Car insurance consists of several different policies. Two of the most popular policies are collision coverage and comprehensive coverage. Collision coverage pays for accident-related vehicle damage, and comprehensive coverage pays for damage caused by incidents other than an accident. Industry sources note that these coverages respond to different loss drivers: collision is most affected by crash repair costs and vehicle technology, while comprehensive is driven by non‑crash perils like severe weather, theft and vandalism (CCC Crash Course 2024; Insurance Information Institute).
Almost every car insurance company offers both types of optional coverage. When you compare quotes, look beyond price to options that can materially change how comprehensive/collision work for you—such as glass-only deductibles, OEM parts endorsements, gap/loan‑lease coverage, rental reimbursement, diminishing deductibles and accident forgiveness. Telematics programs can also offset premiums by rewarding safe driving as adoption rises (J.D. Power 2024 Auto Insurance Study; NAIC market/complaint resources). Keep reading to learn the key differences between comprehensive vs. collision insurance, what each covers, and how much these policies cost—using the latest available benchmarks.
What is Comprehensive Insurance
Comprehensive coverage is a car insurance policy that covers vehicle damage unrelated to an accident. It typically applies to non‑collision perils like theft, vandalism, fire, hail, flood, falling objects, and animal strikes—specifics vary by policy (Insurance Information Institute – What is comprehensive?). Recent loss trends have increased the value of comprehensive: the U.S. has seen persistently high counts of costly severe convective storms (hail, wind, tornado) and urban flood events, which disproportionately damage vehicles (NOAA NCEI Billion‑Dollar Disasters; Swiss Re sigma on record SCS losses).
There are a few reasons why drivers should consider purchasing comprehensive insurance. For one, it’s the only car insurance policy that covers vehicle theft. Theft remains elevated: more than one million vehicles were stolen nationally in 2023, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. While a prominent vandalism category—catalytic converter theft—declined in 2023 from 2021–2022 peaks, broader property‑crime and theft risks persist (NICB catalytic converter trend; BJS Criminal Victimization 2023). If your car gets stolen or damaged by a covered peril, your insurer typically pays up to your vehicle’s actual cash value minus your deductible.
Here are some of the situations covered by a comprehensive insurance policy:
- Weather-related damage (for example, hail, windborne debris, wildfire smoke/ash or flash flooding that inundates your vehicle) (NOAA NCEI)
- Falling objects (tree limbs or debris during storms)
- Explosions (non‑collision fire/explosion events)
- Hitting an animal (e.g., deer strikes on rural roads)
- Theft (including whole‑vehicle theft and many parts‑theft/vandalism incidents) (NICB)
- Earthquakes (where covered by your policy wording)
- Vandalism (such as glass breakage or keyed panels; catalytic converter theft has eased from its peak but remains a risk) (NICB)
What is Collision Insurance
Collision insurance is exactly what the name suggests: a type of insurance that pays to repair damages to your vehicle after an accident. Collision coverage applies regardless of who caused the crash and is commonly required by lenders/lessors on financed or leased cars. Repair costs and complexity have been rising—especially for EVs and vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which often require sensor calibration and specialized parts—contributing to higher collision claim severity (CCC Crash Course 2024; HLDI on EV loss experience).
If you get into an accident, you submit a claim with your insurance company. Increasingly, carriers use digital first notice of loss (FNOL), telematics crash detection, and AI photo estimating to triage and settle lower‑severity claims faster—sometimes with straight‑through processing for well‑scoped scenarios like minor fender‑benders or windshield claims. These tools can shorten cycle time and reduce rework when governed well, while complex cases still get human adjusters (J.D. Power 2024 Claims Study; CCC; McKinsey on GenAI in claims). Here are the situations that would be covered with collision insurance:
- An accident with another driver (rear‑end, side‑impact or intersection crashes; liability may still be determined separately)
- Collision with a stationary object, like a pole or guard rail (including parking lot impacts)
- Roll-overs (single‑vehicle rollover or loss of control incidents)
What Is Not Covered by Comprehensive and Collision Insurance?
Collision and comprehensive insurance provide important protection for your vehicle, but they don’t cover everything. They do not provide liability protection if you injure someone or damage their property, and they don’t pay medical bills for you or your passengers unless you carry separate coverages. Personal auto policies may also limit or exclude coverage while driving for rideshare/delivery unless you add the appropriate endorsement (NAIC – Ride‑sharing and Insurance).
Here are some situations that are not covered by comprehensive or collision insurance, and descriptions of what policies would apply:
- Your medical expenses after an accident — If you get into an accident and you or a passenger suffer injuries or need medical attention, medical payments coverage (or personal injury protection, where applicable) would cover the costs.
