If you’re shopping for auto insurance coverages, you’ve likely come across the terms comprehensive and collision insurance. But you may not be familiar with what these terms mean, what they cover, and the similarities and differences between them. We help break it down and provide the information you need to make an informed decision.

An overview of comprehensive and collision auto insurance

Comprehensive insurance

·         What it covers: Incidents that damage your car through no fault of your own and beyond your control. That includes:

o    Weather-related damage, such as hail

o    Vandalization

o    Theft

Comprehensive insurance often takes special circumstances into account. If you accidentally hit an animal, for example, it’s considered out of your control—and therefore, covered by comprehensive insurance. If you live or frequently drive in a rural area with a high deer population, comprehensive insurance can provide significant value. 

·         What it doesn’t cover: Damage directly related to at-fault accidents—that’s where collision insurance comes in.

·         Deductible: When purchasing your insurance, you’re able to select a deductible. The deductible is the amount you pay toward a claim before your insurance provider begins contributing. For example, let’s say you have a $500 deductible and your car’s door gets dented. Fixing the door costs $1,200. You’ll pay the initial $500, and your insurance covers the rest.

·         Limits: Different than a coverage like liability, comprehensive insurance doesn’t offer multiple limits for you to choose from. The limit for comprehensive is typically equal to the value of your vehicle. If your car is worth $15,000, your insurance won’t cover you beyond that amount.

Collision insurance

·         What it covers: Collision insurance will cover your vehicle if you’re in an accident—even if you caused the accident or if you hit a stationary object.

·         What it doesn’t cover: Collision insurance doesn’t pay for damages covered by comprehensive insurance, such as weather damage. It also doesn’t cover damage to another person’s vehicle or medical costs. That’s what liability insurance is for.

·         Deductible: Like comprehensive, you’ve got a choice to select a deductible during your insurance purchase. Once you’ve selected your collision deductible, that’s the amount you’ll pay on a claim if your car is damaged in an accident. Your insurance provider will cover the rest of the damage costs, up to the limit of your vehicle’s value.

·         Limits: There aren’t traditional limit options to choose from for collision insurance. However, the maximum amount your insurer will help cover for collision is likely equal to the total value of your car. 

 Similarities between collision and comprehensive insurance

These two types of auto insurance have the following in common:

·         Comprehensive and collision aren’t required by the state, but if you have a loan on your vehicle, your lienholder may require these coverages

·         Both coverages help get your car’s damages repaired

Differences between comprehensive and collision insurance

Although both of these coverages protect your vehicle, the main difference between them is the type of incident that causes the damage.

Types of comprehensive damage

·         Vandalism

·         Theft

·         Weather

·         Animals

Types of collision damage

·         You hit a vehicle 

·         Another vehicle crashes into your car

·         You crash your car into a tree or a fence post