What is "full coverage" car insurance?

Q: How do you know if you have full coverage?

You can typically find a full list of the coverages you have by logging in to your policy using your insurer's mobile app or online account portal and viewing your vehicle's coverage details. The overview section of your policy's declarations page may also list all your coverages. If you see both collision coverage and comprehensive coverage (sometimes referred as "other than collision" coverage in certain states) listed under your vehicle, then you're covered for physical damage.

"Full coverage" car insurance isn't a type of policy or coverage but rather an informal term that generally refers to a combination of coverages. These typically include state-required liability coverage, and the coverages that protect your vehicle against theft and physical damage — comprehensive and collision. You may encounter the term when leasing or financing a car but understand that no policy can protect you in all situations. It's important to review your policy details to ensure you have the coverage you need.

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What does "full coverage" car insurance typically include?

"Full coverage" car insurance typically refers to an auto policy containing liability, comprehensive, and collision coverages, plus any other coverage(s) your state mandates.

Liability
This coverage is required by law in nearly every state and helps protect you financially if you cause an accident that results in injuries or property damage to others, up to your coverage limits. Liability coverage doesn't cover damage to your own vehicle, which is why lenders may require you to add additional coverage to protect your financed or leased vehicle. Learn more about liability vs. "full coverage" car insurance.
Comprehensive
Another optional coverage, comprehensive can cover your vehicle, minus your deductible, against events out of your control: theft, vandalism, hitting an animal, glass breakage, fire, and weather-related issues. Your lender or lease holder typically requires you to carry comprehensive coverage.
Collision
Auto collision is an optional coverage that can pay to repair or replace your vehicle, minus your deductible, if it's damaged or totaled from a collision. Auto collision coverage applies to a collision with another vehicle or structures such as fences, trees, and guardrails. If you finance or lease your car, your lender or lease holder usually requires collision coverage.

Watch this video to learn more about what "full coverage" car insurance may refer to:^*

Full coverage car insurance

The term full coverage car insurance is a little misleading.

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Full coverage car insurance.

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The term full coverage car insurance is a little misleading.

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No single policy delivers 100% coverage. There are options for better protection.

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There's no single policy where you're 100 percent covered in all situations, but there are coverage options that may help you get better protection for you and your vehicle. Let's break it down.

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In most cases when an insurance company, agent, or lender references full coverage auto insurance they typically mean comprehensive and collision plus any other coverages required by your state.

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Full coverage auto insurance. Comprehensive + collision + state-required coverages.

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For instance, liability coverage is mandatory in almost all states. It covers damages or injuries you cause to another vehicle or person, up to a certain limit.

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Liability coverage. Covers damages/injuries to another vehicle or person.

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To protect your own vehicle, that's where comprehensive and collision come in.

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Comprehensive & collision protects your vehicle.

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Unless required by your lender or lease company these are optional coverages. They may pay for damage to your vehicle caused by events that are both in and out of your control. And the cost?

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Cost?

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A policy that only has liability will cost less than a policy that also includes comprehensive and collision.

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Liability only + Comprehensive + Collision

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However, all three combined will offer more protection.

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Payment factors, Deductibles, Discounts

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The deductible you choose and any discounts you may qualify for, all factor in when finding a payment that works for you.

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Let's discuss what coverage is best for you! We offer insurance by phone, online, and through independent agents. Prices vary based on how you buy.

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Contact progressive today to discuss what coverage is best for you.

When is "full coverage" car insurance required?

"Full coverage," which may include a combination of state-required liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage, is typically required by lenders if you lease or finance a vehicle. The term "full coverage" may lead people to believe it offers complete protection in all situations — it doesn't.

Lenders require comprehensive and collision because they protect the lender's financial investment by ensuring the vehicle can be repaired or replaced if it's damaged, stolen, or deemed a total loss.

Do you need "full coverage" car insurance if your car is older or paid off?

Once you pay off your car, you don't need to keep collision and comprehensive coverage. However, keeping them may still help you avoid unexpected costs in some situations.

For older vehicles worth less than a few thousand dollars, you might pay more for comprehensive and collision coverages than the car is worth, especially after subtracting a deductible from a claim. Remember, if a car is damaged, stolen, or totaled, the insurance company pays you the actual cash value which likely won't be enough to buy a new car. Before dropping these coverages, decide whether you could afford to pay for repairs or buy a new vehicle out of your own pocket.

Other optional coverages, like roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and Progressive Vehicle Protection may help to reduce the inconvenience of a breakdown or accident.

Estimate how much coverage you need with our car insurance calculator.

What does "full coverage" typically cost?

Adding comprehensive and collision to your policy will cost more than a liability-only policy. With Progressive, comprehensive coverage costs an average of $18 per month for a six-month policy. Collision coverage costs $46 per month on average for a six-month policy. How much you pay for auto insurance often depends on these factors:

Location
Age
Driving record
Vehicle type
Coverage selection and limit
Claims history
Deductible amount

Learn more about the cost of car insurance and factors impacting your price. You can potentially lower the cost of "full coverage" by taking steps like raising your deductible, bundling policies, or using discounts for safe driving, multiple vehicles or good grades. Explore tips in our article on how to lower your car insurance rates.

How do you know if you have "full coverage"?

You can find a full list of the coverages you have by checking your policy's declarations page. Insurers may send your declarations page via email or regular mail, but you can often view it by logging in to your policy using your insurer's mobile app or online account portal. There's no consensus about what constitutes “full coverage,” but you can ensure you have the right coverages for you and your vehicle by talking with your insurer or agent.

Taking a longer look at your policy? Learn more about how to read an insurance policy.

Which coverages can you add to your car insurance?

Once you have liability, comprehensive, and collision — which lenders have popularized as "full coverage" — there are more coverages that can give you extra protection:

Loan/lease payoff (often referred to as “gap coverage”): Helps cover the remaining balance on your loan or lease if your car is totaled and you owe more than its current value.
Rental car reimbursement: Covers the cost of a rental car, up to the policy's limits, while your vehicle is being repaired after a covered accident.
Roadside assistance: May pay for a towing service if your car breaks down and may also cover lockout service, a flat tire change, and fuel/fluid delivery.
Vehicle protection: Offers protection for a newer car's major systems (non-accident related), minor dents and dings, and lost, stolen or damaged keys.

See all car insurance coverages we offer at Progressive.

Does "full coverage" apply to rental cars?

Whatever coverages you carry on your personal auto policy typically extend to a rental car.

If you don't have a personal auto policy, you're required to purchase liability coverage from the rental car company, which may cover damages or injuries you cause to others while driving your rental. Liability coverage won't cover damage to the rental car, but you may be able to purchase collision coverage from the rental car company.

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