Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive covers your car for the stuff that’s not a “collision.” Like a tree falling on your car. Or hail. Your car catching on fire. Running into an animal. Your car getting stolen. It basically covers the crazy stuff that you never really expect to happen … but still does. For this reason, it’s sometimes called “other than collision.”
What you should know
If your vehicle’s leased or financed, you’ll need to have comprehensive coverage. But more importantly, you’ll want to have it to make sure your vehicle’s well protected. If you have more than one vehicle on your policy, you can choose to add comprehensive for each vehicle separately.
Comprehensive has a deductible
When it comes to comprehensive coverage, a deductible will apply to each accident. That means when you need to use it, you’ll need to pay that deductible.
Here’s how it works:
- You hit a deer and it’ll cost $5,500 to repair all the damage
- You pay your deductible – say it’s $1,000 – and your insurance company covers the remaining $4,500 for all repairs
Think about deductibles this way. If you needed to file a claim tomorrow, how much could you afford to pay without stressing your finances? Keep your deductible close to, but below, that amount.
What it covers
Comprehensive covers a whole lot. Stuff like – but not limited to – falling objects. Fire or theft. Explosions or earthquakes. Wind, hail, water, or floods. Vandalism. Collisions with animals. So even though it doesn’t cover absolutely everything you can think of, it does cover a whole bunch of stuff you probably never think of. Hence the name.
What it doesn’t cover
In spite of the way it sounds, comprehensive doesn’t cover everything under the sun. Many people think it covers roadside assistance, for example. It doesn’t. Another common misconception is that it covers your rental car.
Think of it like this: comprehensive covers a lot of the crazier stuff that could happen to your car. Trees falling? Yes. Wild hailstorms? Yes. Car stolen from your driveway? Yes. Having your car towed? No.
Does it matter who’s at fault?
Nope. Comprehensive covers your car when weird stuff happens, whether it’s your fault or not.
Property damage coverage (PD)
Let’s say you hit another car. Or you skid into someone else’s fence. Or house. Whatever it is, if you cause damage to someone else’s property (including their car) while driving, you’re on the hook for fixing it. That’s where property damage coverage comes in. It’ll cover the cost of repairing someone else’s stuff, up to the limit you choose.
Whose property is covered?
In most cases, anyone whose property you’re responsible for damaging. Damaged property could include their car, home, or anything else they own. Keep in mind, if you’re in an accident with another driver, property damage only covers the other driver’s car or property if you’re at fault. Your collision coverage is there for your car.
When choosing your limit
Think about this. These days, vehicles are turning into four-wheeled computers. And those can be expensive to fix. Like $20,000 to $30,000 expensive in some cases. And as more manufacturers integrate technology into every square inch of their vehicles, the cost of replacing a bumper or a side-view mirror will likely continue to rise. Of course every repair won’t cost a fortune. But some will. And that’s worth considering when choosing your property damage limits.
Does it matter who’s at fault?
Yes. Property damage covers you when you’re at fault for damaging someone’s car or property.