Comprehensive vs. collision insurance: What's the difference?
Comprehensive and collision are both optional coverages that protect your vehicle, but they differ in the type of incident they cover. Comprehensive covers damage to your vehicle from unexpected non-collision incidents like theft, animal damage, falling trees, and weather damage. Collision covers damage to your vehicle that's the result of a collision with another vehicle or object. If you finance or lease your vehicle, your lender may require you to carry comprehensive and collision.
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Collision vs. comprehensive comparison
Collision coverage is for damage to your vehicle caused by an accident with another vehicle or object, such as if you rear-ended someone and as a result need to replace your bumper. Comprehensive coverage is for damage to your vehicle caused by an unexpected incident like theft, vandalism, hitting a deer, tree damage, hail damage, and more. Here's a comparison of the difference between collision and comprehensive:
| Type of coverage | Collision | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| What does it cover? | CollisionDamage to your vehicle from:
| ComprehensiveDamage to your vehicle from:
|
| What doesn't it cover? | Collision
| Comprehensive
|
| Is it required by state law? | CollisionNo | ComprehensiveNo |
| Is it required by vehicle lenders? | CollisionUsually | ComprehensiveUsually |
| Is it included in "full coverage"? | CollisionYes | ComprehensiveYes |
| What's the deductible? | CollisionYou choose, usually between $100 and $2,000 | ComprehensiveYou choose, usually between $100 to $2,000 |
| What's my limit? | CollisionTypically your vehicle's actual cash value | ComprehensiveTypically your vehicle's actual cash value |
Is full coverage both comprehensive and collision?
Yes, "full coverage" car insurance typically refers to carrying both comprehensive and collision in addition to any state-required auto coverages. That said, "full coverage" isn't an official insurance term or product — if your lender or agent uses this term, confirm with them which auto insurance coverages they're referring to.
Comprehensive vs. collision deductible
Since they're different coverages, you can choose different car insurance deductibles for your comprehensive and collision coverages. So, if you want lower out-of-pocket costs for a collision claim, you can choose a lower collision deductible than your comprehensive deductible. However, choosing the same deductible for both coverages makes it easier to expect what you'll pay out of pocket for any physical damage to your vehicle.
How to choose comprehensive and collision deductibles
When selecting your comprehensive and collision deductibles, determine how much you'd be willing to pay out of pocket if your car was damaged. For example, if you have $500 in savings set aside for non-maintenance vehicle repairs, choose a deductible of $500. The higher you're able to set your deductibles for comprehensive and collision, the less your premium will be.
Comprehensive vs. collision cost
Comprehensive coverage usually costs less than collision coverage, though costs may vary based on the insurer, your location, the value of your vehicle, and other factors. You can adjust the cost to some degree by opting for a higher car insurance deductible to lower your premiums or vice-versa. However, it's generally easier to have the same deductible amount for both coverages so you always know roughly how much you'd pay for repairs regardless of the type of damage.
Important note: Coverage limits for both comprehensive and collision coverage are determined by the value of your vehicle, as well as the deductible amounts you select. That's because, in the event your vehicle is totaled, the maximum payout you can expect will be equal to the actual cash value of your vehicle, minus your deductible.
Which coverage is more important for my vehicle?
Comprehensive and collision coverage are both equally important for protecting your vehicle from physical damage. You should ultimately choose the coverage that's right for your budget and needs. Note that some insurers may require you to buy comprehensive and collision coverage together, rather than just buying collision coverage separately.
How to get comprehensive & collision coverage
New Progressive customers
Get a quote for auto insurance, boat insurance, motorcycle insurance, RV insurance, or another type of vehicle and add comprehensive and collision coverage to your quote. You can also call us at 1-866-749-7436 and get a quote for whichever policy you need.
Current Progressive customers
Log in to your policy or call us at 1-866-749-7436 to add comprehensive and collision to your vehicle.
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