What Is Full Coverage Car Insurance?
Full coverage car insurance can mean different things depending on the driver. Generally, a full coverage auto insurance policy meets state requirements for liability insurance and includes comprehensive and collision coverage. However, you can have higher liability limits than your state requirements. You can also include a combination of optional
car insurance coverages that offer more protection while you’re on the road.
What Does Full Coverage Insurance Cover?
Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Coverage
If you get into a car accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance or enough coverage, it could leave you at risk of paying for damages out of your pocket. Even if your state mandates car insurance for drivers, there’s still a chance of getting into an accident with underinsured motorists. There are three coverages that make up underinsured and uninsured motorist insurance:
Rental Car Reimbursement
Rental car reimbursement coverage can pay your costs to drive a rental car while your vehicle gets repaired following a covered accident. This is an optional coverage, but some drivers find it valuable.
Medical Payments Coverage
This coverage can help pay for medical care for you and your passengers if you’re hurt in a car accident. It can also help cover funeral costs if someone loses their life. Medical payments coverage even helps pay expenses if you’re hit by a car when walking.
Learn more about
medical payments coverage and find out what coverage limits to add to be sure you have full coverage auto insurance.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Also known as
no-fault insurance, PIP helps pay treatment costs and other expenses, like childcare, if you’re healing from a covered accident. Be aware that PIP isn’t available in every state.
Liability Coverage
Most states have requirements for the minimum amount of liability coverage drivers need to carry. This insurance can help cover property damage or bodily injuries.
Property damage liability insurance helps cover the costs of property damaged in an accident that you’re found at fault for. Make sure you have the state mandated amount of both types of liability coverage.
Comprehensive Coverage
With comprehensive insurance, your auto policy can help pay to fix your car if it’s damaged from:
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Collision with an animal
- Natural disasters
Collision Coverage
With collision coverage, your policy can help pay for damages to your car if you hit another vehicle or object. For example, if you hit a tree while driving, this coverage can help pay your repair costs.
Roadside Assistance
If your car breaks down, and you’re stranded on the side of the road, emergency roadside assistance coverage can help. With this insurance, you’ll have access to a network of 40,000 towing services across the country, available to call 24/7. Be aware, you’ll need comprehensive insurance to add this coverage to your auto policy.
Full Glass Coverage
Rocks, tree branches and hail can damage your windshield, and you may need to repair or replace it. In some states, full glass coverage is included with your comprehensive coverage. However, in other states, you may have to pay an additional fee for
auto glass insurance. With full glass coverage, you won’t have to pay a deductible to repair or replace your damaged auto glass.
How Much Is Full Coverage Car Insurance?
According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost for full coverage car insurance in the U.S. in 2017, which included liability, comprehensive and collision coverages, was $1,004.
However, full coverage insurance can vary by state. Each state has its own car insurance laws and minimum coverage requirements, which will impact insurance rates. The more coverages you add to your auto policy, the more insurance costs will increase.
It’s important to not only consider cost when you’re looking for car insurance. A car insurance policy with a lower rate may not offer you enough coverage. While full coverage car insurance is typically more expensive than buying the minimum state required liability coverage, it can give you peace of mind and save you money in the long run.
Get a Full Coverage Auto Insurance Quote
If you’re looking for full coverage auto insurance quotes, The Hartford can help. We’re an experienced insurance company, offering a broad range of auto coverages that can help keep you and your loved ones safe on the road. Our specialists regularly receive high customer service ratings and are ready to help you every step of the way, starting with car insurance quotes.
Call
888-546-9099 to get a full coverage
auto insurance quote today and learn more about how the AARP
® Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford
1 can help protect you and your family.
Frequently Asked Questions About Full Coverage Car Insurance
How Much Does Full Coverage Insurance Cover?
There’s not one answer to how much full coverage insurance covers, because each policy differs. Your policy will include the minimum bodily injury and property damage liability coverages required in your state. You can increase this coverage if you want more protection. When you add optional coverages to your policy, you’ll choose the coverage amounts you want.
Benefits of Full Coverage Auto Insurance
With full coverage auto insurance, you’ll have more protection on the road compared to a policy that only has the minimum required coverage amounts. If you get into an accident and don’t have the right insurance or enough coverage, you may have to pay for property damage or bodily injury claims out of pocket.
Should I Add Optional Car Insurance Coverages?
Each driver has unique needs. While you don’t have to add every optional type of car insurance to your policy, the more coverages you add, the more protection you’ll have on the road.
You can work with our specialists to get the right combination of coverages that make sense for you and your family.
Last Updated: September 22, 2023
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