Best Comprehensive Car Insurance

You should drop comprehensive insurance when you can afford to repair or replace your car out of pocket in a worst-case scenario. You should not drop comprehensive insurance if the car is valuable, since the coverage is inexpensive and will usually pay up to the car's actual cash value, minus a deductible. Additionally, you definitely should not drop comprehensive coverage if it's required by your lender or lessor. Doing so can result in serious consequences like force-placed insurance and even repossession.

Comprehensive insurance is sometimes considered “bad luck” insurance, since it covers things that are mostly out of your control as a driver, like vandalism, theft, natural disasters or hitting a deer. A standard rule of thumb is to drop collision and comprehensive insurance when the combined premiums are more than 10% of your car's value, minus your deductible.

However, you should only consider this guideline within the context of your personal circumstances. It's also worth noting that many experts consider comprehensive insurance to be a better investment than collision coverage, since it is not affected by your driving habits and is generally cheaper.

In addition to your car's value and your own finances, how likely you are to file a claim should factor into whether or not you drop comprehensive car insurance coverage. For example, even if you could comfortably replace your car, it probably isn't smart to drop comprehensive insurance if you live in an area with frequent hurricanes.

Other-than-collision coverage is car insurance that pays to repair or replace a car after it is damaged by something other than a collision, such as vandalism or a natural disaster. Other-than-collision insurance is another name for comprehensive insurance.

What Other-Than-Collision Insurance Covers 

• Theft
• Vandalism
• Damage from falling objects
• Flood damage
• Fire damage
• Damage caused by an animal
• Damage from natural disasters
• Glass damage, such as a cracked windshield

There are no state laws that require you to purchase other-than-collision coverage, but you will almost always need to have it if your car is leased or financed. It is usually purchased with collision insurance as a part of full coverage, but it can also be bought on its own.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to comprehensive insurance. 

A good comprehensive deductible is an amount that the policyholder can afford to pay if their vehicle is suddenly damaged by something other than a car accident, such as vandalism or a natural disaster. Comprehensive insurance deductibles typically range from $100 to $1,000, but they can sometimes be as high as $2,500. You choose your deductible when you purchase your policy, and the higher the deductible is, the lower your premium will be.

Comprehensive Deductible Example

As a reminder, a comprehensive deductible is the amount that you have to pay out-of-pocket when filing a comprehensive insurance claim. For example, if a hailstorm causes $5,000 in damage to your car and you have a $1,000 deductible, your insurance company will only pay $4,000 for the repairs.

How to Choose Your Comprehensive Deductible

Before you decide on a deductible, you should consider how likely you are to file a comprehensive claim. If you live in an area that is prone to natural disasters or has a high crime rate, for instance, it may be a good idea to get a low comprehensive deductible.

Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car caused by events other than collisions with other vehicles or stationary objects. For example, comprehensive insurance helps pay for damage from vandalism, natural disasters, fire, and theft, but it does not cover vehicle repairs after hitting a car.

What Comprehensive Insurance Covers

• Theft
• Vandalism
• Floods
• Fires (not related to a collision)
• Natural disasters
• Animal damage (including hitting a deer or other animal
• Glass damage

Comprehensive insurance is sometimes said to cover “acts of god” because it applies to things outside of a policyholder's control that can't really be predicted or prevented.

What Comprehensive Insurance Doesn't Cover

• Collision with another vehicle
• Hitting a stationary object (such as a house or fence)
• Damage caused by the road surface (like potholes)
• Roadside assistance (including jump starts and towing)
• Rental car expenses after an accident
• Medical expenses

Key Things to Know About Comprehensive Insurance Coverage

Coverage Limits Are Based on Your Vehicle's Value

The coverage limits for comprehensive insurance are determined by the vehicle's actual cash value, so the more a car is worth, the more the insurer will pay in a claim.

Comprehensive Insurance Includes Deductibles

Deductibles typically range from $100 to $1,000 and must be paid before your insurer will cover the rest of the claim.

