Comprehensive vs. Collision Coverage: What’s the Difference?

• Property damage liability coverage only pays for damage you cause to other people’s property—not your own vehicle.
• If your car is damaged in a crash you caused, you’ll need collision coverage to pay for your repairs.
• Comprehensive coverage helps pay for non-collision events like theft, vandalism, weather damage, or hitting an animal.
• To fully protect your vehicle in a wide range of scenarios, many drivers carry both collision and comprehensive coverage in addition to liability insurance. Additionally, if you loaned or leased your care, your lender likely requires you to carry these coverages.

Here, we’ll explain in greater detail which events these coverages cover, their cost, and whether or not you need them.

Collision coverage helps pay to repair or replace your car if it’s damaged in an accident, regardless of who’s at fault. Comprehensive coverage, on the other hand, protects your vehicle from non-collision events like theft, natural disasters, falling objects, or vandalism.

Here’s a breakdown:

Key Similarities

• Both are part of full coverage, which includes higher liability limits for the other party’s property damage and bodily injuries, as well as coverage for your medical payments.
• Both cover damage to your car and not the other party’s car, unlike property damage coverage.
• No state requires either coverage, though they may be required by an auto lender.
• Both have deductibles, unlike basic liability coverage.

Key Differences

• Collision coverage covers damage to your car due to collisions, while comprehensive coverage covers damages caused by events other than collisions.
• Collision coverage typically costs 40 to 70 percent more than comprehensive coverage.
• Broken-down cars or cars in storage still require comprehensive coverage, but they don’t require collision coverage.

Both collision and comprehensive insurance come with a deductible, which is the amount you’ll pay toward a covered claim before your insurance kicks in. So for instance, if you incur $2,000 in damages in an accident, and you have a $500 deductible, your insurance would cover $1,500 of those damages. You’ll select a deductible when you buy your policy, typically between $0 and $2,000.

What is a comprehensive deductible?

A comprehensive deductible is the amount you agree to pay out of pocket when filing a claim for non-collision events—like if your car is stolen, vandalized, or damaged by hail. For example, if a tree branch falls on your car and causes $1,200 in damage and your deductible is $250, your insurer would pay $950.

What is a collision deductible?

A collision deductible applies when your car is damaged in an accident—regardless of who’s at fault. If you hit another car or back into a pole and the repairs cost $3,000 with a $1,000 deductible, your insurance would pay the remaining $2,000.

Recommended Comprehensive and Collision Deductibles

Recommended deductible amounts for comprehensive and collision coverage depend on your budget, vehicle value, and risk tolerance. Here are general guidelines:

Comprehensive claims can raise your car insurance rates, but they typically have less impact than collision or liability claims. Since comprehensive claims often involve events outside your control—like theft, vandalism, or weather damage—insurers are generally less likely to penalize you heavily for filing one.

However, the impact depends on factors like:

• The cost and frequency of your claims
• Your driving and claims history
• Your insurance provider’s policies

If you file multiple comprehensive claims in a short time or have a history of frequent claims overall, your insurer may still raise your premium. Even if your rate doesn’t increase right away, your risk profile could affect future renewal pricing or discounts.

The cost of adding collision and comprehensive coverage varies based on your vehicle, location, driving history, and chosen deductibles. Based on our data, the average full coverage car insurance policy—which includes both collision and comprehensive coverage—costs $2,399 per year. In contrast, the average minimum coverage policy (which includes only liability) costs $635 annually.

That means collision and comprehensive together account for roughly $1,764 of the annual premium, or about $147 per month. Individually, collision coverage tends to be more expensive than comprehensive, since accidents happen more frequently and often result in higher repair costs.

If you’re trying to save, raising your deductibles or removing one or both coverages on an older vehicle may help lower your premium.

Our Top Pick Providers for Collision & Comprehensive Coverage

Here is a breakdown of some of the best auto insurance companies for full coverage. Note that these averages include liability coverage with higher limits, uninsured motorist, and comprehensive/collision coverage.

How to Save on Comprehensive and Collision Coverage

1. Increase your deductible. A higher deductible means lower premiums. Just make sure you can afford to pay it if your car gets damaged tomorrow.
2. Use discounts. Many auto insurance companies offer discounts. From taking a defensive driving course to enrolling in automatic billing, there are dozens of ways to save. You could also get discounts for bundling your insurance with other types of policies, like life home, renters, and insurance.
3. Enroll in a telematics program. Signing up for a telematics program—where your insurer tracks your driving habits through an app or device—can lead to discounts on your collision and comprehensive premiums if you drive safely. By demonstrating behaviors like smooth braking, low mileage, and avoiding late-night driving, you may qualify for lower rates over time.
4. Switch companies. Don’t be afraid to get an insurance quote from another company. Often, switching companies can save you money.

Comprehensive and collision coverage are only required if you lease or finance your vehicle. Otherwise, no state mandates them—so it’s up to you to decide whether the extra protection is worth it. Here’s how to make that decision.

Factors to Consider

• Age of car: If you have an old, lower value car that is paid off, you probably don’t need collision or comprehensive coverage, as the damage may exceed the actual cash value of your car. But, if your car is new and high in value, both collision and comprehensive coverage could be a good investment.

• Car usage: If your car is broken down, in storage, or doesn’t run, you can drop collision coverage, as you won’t be in an accident. However, even cars that don’t run need insurance, as they could be stolen or vandalized, so be sure to maintain comprehensive coverage.¹

• Crime rates: Auto theft and vandalism are more common in cities than rural and suburban areas, so if you live in a high-crime area, make sure you have comprehensive coverage. Similarly, more accidents occur in cities due to increased traffic, so select collision coverage as well.

While not legally required, collision and comprehensive coverage are often worth the cost—especially for newer or high-value vehicles, as they protect you from having to pay out of pocket for repairs or a replacement.

However, if your car is older or no longer worth much, the added premiums may not make financial sense. Still unsure? Explore our recommendations for full coverage auto insurance.