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Mandy Sleight has over 15 years of insurance knowledge and expertise in auto, home, life, health, pet, supplemental benefits, and other insurance products. She’s a sought-after insurance expert, appearing in Bankrate.com, Moneygeek.com, U.S. News & World Report, Reviews.com, CNET, and other publications, and she's been writing for Compare.com since 2023.
Mandy uses her background and experience working for well-known insurance companies like State Farm and Nationwide Insurance to create engaging and easy-to-understand content that helps readers make smarter insurance choices that have a positive effect on their budgets and finances.
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3+ years editing insurance content
10+ years in content creation
Lequita's extensive editorial experience spans insurance, personal finance, higher education, and more.
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Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing insurance content
NPN: 20461358
A licensed agent for more than four years, John reviews and fact-checks articles for Compare.com.
Updated
Comprehensive coverage generally protects you financially against non-collision incidents, such as falling objects, natural disasters, and glass damage.
States don’t require you to have comprehensive coverage, but a lender or leasing company may require it if you finance or lease your vehicle.
Your vehicle’s value, its risk of damage, whether you own it outright, and your ability to pay for damages can help determine whether you need comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive car insurance is an optional coverage you can add to your auto insurance policy that typically covers damage to your vehicle from non-collision events. Another common name for it is “other than collision” (OTC) coverage.[1] [2]
Some examples of comprehensive claims include:
Animal damage: Vehicle damage from hitting a deer or other animal
Fire: Damage from fire, smoke, or an explosion
Weather: Damage from hailstorms, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and other natural disasters
Falling objects: Damage from a falling tree, branches, rocks, or other objects
Glass damage: Damage to your windshield, windows, and other vehicle glass
Theft: Vehicle theft or damage from an attempted theft
Vandalism: Intentional damage to your vehicle, such as broken windows or scratched paint
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Comprehensive car insurance doesn’t cover damage from hitting another vehicle or object, injuries, or damage you cause to someone else’s property.
Common exclusions include:
Collision damage: If you hit another vehicle or any other object (like a fence or pole), collision coverage generally pays for this type of damage.
Wear and tear: Normal vehicle aging and routine maintenance aren’t part of comprehensive coverage. Mechanical breakdown insurance may cover some unexpected mechanical problems, depending on your policy.
Intentional damage: Your policy typically excludes damage you intentionally cause to your own vehicle.
Personal belongings: You’ll typically need homeowners or renters insurance to cover items you keep in your vehicle, such as a laptop, phone, clothing, or sports equipment.
Medical expenses: Comprehensive coverage doesn’t pay medical bills for you or other people. Bodily injury liability typically covers injuries you cause to others, while personal injury protection or medical payments coverage can help cover your own medical bills.
Property damage: Your comprehensive policy doesn’t pay for damage you cause to someone else’s vehicle or property. Property damage liability usually covers these costs.
Exclusions vary by insurer and policy, so check your auto insurance policy for details.
Comprehensive and collision insurance both protect your vehicle, but from different types of damage. Collision coverage pays for damage from hitting another vehicle or object or from a single-vehicle rollover. Comprehensive insurance covers non-collision incidents.[3]
Coverage Type | What Triggers a Claim? | Common Examples | How It’s Commonly Sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive coverage | Non-collision events |
| As part of a full-coverage car insurance policy |
| Collision coverage | Collision events |
| As part of a full-coverage car insurance policy |
“Full coverage” is a common term for a car insurance policy that generally includes liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage. It doesn’t guarantee complete protection for every possible loss.
Whether you need comprehensive car insurance coverage depends on your vehicle, your finances, and the types of risks you face.
Ask yourself:
Would replacing your vehicle cause financial strain? If so, comprehensive coverage may be worth considering.
Does your vehicle’s value justify the cost of coverage? Compare its actual cash value to the cost of coverage and your deductible.
Are you financing or leasing the vehicle? Your lender or leasing company may require comprehensive coverage.
How likely is non-collision damage where you live? Consider your area’s risk for frequent hailstorms, floods, theft, and other damage, which could make comprehensive coverage more valuable.
If you can comfortably pay to repair or replace your vehicle after non-collision damage, you may decide the coverage isn’t worth the additional premium.
Expert’s insight
“Don’t drop comprehensive coverage just because your car is getting older. Instead, think about your car’s current value with your deductible and what you pay for comprehensive coverage, whether you could afford to repair or replace your vehicle if someone steals it or something non-collision causes major damage. ”
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Comprehensive coverage is one part of your auto insurance policy, so insurers don’t usually price or sell it as a stand-alone coverage or policy.
