Your quick-start guide
Comprehensive covers the wild stuff (theft, hail, deer). Collision pays when you hit something. Use this walkthrough to choose the right mix, set smart deductibles, and tie your decision back to your car's value and your cash cushion. Keep a copy inside your policy pillar guide for renewals.
Comprehensive pays for non-crash losses: theft, vandalism, hail, falling trees, fire, flood, and animal strikes. Collision pays when your car hits another car, object, or flips. Keep both if the car is newer, financed, or worth more than the premium plus your deductible. Raise deductibles or drop collision when the car's value is low and you can handle repairs in cash.
1) Plain-language definitions
- Comprehensive: Non-collision losses: theft, vandalism, fire, hail, flood, falling objects, and animal strikes.
- Collision: You hit something: another car, a pole, a wall, a guardrail, or you roll the vehicle.
- Who requires it? Lenders and lessors demand both. If you own the car outright, you choose.
- Key limit: Both pay up to actual cash value (ACV) minus your deductible.
2) Side-by-side snapshot
| Factor | Comprehensive | Collision |
|---|---|---|
| Typical events | Theft, hail, flood, fire, falling trees, animal strikes | Hit a car, wall, pole, pothole damage, rollover |
| Who is at fault? | Fault usually does not matter | Pays regardless of fault (minus deductible) |
| Glass rules | Often lower glass deductible or no deductible option | Standard deductible applies if glass breaks in a crash |
| When lenders require it | Yes, if financed/leased | Yes, if financed/leased |
| Ties to ACV | Pays up to vehicle ACV minus deductible | Pays up to vehicle ACV minus deductible |
3) How to set your deductibles
Deductibles apply separately. If hail breaks your windshield in April and you slide into a pole in May, you pay two deductibles. Use this simple math to choose numbers that fit your cash cushion.
| Step | Comprehensive | Collision |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Start point | $250-$500 if you want quick glass repairs | $500-$1,000 if you keep an emergency fund |
| 2. Cap at 10% of ACV | If ACV is $7,000, stay at $700 or less | If ACV is $7,000, stay at $700 or less |
| 3. Adjust for risk | Hail, theft, or deer zone? Pick the lower option | Tight budget? Avoid deductibles above your savings |
| 4. Bundle savings | Pair with telematics or pay-in-full discounts | Use savings to build a repair fund |
4) Decision tree: keep, raise, or drop
Use this plain checklist before you trim coverage. If you are on the fence, keep the protection for one more term while you save cash.
| Situation | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Financed or leased | Keep both; lenders require them | Avoid force-placed insurance and fees |
| ACV above $10k | Keep both; raise deductibles if needed | Repairing or replacing is expensive |
| ACV $5k-$8k | Keep comprehensive; consider higher collision deductible | Weather and theft still hurt; collision risk depends on driving |
| ACV under $4k and no loan | Keep comprehensive for hail/theft; consider dropping collision | Premium plus deductible may exceed the car's value |
| Stored or seasonal car | Keep comprehensive; suspend collision if allowed | Protects against theft and fire while garaged |
5) Claim math in 60 seconds
Understanding the math keeps you calm on a bad day. Here's how payouts are calculated for both coverages.
| Example | Comprehensive | Collision |
|---|---|---|
| Car's ACV | $8,500 | $8,500 |
| Damage estimate | Hail: $4,000 roof/hood | Crash: $6,200 front end |
| Deductible | $500 | $1,000 |
| Payout | $3,500 | $5,200 |
| When totaled | $8,500 - $500 = $8,000 | $8,500 - $1,000 = $7,500 |
6) Real-world scenarios
Comprehensive
- Hail dents the hood and roof overnight.
- Someone steals your catalytic converter at a park-and-ride.
- A deer hits the driver's side door at dusk.
- Garage fire damages the paint and wiring.
Collision
- You slide on ice and hit a guardrail.
- Another driver rear-ends you and has no insurance; you use collision.
- Your teen jumps a curb and bends the suspension.
- Hit-and-run in a parking lot with no culprit found.
7) How to shop and compare quotes fast
- Set your target deductibles before you quote so you compare apples to apples.
- Check if glass has a separate deductible in your state; ask for that option.
- Request totals with and without collision if your car is paid off and older.
- Add at least three carriers and keep a simple grid.
- Bundle with renters/home to unlock discounts, then recheck the bottom-line cost.
- Run a pay-in-full and auto-pay scenario to see if the savings justify higher deductibles.
8) Renewal and drop strategy
You do not have to make a forever decision. Use renewals to adjust. If you plan to drop collision, time it with a new policy term so there are no mid-term fees. Document your choice in your policy guide.
- Step 1: Check current ACV (use a quick online estimator or local sales comps).
- Step 2: Compare ACV to annual premium plus deductible.
- Step 3: If ACV is low, raise collision deductible first; drop collision next term if savings justify it.
- Step 4: Keep comprehensive for weather and theft unless you store the car in a secure garage with a very low ACV.
9) Scripts you can use
Script to ask your agent for smarter deductibles:
"I'm keeping comprehensive. Quote collision at $1,000 and $1,500. Tell me the total savings and how that changes my out-of-pocket on a $7,000 ACV car."
Script to compare with and without collision:
"Give me the six-month premium with both coverages and the premium with comprehensive only. Confirm there are no lender issues on my paid-off vehicle."
Script to time a change at renewal:
"Schedule any change for my renewal date. Email the updated declarations so I can store them in my policy binder."
10) Tie-in coverages you should check
Collision and comprehensive are only part of your safety net. Before you adjust them, make sure these connected items are in place:
- Liability limits that meet or beat state averages.
- Deductibles aligned with your cash reserve.
- UM/UIM so you're covered if the other driver has no insurance.
- Quote comparison plan at every renewal.
- State-specific rules on glass deductibles and storage suspensions.
11) FAQ that keeps you moving
Can I drop collision but keep comprehensive?
Yes, if the car is paid off and worth less than the premium plus deductible. Confirm with your lender if you still have a loan.
Does comprehensive cover glass?
Often yes, sometimes with a lower glass deductible. If glass breaks in a crash, collision applies.
What happens with a hit-and-run?
If the other driver is unknown, collision usually pays. If you can ID the driver but they lack insurance, you may also use UMPD where available.
Should older cars keep comprehensive?
If you park outside in hail, high-theft, or deer country, comprehensive is cheap protection even on older cars.
12) Action plan (do it now)
- Find your car's ACV with three quick online comps.
- Write down your savings account balance-that caps your deductibles.
- Quote comprehensive at $250-$500 and collision at $500-$1,000; log both totals.
- Run the decision table above; choose keep, raise, or drop for each coverage.
- Update your declarations and save them with your policy document decoder.
Bottom line: keep protection that matches your car's value and your cash cushion. Make changes at renewal, save the paperwork, and keep building your emergency fund so you can choose higher deductibles or drop collision with confidence. Need a walkthrough? Pair this guide with our full coverage vs liability explainer and the renewal checklist.