Comprehensive Is Usually Paired with Collision Insurance

Comprehensive insurance is often purchased in conjunction with collision insurance so the policyholder is protected from both accident-related and non-accident-related damage.  

Comprehensive Insurance Is Not Required By Law

While no states require drivers to have comprehensive insurance, you may be required to purchase it if you have a loan or lease on your vehicle.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to comprehensive insurance.

Yes, car insurance covers theft if you have comprehensive coverage, which is optional. Comprehensive auto insurance can help replace your car if it's stolen or repair damage to your car resulting from break-ins or vandalism.

It is important to note that normal liability car insurance won't cover theft because it only protects other drivers from bodily injury and property damage resulting from an accident you cause.

What Insurance Covers If Your Car Is Stolen

• Your insurance company will pay your car's depreciated value, or actual cash value (ACV), minus your deductible, if you have comprehensive coverage.
• If your vehicle is financed and you owe more than your car is worth, gap insurance will cover the difference between your car's actual value and the balance owed.
• If you need help paying for transportation costs related to your car being stolen, rental reimbursement coverage will pay for a rental vehicle.

Car Insurance & Theft of Personal Items

Although comprehensive coverage will apply if your vehicle is stolen, no type of car insurance will cover theft of your personal items from your vehicle. Your phone, laptop, or other valuables should be listed on your homeowners or renters insurance policy, even if you often leave them in your car.

Next Steps

If your car is stolen, file a police report as soon as possible—ideally within 24 hours. Not only will this improve your chances of recovering the car, but you'll also need a police report to file a claim with your insurance provider. After you've filed a report, you should contact your insurer to start the claims process

Comprehensive insurance is coverage that helps pay for the cost of damage to your vehicle when you're involved in an accident not caused by a collision. Comprehensive car insurance covers losses from things like theft, vandalism or extreme weather events.

Comprehensive coverage is never required by state law, but it is usually needed for cars that are leased or financed.

What Comprehensive Insurance Covers

• Theft
• Vandalism
• Damage from falling objects
• Flood damage
• Fire damage
• Damage from animals
• Damage from natural disasters
• Glass damage, such as a cracked windshield

Why You Should Get Comprehensive Insurance

You should consider buying comprehensive coverage if you cannot afford to pay out of pocket to repair or replace your car in a worst-case scenario. Comprehensive insurance is usually considered to be a good investment since it's cheaper than other types of car insurance and covers events that are out of your control as a driver. A good rule of thumb is that if the cost of comprehensive insurance exceeds 10% of your vehicle's value, you can consider dropping it.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to comprehensive insurance.

If your car is stolen, you should call the police as soon as possible to file a report, then notify your insurance company. Comprehensive insurance will cover any damage that results from theft, and if your vehicle isn't recovered, it will reimburse you for what the car was worth prior to being stolen.

Even if you don't have comprehensive coverage, you should still report the stolen car to your insurance company. This way, you can ensure that you won't be held liable if the thief causes any damage while driving your car.

What to Do If Your Car Is Stolen

1. Call the police and file a report

You should call the police within 24 hours of your car being stolen. When you file a police report after your car is taken, you will need your vehicle's specific information. This may include your car's physical description (make/model/year), license plate number, and the vehicle identification number (VIN). You should also provide police with the specific date and time that the theft occurred.

2. Contact your insurance company

You will likely need to give your insurer the same information that you gave the police, in addition to a list of personal items that were in the vehicle when it was stolen. Your car will be covered if you have comprehensive insurance, and any personal items are generally covered by homeowners or renters insurance. If you have rental reimbursement insurance, your insurer may cover the cost of a rental car, too.

3. Contact your lender or lessor

If your car is leased or financed, you need to notify your lender or lessor if the vehicle is stolen. Since they will receive the final settlement if your car is totaled or not recovered, your lender or lessor can work directly with the car insurance company in order to expedite the claims process.

4. If the car is recovered, get it inspected

In the event that the police find your stolen car, you need to take it to a body shop and have it inspected. Cars are often stolen for parts, so it's important to make sure your vehicle is still in working order and safe to drive.

