Comprehensive Car Insurance

Q: Is Comprehensive Insurance Full Coverage Insurance?

No. Comprehensive insurance is only one part of a full coverage car insurance policy. Full coverage refers to a combination of coverages that go beyond state-required minimums. In addition to comprehensive coverage, full coverage policies typically include: Liability coverage , which offers financial protection if you are sued for injuring someone or damaging their property in an accident. Collision coverage , which helps pay for repairs to your vehicle after a collision with another vehicle.

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Key Takeaways

Comprehensive car insurance coverage provides protection from a wide range of incidents, from natural disasters to vandalism.
You can typically select the comprehensive deductible that makes the most sense for you and your budget. Deductible amounts will influence your total cost of car insurance.
If your car is leased or financed, you’ll typically need both comprehensive and collision coverages, which help protect your car in different ways.

What Is Comprehensive Insurance?

When it comes to protecting your car, comprehensive insurance coverage, also known as “other than collision” coverage, can help pay to fix damage to your car from claims unrelated to collisions with other vehicles. For example, by the comprehensive car insurance coverage definition, it can help pay for damages caused by hail, theft, fire or hitting an animal.

As far as car insurance coverage requirements go, if you’re financing or leasing your car, your lender will likely require comprehensive for car insurance. Even if you own your car outright, adding this as an optional coverage on top of other coverages you may have, like liability insurance, can help extend your protection.

With the AARP^® Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford,¹ you can enjoy customizable coverage options to meet your unique needs.

What Does Comprehensive Coverage Cover?

Comprehensive car insurance covers damage caused by:

Fire
Theft
Vandalism
Natural disasters, like hurricanes or tornadoes
Glass damage
Falling objects
A civil disturbance, like a riot
Animal accidents, like if your vehicle hits a deer

Comprehensive insurance for cars will not help cover:

Damage if your car hits another vehicle
Medical expenses
Legal fees
Lost income for you or your passengers if you miss work after an accident
Damage to another person’s car from a collision
Property stolen from your car

Comprehensive Car Insurance Deductibles and Limits

When you buy comprehensive insurance, you’ll choose a deductible. Your deductible is the amount you pay on your claim before your auto coverage kicks in. Once you pay that, your car insurance will cover the rest of your costs, up to your limit.

Let’s say your car is damaged and will cost $6,000 to repair, and your deductible is $1,000. You’ll only pay out of pocket for the $1,000 deductible, and then your insurance company will pay the other $5,000 on your comprehensive claim.

How Much Does Comprehensive Insurance Cost?

On average, The Hartford’s customers pay between $158 and $196 a month for car insurance.² But it’s important to keep in mind that comprehensive car insurance rates can vary.

Some factors that influence the cost are your:

Driving history

Car’s model and age

Deductible amount

When deciding how much car insurance you need, it’s important to think about the ACV of your vehicle.

Who Needs Comprehensive Auto Coverage?

Drivers across the country can benefit from comprehensive car insurance as it offers protection from many non-collision incidents. This coverage can be especially helpful if you live in an area with a lot of theft, vandalism or natural disasters.

Ultimately, your need for comprehensive insurance depends on several factors. Questions you can ask yourself to see if you need this coverage are:

Does your car lender require comprehensive coverage? If you lease or finance, chances are they do, and you won’t be able to get your car without it.
How much is your car worth? If you own your vehicle outright, and it’s worth less than what you’d pay for your insurance premium, this coverage may not be worth it.
Do you live in a heavily populated area? Cities and towns with higher populations may have more crime, so you may want added protection.
Are there a lot of natural disasters in your area? Comprehensive insurance covers damages from these non-collision incidents, like floods and wildfires.

What Is the Difference Between Comprehensive and Collision Insurance?

Comprehensive and collision insurance are both auto insurance coverages that help protect your car. However, they cover different things.

Collision insurance helps cover car accidents, while you can define comprehensive insurance as more of a physical damage insurance. It helps pay for damages that are outside of your control. So, if a natural disaster or animal damages your car, your comprehensive coverage helps cover the repairs.

Comprehensive Insurance Helps Cover	Collision Insurance Helps Cover
Natural disasters	An accident with another car
Vandalism	Single-car collisions, like a rollover
Theft	Someone crashing into your parked car
Falling objects	An accident in a car you’re renting
Civil disturbances, like riots	A collision with another object, like a mailbox
Hitting an animal
Glass damage
Fire

Comprehensive Insurance Doesn’t Help Cover	Collision Insurance Doesn’t Help Cover
Damage from a vehicle collision	Injuries to other drivers in an accident
Medical expenses	Vandalism or theft
Legal fees	Accidents with animals
Property stolen from your car	Damage sustained from a natural disaster
Lost income to you or your passengers after an accident	Losses other than auto damage from a collision

Get a Quote for Comprehensive Auto Insurance

Since 1984, The Hartford has offered exclusive benefits and car insurance discounts for AARP members, plus customizable coverage to meet your unique needs. To learn more and buy comprehensive coverage, get a car insurance quote online or call The Hartford at 888-546-9099. Our representatives are happy to talk about our insurance products and make sure you get the right coverage to enjoy peace of mind on the road.

Frequently Asked Questions About Comprehensive Car Insurance

What Does Comprehensive Cover in Car Insurance for Electric Vehicles?

Whether you drive an electric vehicle, hybrid or gas-powered car, things covered by comprehensive coverage are non-car caused incidents, such as:

Fire
Theft
Vandalism
Natural disasters, like hurricanes or tornadoes
Glass damage
Falling objects
Hitting an animal
A civil disturbance, like a riot

Is Comprehensive Insurance Worth It?

If you have a loan or lease on your car, your lender will usually require you to have comprehensive insurance. But even if you aren’t required, it’s still a good idea to have coverage. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay out of pocket for any expenses if your car sustains damage from theft, fire, natural disasters or hitting an animal.

Is Comprehensive Insurance Full Coverage Insurance?

No, comprehensive insurance is only part of a full coverage car insurance policy. Full coverage car insurance refers to a combination of different coverages that together offer broader protection than the state-required minimums. In addition to comprehensive coverage, full coverage policies typically include:

Liability coverage, which offers financial protection if you get into an accident and are sued for hurting someone or damaging their property.
Collision coverage, which helps pay for repairs for your vehicle after a collision with another vehicle.