Comprehensive Auto Insurance (2024)
Comprehensive auto insurance costs about $12/mo. There are many benefits of comprehensive auto insurance, including glass coverage and protection from animal damage, weather, or theft. Below you can learn more about the definition of comprehensive auto insurance and compare average costs for cheap coverage.
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Daniel Walker
Licensed Auto Insurance Agent
Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accura...
Licensed Auto Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Jul 30, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Jul 30, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Comprehensive auto insurance covers several events outside of a driver’s control
- Lenders require comprehensive car insurance if a driver has a leased car
- On average, comprehensive auto insurance costs $12 monthly in the U.S.
What is comprehensive auto insurance? Comprehensive car insurance from the best auto insurance companies protects your car from non-collision damage, from hitting a deer to hail damage, by paying for repairs or your totaled car’s value. Minimum state auto insurance requirements don’t include comprehensive coverage, but your lender will require it if you have a leased car.
To help decide if comprehensive car insurance is right for you, we’ll help you understand the comprehensive auto insurance definition, benefits of the coverage, and average comprehensive auto insurance costs.
What Comprehensive Auto Insurance Covers
What does comprehensive auto insurance cover? Comprehensive car insurance covers various events. However, in some states, you may need fire or flood insurance separately to be fully covered. Certain events covered by comprehensive auto insurance include:
- Animal collisions
- Falling objects
- Fire and explosions
- Vandalism and theft
- Weather extremes
Some of the incidents covered under the weather category include hail, lightning, floods, and heavy winds. You’ll also have glass coverage with your comprehensive auto insurance to fully replace your windshield if it gets damaged.
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What Comprehensive Auto Insurance Doesn’t Cover
Some insurance companies may not include fire and flood damage in their comprehensive policies if your area is prone to fires and floods. Comprehensive insurance also won’t cover any of the following:
- Damages or injuries from an at-fault accident: Liability auto insurance pays for others’ injuries or property damage if you cause an accident.
- Car damage from collision with object or vehicle: If you caused the accident and have collision auto insurance, collision covers it. If the accident wasn’t your fault, the other driver’s liability would cover it. Learn more about collision vs. comprehensive auto insurance coverage.
- Injuries to you or your passengers. Comprehensive insurance doesn’t cover injuries to drivers or passengers from an accident.
Not everything is covered under comprehensive claims for auto insurance, as your other insurance coverages will take care of the abovementioned incidents.
How Comprehensive Auto Insurance Deductibles Work
Most comprehensive coverages will have a comprehensive auto insurance deductible unless drivers pay for the more expensive plans with no deductible. Generally, comprehensive deductibles range from $500 to $2,000.
When you choose a comprehensive auto insurance deductible amount, you agree to pay that amount in a covered claim. So if you have a $500 deductible, you must put $500 toward repairs, and your insurance will cover the remainder of the bill.
If your car gets totaled under a comprehensive covered event, then insurance will pay for the car’s value minus the comprehensive deductible. So if your car is currently worth $10,000, but you have a $1,000 deductible, insurance will pay you $9,000.
While raising your deductible will lower the cost of your comprehensive insurance rates, you should always ensure you can afford your deductible. If you can’t pay the comprehensive auto insurance deductible to get your car repaired, you should lower the deductible amount even if it raises your rates slightly.
Comprehensive Auto Insurance vs. Full Coverage
Comprehensive auto insurance often gets confused with full coverage auto insurance. However, they’re not the same thing. Comprehensive insurance is a specific coverage, whereas full coverage auto insurance refers to several types of auto insurance.
Typically, full coverage consists of liability insurance, comprehensive car insurance, and collision coverage. Other coverages that often come with a full coverage policy include medical payments, personal injury protection auto insurance, and uninsured/underinsured motorist.
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Comprehensive Auto Insurance Cost
Cost can be a huge deterrent for some drivers when choosing coverages. However, it costs about $12 monthly for comprehensive auto insurance. Take a look at the table below to compare comprehensive auto insurance costs by U.S. state:
Average Annual Comprehensive Auto Insurance Rates by State
| States | Average Annual Comprehensive Auto Insurance Rates |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $146.28 |
| Alaska | $141.08 |
| Arizona | $184.20 |
| Arkansas | $183.36 |
| California | $99.29 |
| Colorado | $158.34 |
| Connecticut | $126.02 |
| Delaware | $113.23 |
| District of Columbia | $230.25 |
| Florida | $110.12 |
| Georgia | $153.61 |
| Hawaii | $100.09 |
| Idaho | $110.78 |
| Illinois | $117.98 |
| Indiana | $115.02 |
| Iowa | $171.58 |
| Kansas | $225.34 |
| Kentucky | $130.15 |
| Louisiana | $208.59 |
| Maine | $96.66 |
| Maryland | $146.77 |
| Massachusetts | $128.92 |
| Michigan | $147.02 |
| Minnesota | $173.04 |
| Mississippi | $194.74 |
| Missouri | $166.34 |
| Montana | $199.87 |
| Nebraska | $206.24 |
| Nevada | $116.79 |
| New Hampshire | $103.03 |
| New Jersey | $123.18 |
| New Mexico | $166.89 |
| New York | $156.66 |
| North Carolina | $123.00 |
| North Dakota | $227.64 |
| Ohio | $112.74 |
| Oklahoma | $201.56 |
| Oregon | $89.66 |
| Pennsylvania | $132.01 |
| Rhode Island | $122.17 |
| South Carolina | $165.38 |
| South Dakota | $228.59 |
| Tennessee | $135.62 |
| Texas | $186.70 |
| Utah | $106.57 |
| Vermont | $118.31 |
| Virginia | $129.89 |
| Washington | $104.11 |
| West Virginia | $195.04 |
| Wisconsin | $126.34 |
| Wyoming | $222.86 |
| U.S. Average | $138.87 |
Of course, there are various factors that affect auto insurance rates for comprehensive coverage, such as location, driving record, vehicle type, and other factors. Some of the most expensive states for comprehensive car insurance include North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
On the other hand, cheap states for comprehensive car insurance include Oregon, Maine, and California. The best way to get the cheapest comprehensive auto insurance rates for you is to get quotes from a few different companies in your area.
