Tuesday, September 22, 2009

What Is Comprehensive Car Insurance?

By A. Nutt

When you purchase a vehicle or put one back on the road, beyond the responsibility of owning and driving the car daily, you also need to have insurance. Insurance is a legal requirement in order to protect yourself and others financially and medically in the event of an accident, natural disaster, or other incident that can cause significant financial hardship for you or other drivers. One type of insurance you may need, depending on the circumstances under which you purchase your vehicle and your needs as a consumer, is comprehensive insurance. What is comprehensive insurance, and why would you consider this?

Understanding Comprehensive Policies

Comprehensive insurance covers losses that occur to your vehicle due to fire, theft, natural disaster, or vandalism. This type of insurance also covers anything that is considered an "Act of God," which can be anything from severe storms to flooding.

Comprehensive insurance should be especially considered if you are paying full price for a vehicle as a new purchase or lease. You will also want to obtain comprehensive insurance if you live in a high risk area such as a coastal area or flood zone, or a densely populated area where vehicle vandalism or thefts may occur on a more frequent basis. Depending on the type of vehicle you intend to insure, comprehensive insurance can be of help if you would not be able to replace the vehicle easily or if it would be too costly to do so.

Comprehensive Insurance Benefits You

Unlike other types of insurance like liability and collision, which are generally required for all drivers regardless of type of vehicle or value, comprehensive insurance is more of an insurance that protects and reimburses you directly. Other types of insurance are generally for the benefit of other drivers and pay for losses sustained during traffic accidents. Comprehensive coverage allows you to quickly recoup any losses to you directly if your vehicle is stolen, damaged intentionally. or subject to a naturally occurring event like a fire or flood. You need this kind of coverage to make up for any gaps in your liability and collision policies, particularly since those policies may not cover your losses in full.

Consider Your Options Carefully

Choose wisely when deciding what types of insurance to place on your vehicle(s) and you will be glad later on when and if you have to place an auto or glass repair claim. Comprehensive car insurance coverage is not only affordable; it can give you peace of mind that other basic insurance policies cannot. If you had to replace your vehicle today because it was stolen or totaled by a tree falling on it, what would you do? Not only would you have to replace the car, but you would be legally and financially responsible for paying off your car note. Comprehensive insurance takes care of those worries and protects you from having to come up with a lump sum to replace a vehicle loss.