What is Comprehensive Car Insurance?

Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your car that has nothing to do with driving into something: theft, hail, flooding, fire, falling trees and other objects, vandalism, civil commotion, and hitting an animal. You pay your deductible first, then comprehensive covers the rest up to your car's actual cash value. Deductibles usually run $100 to $2,500. It won't cover routine maintenance or normal wear and tear.  

Here's how comprehensive coverage differs from other coverages:

• Comprehensive vs. collision: Collision covers damage when your car collides or hits something while it's being driven. Together they protect your vehicle from nearly every scenario, so most drivers get both. We have a guide on the difference between comprehensive and collision insurance.
• Comprehensive vs. liability: Liability coverage pays for damage and injuries you cause to others in an accident. Liability coverage is required by all states, except New Hampshire.
• Comprehensive vs. uninsured motorist: Uninsured motorist coverage pays for your damage when another driver hits you and has no insurance.

Comprehensive covers theft, weather damage, animal strikes, vandalism, and falling objects. Claims are usually paid at your car's actual cash value, which accounts for age, condition, and mileage, though some policies offer replacement cost coverage as an add-on that skips depreciation. Every claim is subject to the deductible you choose. Comprehensive doesn't cover collisions with other vehicles or mechanical and engine breakdowns.

See how deductible choices affect your premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

You need it if:

• Your car is financed or leased. Your lender requires it for the life of the loan.
• Replacing your car out of pocket after a theft or weather event would be a financial hardship.
• Your car has enough value that annual premiums plus your deductible are well below your car's current worth.
• You live in an area with high theft rates, severe weather or frequent animal collisions.

You can skip it if:

• You own your car and your annual comprehensive premium exceeds 10% of your car's current value. Check your car's value at each renewal using Kelley Blue Book before deciding. Our guide on when to drop comprehensive coverage shows how to run the numbers at renewal.
• You have enough in savings to cover a repair or replacement without a payout.

What comprehensive coverage limits should I choose? You can't choose comprehensive coverage limits like you do with liability coverage. The maximum payout equals your vehicle's actual cash value at the time of loss, so your only choice is the deductible amount. If your car's worth $18,000, that's your coverage limit.

Our guide on how much car insurance you need gives recommendations for determining the right liability limits and add-on coverages by asset level.

Comprehensive coverage pays for theft, weather damage, vandalism and animal strikes. Lenders and leasing companies require it on financed and leased vehicles. For cars owned outright, keep it when replacing the vehicle without a payout would be difficult. Drop it once the annual premium exceeds 10% of the car's current value.

Most drivers buy comprehensive alongside collision coverage as part of a full coverage policy. Use our car insurance calculator to estimate your rate, then get quotes from at least three insurers before deciding.