Comprehensive
Covers your vehicle for almost everything that isn’t a crash — theft, hail, fire, vandalism, deer.
Comprehensive covers damage to your own vehicle from causes other than a collision. On many policy forms it is literally named other than collision, which is a clearer description of the job it does: it is the catch-all for damage that happens while the car is parked, or from something the car did not drive into.
The familiar list includes theft, fire, hail, windstorm, falling objects, vandalism, broken glass, flooding and animal strikes. Hitting a deer generally lands here rather than under collision, which surprises people, and so does the damage left behind by a break-in.
A deductible applies to comprehensive claims the same way it does to collision, though the two are set separately and the comprehensive one is often lower. Glass is the exception in a few states: some require insurers to waive the deductible on windshield claims, and others require that a no-deductible glass option at least be offered.
Comprehensive does not cover mechanical breakdown, wear and tear, or an engine that simply failed — those are warranty questions. It also does not cover the belongings inside the car. A stolen laptop is typically a personal property claim on a home or renters policy, not an auto claim.
Like collision, the payout is capped at what the vehicle is worth, so an older car can be declared a total loss after hail or a fire rather than repaired.
In real life
A hailstorm moves through overnight and leaves the roof, hood and trunk of a parked car dimpled. The estimate comes to $3,600. With a $500 comprehensive deductible, the insurer issues $3,100. Nothing was moving and no other driver was involved, so collision never enters the picture. On a liability-only policy, the same $3,600 would have been the owner's to cover.
Common questions
Does comprehensive cover hitting a deer?
Yes, in most cases. Animal strikes are generally treated as comprehensive claims rather than collision claims, even though the vehicle is moving. The comprehensive deductible applies. Swerving to avoid an animal and striking a tree or another car instead is usually handled as a collision claim, so how the loss happened matters.
Does car insurance cover items stolen from my car?
Comprehensive generally covers damage to the vehicle from a break-in, such as a smashed window or a torn dashboard, but not the items taken. Personal belongings are usually covered under the personal property section of a homeowners or renters policy, subject to that policy's deductible and limits.
Is comprehensive the same as full coverage?
No. Full coverage is informal slang, not a coverage type. It usually means liability plus comprehensive plus collision on one policy. Comprehensive is only one of those pieces, and a policy can carry it without collision, though lenders generally require both while a loan is open.
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Definitions describe how these terms are generally used across the U.S. market. Wording, limits and exclusions vary by insurer, policy form and state — the policy you hold is what controls. See the full Insurance Glossary.