Comprehensive coverage: losses beyond a crash

What it generally means

Comprehensive coverage helps pay to repair or replace your own vehicle after many losses that are not crashes, such as theft, fire, hail, or animal damage, subject to your deductible and policy terms.

People sometimes call collision and comprehensive “physical damage coverages” because both are about damage to your own car — they just address different kinds of loss.

What it generally covers

• Theft of the vehicle, in many policies
• Fire, explosion, and many weather-related losses such as hail or flood
• Vandalism and, in many policies, broken glass
• Damage from hitting an animal, such as a deer, in most policies
• Falling objects, such as a tree branch onto a parked car

What it generally does not cover

• Crash damage to your own vehicle — that is what collision is for
• Mechanical or electrical breakdown and routine maintenance
• Personal belongings stolen from the vehicle — these are often addressed by home or renters insurance instead
• Damage or accessories the policy excludes, unless you added specific endorsement coverage

Every policy is different. Exclusions, limits, and definitions live in the policy itself, so treat any summary — including this one — as a starting point, not as your policy.

A simple example

Example only — not a rate, a recommendation, or an estimate of any real claim: A severe hailstorm dents your parked car's hood and roof. Because hail damage is generally not a crash, comprehensive coverage — not collision — is the part of the policy that typically responds, after your comprehensive deductible. Your policy documents control the specifics.

Questions to ask an insurer or licensed agent

Bring these to any quote or policy conversation:

• What deductible applies to my comprehensive coverage?
• How does my policy handle glass-only claims such as a cracked windshield?
• Does my policy cover the vehicle's accessories or custom equipment, or do I need an endorsement?
• Is comprehensive required by my lender or lease, and when could I consider dropping it?
• Is rental reimbursement included, or is it a separate optional coverage?

Keep reading

• Liability: Helps pay for injuries or property damage you cause to others, up to the policy limits.
• Collision: Helps with damage to your own car from a crash, usually after a deductible.
• Uninsured / underinsured motorist: Can help when an at-fault driver has no insurance — or not enough of it.