Deciding if You Need Comprehensive Auto Insurance
If you’re having trouble deciding whether the benefits of comprehensive auto insurance outweigh the cost, you should consider a few things. You should consider shopping for comprehensive auto insurance quotes from the best companies if the following apply to you:
- You have a loan or lease. Your lender will require you to carry comprehensive insurance to protect their assets. Remember, it’s usually cheaper to purchase your own personal comprehensive insurance than to buy it through the lender.
- You have a relatively new car or an expensive car. You should carry comprehensive insurance if you would face heavy financial losses if your car were damaged or totaled.
However, there are also situations where you can skip buying comprehensive auto insurance. The best way to determine if you don’t need comprehensive coverage is to calculate your car’s cash value and consider it against your comprehensive auto insurance deductible and monthly payments.
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For example, if your car is so old that it is only worth $2,000, and your comprehensive auto insurance deductible is $1,500, it’s not worth keeping comprehensive insurance. As such, your monthly payments would soon equal or surpass the small payout that insurance would give you after an accident. In some cases, you may even end up paying more for insurance over time compared to your claim amount.
Understanding Comprehensive Auto Insurance
There are various benefits of comprehensive car insurance, ranging from glass coverage to protection against animal collisions, weather damage, and more. However, drivers with older cars that aren’t worth much can skip comprehensive coverage without financial risk.
If you have a newer or leased car and want to protect it, you should compare affordable comprehensive auto insurance costs by getting quotes from several companies.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do drivers need comprehensive auto insurance on old cars?
You don’t need comprehensive auto insurance if you don’t have a car loan or lease. It’s best to skip comprehensive coverage if your old car isn’t worth much and you wouldn’t get much money from a comprehensive auto insurance claim after the cost of your deductible.
Will comprehensive auto insurance cover theft?
Yes, comprehensive insurance will pay your car’s value minus your chosen comprehensive auto insurance deductible if it gets stolen.
How much comprehensive auto insurance should I carry?
Comprehensive auto insurance isn’t like liability auto insurance, where you choose the amount of coverage you want. Instead, you choose your comprehensive auto insurance deductible. Minus your deductible, comprehensive insurance will pay for repairs or pay the value of your car if it gets totaled.
Can I just have comprehensive auto insurance?
No, you’ll also need to carry your state’s required minimum liability insurance. Some insurance companies also only sell comprehensive insurance as a package deal with collision insurance, so you may have to purchase both types of auto insurance to have comprehensive coverage.
How does comprehensive auto insurance work?
Comprehensive auto insurance protects your vehicle from non-collision events, such as theft, animal damage, weather, and vandalism. It either pays for repairs or the value to replace your vehicle, minus your comprehensive auto insurance deductible.
Is comprehensive auto insurance mandatory?
No state law requires comprehensive auto insurance. However, if you have a car loan or lease, your lender or leasing company may require you to carry comprehensive coverage until you fulfill your financial obligations.
How does the deductible work for comprehensive insurance?
A deductible is the amount you agree to pay out of pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in. With comprehensive auto insurance, you choose a deductible amount (e.g., $500 or $1,000) when purchasing the policy. When you file a claim, you’re responsible for paying the deductible, and the insurance company covers the remaining cost up to the policy’s limits.
Can I lower the deductible for comprehensive coverage?
Yes, in most cases, you can adjust the deductible for your comprehensive auto insurance. Choosing a higher comprehensive auto insurance deductible usually results in lower premiums, while selecting a lower deductible will increase your premiums.
Will comprehensive insurance cover a cracked windshield?
Yes, comprehensive auto insurance glass coverage pays to replace windshields damaged by flying debris, rocks, or similar incidents. Some policies even offer additional coverage that waives the comprehensive auto insurance deductible for windshield repairs.
Does comprehensive insurance cover rental cars?
Comprehensive auto insurance generally doesn’t cover rental cars. However, if you have rental car reimbursement coverage on your policy, it may help pay for a rental vehicle if your car was stolen or is in the repair shop due to a covered incident.
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Daniel Walker
Licensed Auto Insurance Agent
Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accura...
Licensed Auto Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.