Comprehensive Vs. Collision Insurance

When you get auto insurance, there are two main types of coverage for property damage: collision and comprehensive insurance. Collision, as we’ve discussed, is coverage that goes toward your damaged vehicle if the driver is in control of the event. If the accident is the driver’s fault or the fault of another driver, collision insurance will likely provide coverage.

Comprehensive insurance includes coverage for non-crash damage to your vehicle, such as hail damage, fire damage, animals on the road, or damage related to theft. This is sometimes referred to as “acts of God or nature,” where the event is out of the driver’s control.

For example, say you are driving late at night, and a deer jumps out and hits your car. You can’t control a wild animal hitting your vehicle, so comprehensive insurance could cover that damage. If, however, you swerved to miss a deer and ended up hitting another vehicle or running into some kind of structure, then you were technically in control of the vehicle, so a claim for those damages would fall under collision insurance.

When you have both types of insurance, you have what is typically referred to as full coverage insurance. This is the most secure option when it comes to protecting yourself and your vehicle, though some people will choose to only get collision coverage since it’s typically less expensive than comprehensive coverage.