Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your vehicle caused by events other than a collision. It protects against a wide range of unexpected hazards and incidents beyond your control, including:
- Theft of the vehicle or vehicle parts
- Vandalism or malicious damage
- Fire or explosion damage
- Natural disasters such as storms, hail, floods, lightning, and earthquakes
- Falling objects like trees or branches
- Damage from animals, for example hitting a deer
- Glass damage including broken windshields
- Accidental damage not involving collision with another vehicle or object
Comprehensive insurance does not cover damage resulting from collisions with other vehicles or objects; that is covered by collision insurance. Often, comprehensive insurance is combined with collision coverage, especially if you have a financed or leased vehicle, but it can sometimes be purchased separately as an add-on to your policy. This insurance provides peace of mind by protecting your vehicle from many types of unexpected damage that are outside your control and not related to a crash. The payout is typically based on the actual cash value of your vehicle at the time of loss. In summary, comprehensive insurance covers non-collision-related damage, theft, and natural events that could harm your car, supplementing other types of coverage you may have for accidents or liability.