5. File an insurance claim

If the stolen car gets recovered but is damaged or declared a total loss, your comprehensive insurance can be used to fix or replace it.

Only about half of stolen vehicles are recovered, so there's a good chance that you won't get your car back. In that case, your comprehensive insurance will reimburse you for the car's actual cash value (ACV), which is what it was worth at the time that it was stolen.

For leased or financed cars, the settlement will be paid to your lender or lessor. If there is a balance remaining on your loan or lease after your insurance pays out, then you will need gap insurance in order to avoid paying for a car that you no longer have.

It is better to have comprehensive insurance than collision insurance, if you need to choose between the two. Comprehensive coverage is inexpensive, can be purchased alone, and pays for damage due to events beyond your control, such as vandalism, theft, natural disasters or run-ins with animals.

On the other hand, drivers with a history of accidents or moving violations and drivers who live in high traffic areas should consider investing in collision insurance. Given that collision insurance cannot be purchased without comprehensive in​​surance, you'll get the benefit of both types of coverage.

Why You Should Get Both Comprehensive & Collision Coverage

If your car is leased or financed, your lender or lessor will likely require you to purchase comprehensive and collision insurance together. But even if you do have a choice, you should still consider purchasing both types of coverage.

Collision and comprehensive insurance are best bought together because they cover different situations. Collision coverage repairs or replaces your car when it's damaged in an accident, regardless of fault, while comprehensive insurance applies when your car is damaged by something other than an accident.

Ultimately, if you're still struggling to decide whether to purchase comprehensive or collision coverage, a good rule of thumb is to skip either type if the cost is more than 10% of your car's value. However, this is just a general guideline, and you should also consider whether you're in the financial position to repair or replace your car if it's damaged. 

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to collision and comprehensive insurance.

The top 3 insurance companies are State Farm, Geico, and Progressive based on market share, and they collectively make up over 40% of the market for personal auto insurance companies. All three companies are also highly rated based on customer satisfaction, average premiums and available discounts.    

Top 3 Auto Insurance Companies

Unsurprisingly, two of the biggest insurance companies are also in the top three for the best car insurance companies. Due to their size, they can offer affordable premiums and top-notch customer service.

Top 3 Best Auto Insurance Companies

1. Geico
2. Progressive
3. USAA

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guides to the best car insurance and the largest auto insurers.

Comprehensive insurance is worth it if the premium is a small percentage of the car's value. Comprehensive insurance might also be worth it if the policyholder cannot afford to replace the vehicle without comprehensive coverage, or if the car is driven or parked in a particularly risky area.

Although comprehensive insurance is not mandatory in any state, dealerships and lenders frequently require comprehensive insurance, along with collision coverage, on leased or financed cars. In that case, comprehensive insurance is definitely worth it, because failing to meet the lender's or lessor's requirements could result in expensive force-placed insurance or even repossession.

Factors to Consider When Deciding If Comprehensive Insurance Is Worth It

• Your car's age, mileage, and value.
• The cost of comprehensive insurance premiums.
• The risk of theft, vandalism, and natural disasters in your area.
• Your ability to pay for repairs or a replacement vehicle out of pocket.

An old rule of thumb recommended dropping comprehensive coverage when a car was five to six years old or had 100,000 miles. But this rule is now outdated, since newer cars have increased longevity alongside higher repair costs. Now, the standard rule is that comprehensive and collision coverage are both worth buying if the combined premium is less than 10% of the car's value, minus the deductible.

Cost is only one factor, however, so you should also consider how likely you are to file a claim, as well as what would happen to you financially if your car was stolen or destroyed by something other than an accident and you didn't have coverage. For instance, if theft, animal collisions, or natural disasters are particularly common in your area, you are especially likely to need comprehensive insurance. Similarly, even if your comprehensive premium is 15% of your car's value, for example, comprehensive insurance might still be worth it if you rely on the car and can't afford to replace it yourself.