The deductible you choose is one of the main factors affecting your comprehensive car insurance costs. A higher deductible generally means a lower premium, but you’ll pay more out of pocket if you file a comprehensive claim.
When comparing the best car insurance companies for your needs, consider coverage and other factors in addition to price.
The table below shows the average monthly cost for full coverage from different insurance companies. These rates can give you a general idea of what a policy that includes comprehensive coverage might cost.
Company | Average Monthly Full-Coverage Premium |
|---|---|
| NJM | $82 |
| Auto-Owners | $89 |
| Country Financial | $90 |
| USAA | $101 |
| State Farm | $102 |
| Erie | $117 |
| Progressive | $134 |
| Safeco | $134 |
| Mile Auto | $137 |
| GEICO | $145 |
| Allstate | $155 |
| American Family | $160 |
| Direct Auto | $166 |
| Mercury | $171 |
| Elephant | $173 |
| National General | $175 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $178 |
| Root | $178 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $180 |
| Plymouth Rock | $181 |
| Travelers | $190 |
| Liberty Mutual | $204 |
| Clearcover | $207 |
| Farmers | $207 |
| The General | $208 |
| Bristol West | $209 |
| GAINSCO | $209 |
| Chubb | $224 |
| The Hartford | $233 |
| Shelter | $240 |
| Anchor | $241 |
| CSAA | $241 |
| Dairyland | $250 |
| 21st Century | $258 |
| State Auto | $290 |
| Amica | $397 |
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If you want or need comprehensive coverage, here’s how to add it to your auto insurance policy:
Review your current policy. Check your policy to confirm whether you already have comprehensive coverage.
Contact your insurer. If you don’t have comprehensive coverage, contact your insurance agent or company, or request a policy change online to add it to your existing policy.
Choose your deductible. Consider how much you could comfortably pay out of pocket if you file a claim.
Check your new premium. Get an updated auto insurance quote to see how adding coverage will affect your insurance premium.
Confirm the effective date. Make sure you know when the coverage begins, especially if a lender requires it.
Check your new policy documents. Review your updated policy documents to confirm they show comprehensive coverage and the deductible you selected.
From when you need it to how it fits into your overall policy, here are answers to common questions about comprehensive car insurance coverage.
No, state laws don’t require comprehensive insurance, but most states require drivers to have a minimum amount of liability coverage. That said, your lender or leasing company will likely require comprehensive coverage if you finance or lease your vehicle.
It depends on the car’s actual cash value, your financial situation, and whether you can afford to repair or replace your vehicle yourself. An older car may not be worth the additional premium.
Comprehensive insurance generally covers an accidentally cracked windshield, but it depends on your insurance company and state. Some insurers offer separate glass coverage that may or may not include a deductible.
Comprehensive coverage is a type of coverage that protects against non-collision damage, such as from fire, theft, vandalism, and animals. Full coverage generally combines comprehensive and collision with liability insurance into a single policy.
In many cases, you can add comprehensive coverage to your policy at any time. But insurers may temporarily restrict policy changes during certain weather events, so check with your insurer to confirm when new coverage can take effect.
Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance quotes from more than 75 partner insurers in order to compile the rates and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.
All the rates listed in this article have been collected from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide readers with insights into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.
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Mandy Sleight has over 15 years of insurance knowledge and expertise in auto, home, life, health, pet, supplemental benefits, and other insurance products. She’s a sought-after insurance expert, appearing in Bankrate.com, Moneygeek.com, U.S. News & World Report, Reviews.com, CNET, and other publications, and she's been writing for Compare.com since 2023.
Mandy uses her background and experience working for well-known insurance companies like State Farm and Nationwide Insurance to create engaging and easy-to-understand content that helps readers make smarter insurance choices that have a positive effect on their budgets and finances.
3+ years editing insurance content
10+ years in content creation
Lequita's extensive editorial experience spans insurance, personal finance, higher education, and more.
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing insurance content
NPN: 20461358
A licensed agent for more than four years, John reviews and fact-checks articles for Compare.com.
At Compare.com, it’s our mission to give you the tools to find the best (and most affordable) insurance for your unique needs and budget. We strive to provide information that’s helpful, clear, and unbiased, and we believe that comparing insurance companies should never put you at risk of spam. Our editorial team — which is made up of experienced writers, editors, insurance agents, and data analysts — has spent thousands of hours researching and creating the coverage overviews, side-by-side comparisons, and detailed reviews you see across our site.
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