On Your Auto Insurance

• You could save up to $600 with some companies
• Compare dozens of providers in under 5 minutes
• Fast, free and easy way to shop for insurance
• Quickly find the perfect rate for you

Get a quote now