Comprehensive Auto Insurance

debris from hurricane lands on car Consider comprehensive auto insurance if you want to be covered in the event of damages resulting from something other than a collision.

This type of insurance is different from collision coverage, which pays for damage as a result of an accident where you, of course, "collide" with something.

Comprehensive car insurance is what you want in the case of losses you sustain from other events, such as:

theft
flood
fire
contact with animals, like birds or deer
falling objects (my parents have a tree that is always threatening)
explosion
earthquake
windstorm
hail
vandalism
riot

...have I forgotten anything? :) Oh yea, comprehensive insurance will also pay for a cracked or shattered windshield.

What About Deductibles?

There is usually a deductible attatched to comprehensive auto insurance. The deductible is the amount you will have to pay first before the coverage kicks in.

For instance, if the damage to your vehicle is going to cost $1000 and your deductible is $400, your policy will only cover the remaining $600.

This may tempt you to have a low deductible so you won't be out of pocket. However, the higher your deductible the lower the premium you will have to pay on your policy.

Is Comprehensive Car Insurance Required?

No, it is not against the law to skip the comprehensive coverage. To be perfectly honest, I usually don't carry this type of coverage because my car is not worth it! :)

If you have a valuable car, you may want to seriously consider this, especially if you won't be able to afford to cover the damages yourself.

The only instance when comprehensive insurance is generally required is when you take out a loan to get a car. The lender may require you to carry comprehensive coverage until you have paid the loan in full.

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