Comprehensive Insurance Coverage vs Collision
Comprehensive pays for damage from things other than a crash, collision pays for damage from a crash, and most policies that carry one carry the other.
They cover two different kinds of damage to your own car
Collision covers your car when you hit something, or something hits you, in an accident. Comprehensive covers damage from almost everything else: a tree branch, a hailstorm, a deer, a theft, a cracked windshield from a rock on the highway.
If your car is financed or leased, your lender almost always requires both. If you own your car outright, you can choose either one, both, or neither. What makes sense for you depends on what your car is worth and what you could afford to pay out of pocket if it were totaled or stolen tomorrow.
What your car is worth changes whether either one is worth having
Both comprehensive and collision pay out based on your car's actual value, not what you paid for it and not what it would cost to replace with a new one. As your car ages, that value drops, and at some point the payout in a bad year can end up close to what you've paid in over several years for the coverage.
There's no fixed age or mileage where this tips one way or the other. It depends on your specific car, your area's used car prices, and what the coverage costs you. Ask your insurer or agent what your car's estimated value is and compare that to what you're paying for comprehensive and collision combined.
If you're carrying a loan, this calculation isn't yours to make. The lender sets the requirement until the loan is paid off, regardless of what the car is worth.
Your deductible is a separate choice for each one
Comprehensive and collision usually carry their own deductibles, and they don't have to match. Some drivers keep a lower deductible for comprehensive, since those claims (a cracked windshield, a break-in) tend to be smaller and more frequent, and a higher one for collision, where claims are larger but less common.
Raising either deductible lowers what you pay for that piece of coverage. It also means more comes out of your pocket if something happens. Before you change either one, check what the actual difference in your premium would be. Sometimes it's enough to matter, sometimes it isn't.
A claim on either one can affect your record depending on your insurer, even when the damage wasn't your fault, like a deer strike or a stolen car. Ask your insurer directly how comprehensive and collision claims are treated for renewal purposes.
Questions people ask about this
Does comprehensive cover a cracked windshield?
Yes, in most cases a cracked or chipped windshield falls under comprehensive, not collision, since it's usually caused by a rock or debris rather than a crash. Some insurers offer separate glass coverage with no deductible or a lower one. Ask your insurer how they handle glass claims specifically.
Do I need collision if I have comprehensive?
No, they're separate coverages and having one doesn't give you the other. If you only carry comprehensive, an accident where you're at fault or where another driver can't pay won't be covered for damage to your own car. Check your policy declarations page to see exactly which ones you have.
Will comprehensive or collision cover a rental car?
It depends on your policy and your insurer. Some auto policies extend comprehensive and collision coverage to a rental car you're driving, while others require you to buy separate rental coverage from the agency. Ask your insurer before you rent whether your existing coverage carries over.
Does filing a comprehensive claim raise my rate?
It depends on your insurer. Some don't count comprehensive claims, like theft or weather damage, against you the way they would a collision claim, since you weren't at fault. Ask your insurer directly how they treat comprehensive claims at renewal, since this varies by company.
Can I drop collision coverage once my car is paid off?
Yes, once there's no lender requiring it, collision becomes your choice like any other coverage. Whether to drop it depends on your car's value and what you'd be able to pay out of pocket to repair or replace it after an accident. Check your car's current value before deciding either way.
See what comprehensive and collision would each cost on your car before deciding what to keep.
Pull up your current policy and find out what you're paying separately for comprehensive and for collision, along with each deductible. Look up your car's estimated value through your insurer or a valuation tool so you have a real number to compare against. If you're financing or leasing, check your loan agreement for what coverage it requires. Then call your insurer or agent and ask directly how a claim on either coverage would affect your renewal, since that answer depends on the company. Use what you learn to decide whether both are worth keeping as is, worth adjusting, or worth dropping if your car is paid off.