- Other driver’s medical expenses — If you cause an accident and the other driver gets hurt, liability coverage would cover their medical expenses.
- Your personal items inside a stolen vehicle — If your car gets stolen, you would need to have home insurance or renters insurance to be compensated for stolen personal items.
- Property damage you cause — If you cause property damage in an accident, liability coverage would cover the cost of repairs.
- Your legal fees if you get sued — If another driver sues you for vehicle damage, bodily injury or property damage, liability insurance would cover the cost of attorney fees, court costs, and settlements.
How Much is Comprehensive and Collision Insurance?
Comprehensive insurance and collision insurance are optional coverages. They are not automatically included when you purchase a car insurance policy. Each policy costs extra, and adding them will affect your rate. No U.S. state mandates comprehensive or collision coverage; these remain optional at the state level, though lenders typically require them on financed/leased vehicles (NAIC – Auto insurance).
Using the latest official averages by coverage, the average premium for collision insurance was about $422 and the average premium for comprehensive insurance was about $207 in 2022. These NAIC “average expenditures” are the most recent national benchmarks available as of 2025 (NAIC Auto Insurance Database Report). Since 2022, auto insurance prices have risen sharply—the BLS motor vehicle insurance index climbed significantly through 2023–2024 and remains elevated—so current 2025 premiums are likely higher than the 2022 averages (BLS CPI release; BLS motor vehicle insurance CPI series). Market snapshots of overall “full coverage” also show substantial increases post‑2022 (Bankrate 2025 analysis). Your price will vary by state, vehicle, deductibles, telematics participation, and driving record.
What to Consider Before Buying Comprehensive and Collision Insurance
The truth is, not every driver needs comprehensive or collision coverage. Under state law, these coverages remain optional; most states require liability, and some also require PIP and/or UM/UIM. Recent statutory changes raised minimum liability limits but did not mandate comprehensive or collision—for example, California’s minimums increased for policies effective Jan 1, 2025 (with another step scheduled in 2027) and Virginia’s minimums rose Jan 1, 2025 while Virginia also eliminated its uninsured‑vehicle fee in 2024, making liability insurance mandatory to register/operate a vehicle (California SB 1107; Code of Virginia §46.2‑472; §46.2‑706 repeal; NJ 2026 staged increase; Florida requirements; NAIC).
Cost–benefit still matters. Many consumers facing premium inflation have responded by raising deductibles, trimming optional add‑ons, or moving older, paid‑off vehicles to liability‑only by dropping collision and/or comprehensive—especially when the annual premium approaches the car’s market value (TransUnion 2024 Personal Lines Trends; BLS CPI). At the same time, persistent weather and theft exposures make comprehensive valuable in many regions (NOAA NCEI; NICB). If you want to keep physical damage protection while managing price, consider higher collision deductibles than comprehensive, enroll in telematics for potential discounts, and shop multiple carriers.
However, most drivers will benefit from these optional coverages. Here are some specific reasons why you might consider getting comprehensive and collision coverage:
- Your car is leased or financed: If you drive a leased car, or are financing your car with a loan, your lender will probably require you to purchase collision and comprehensive insurance. Confirm add‑ons that can matter after a loss—gap/loan‑lease coverage, rental reimbursement, and whether glass has a lower deductible—since these vary by insurer and state (J.D. Power 2024; NAIC resources).
- You drive a luxury or high-value car: Fixing expensive or technology‑heavy cars (EVs/ADAS) can be costly due to calibration and specialized parts; collision/comprehensive help contain that risk (HLDI EV severity; CCC).
- You want the maximum protection: For peace of mind, comprehensive addresses non‑crash perils—hail, flood, fire, theft, vandalism—that have produced elevated losses in recent years (NOAA; NICB).
- You have a history of accidents: Drivers with at‑fault losses may benefit from collision coverage for future repairs; some insurers also offer diminishing deductibles or accident forgiveness that can soften the financial impact (availability varies by state/company).
- You live in an area with frequent crime: If you live in an area with a high crime rate, having comprehensive insurance will cover your car if it gets stolen or broken into. Theft totals again exceeded one million vehicles nationally in 2023, per the National Insurance Crime Bureau, and while catalytic converter thefts declined in 2023, other vandalism risks persist (NICB).
- You can’t afford to repair or replace your car out-of-pocket: Comprehensive/collision can cap your out‑of‑pocket exposure (minus your deductible). Many claims now move faster via mobile FNOL and photo estimating for minor damage, which can reduce disruption if you have the right rental reimbursement in place (J.D. Power 2024 Claims; CCC).
