Comprehensive coverage protects your vehicle from unexpected damage, such as the fall of a tree branch on it or the impact of an animal, while collision coverage protects against collisions with another vehicle or object. The key difference between collision coverage and comprehensive coverage is the driver's control over the car accident. The amount you pay for collision insurance and comprehensive insurance depends on the type of car you drive, the deductible and how well you drive. This is the bare minimum of auto insurance and is required by law if you own and operate a car in Washington.
Comprehensive insurance protects your car from damage caused by animals or while it is parked, as well as from damage caused by the weather or by thieves. When combined with collision insurance, these two types of insurance cover most incidents that could damage your car, hence the “full coverage” designation. If your car is seriously damaged or stolen, having comprehensive coverage ensures that you will receive compensation. Since each state has different car insurance requirements, total coverage can also include several other types of coverage.
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. It's better to have comprehensive insurance than collision insurance, if you need to choose between the two. If you're not in a position to cancel collision coverage and comprehensive coverage, there are other ways to make your premium more affordable. In general, a car insurance deductible is a sum of money that you must pay before your insurance company covers the rest of your expenses.
This means that you don't have to take out the insurance offered at the rental counter, such as the collision damage exemption, unless you want to avoid making claims on your own policy. An old rule of thumb recommended canceling comprehensive coverage when a car was between five and six years old or had 100,000 miles. However, only 3% of drivers who have comprehensive insurance file a claim in a given year, so keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to add that coverage to your policy. If you have a lease or loan agreement for your car, you may need collision insurance and comprehensive insurance.