Nowadays, almost everything may be insured, including a flight to Mexico, a rental property, and Kiss leader Gene Simmons’ tongue. If you’d like, you can even insure Fido the golden retriever.
Collision insurance is undoubtedly the most crucial type of protection for automobile owners (and lessees), and it is mandated by law in many jurisdictions. However, this coverage is only applicable to actual physical harm and accident-related property damage. There are numerous more ways a car might be destroyed, as anyone who has parked in a flood plain, on a city street, or near youngsters who throw eggs is certainly aware. Comprehensive auto insurance can help with that.
Damage from events other than car accidents, such as theft, fire, vandalism, weather, falling items, and animal damage, is covered by comprehensive auto insurance. Although it is not needed by law, depending on the worth of the vehicle you are driving, it might be a smart idea. In order to safeguard the investment of the car owner or lender, drivers of leased or financed vehicles are frequently forced to purchase this insurance. A driver normally needs collision insurance in order to be eligible to acquire comprehensive coverage, even though both policies are separate.
The deductible amount, which typically ranges from $250 to $1,000, has a significant impact on the cost of comprehensive coverage. A greater deductible lowers the overall price, but the motorist will be responsible for more of any losses up front before the insurance coverage kicks in. For instance, dropping the deductible from $200 to $500 can lower premiums by 15 to 30%. A person who chooses a larger deductible will, of course, want to make sure that they can afford it should the automobile be damaged. They should compare the upfront premium savings against the long-term effects of a higher deductible.
The type of covered vehicle may also have an impact on the comprehensive coverage rate: a model or manufacture with a history of frequent claims or expensive repairs will have a higher premium. However, a car with security features such a legitimate anti-theft protection can be entitled to a discount.
So, do you need comprehensive car insurance? Continue reading for crucial details that can guide your decision.
Does buying comprehensive car insurance make sense?
Read the small print when thinking about comprehensive car insurance, or any other kind of insurance for that matter. Some policies cap the amount of coverage for these components, while others exclude certain types of damage, such as harm to satellite radio or GPS systems that aren’t permanently mounted in the vehicle.
A driver should also think about whether the vehicle will likely be in dangerous situations. If a car is parked on a busy city street, for instance, it is probably more likely to be broken into or stolen than if it is stored in a safe garage. As a result, the comprehensive insurance premium for that automobile will probably be higher.
The worth of the vehicle will ultimately determine whether comprehensive coverage is wise to purchase. The maximum amount that this policy will compensate for damage to an insured car is its cash value at the time of the damage, less the deductible. The reimbursement may be less than or equal to the cost of the insurance for an automobile with low value, maybe because it is old or damaged.
Consider, for instance, a $1,000 automobile that is attacked by a cougar that escaped from the neighborhood zoo (or, more likely, stolen or damaged by a falling tree branch). The maximum amount that the owner’s comprehensive insurance will cover is $500 if the deductible is $500. A driver who has paid for comprehensive coverage for four or five years may receive a reimbursement that is nearly equal to the amount of premiums already paid, with annual comprehensive rates typically costing approximately $113. A general guideline is that the annual cost of comprehensive auto insurance should not exceed 10% of the value of the vehicle.
To safeguard the value of the car from non-accident damage is the aim of comprehensive auto insurance. The value might not be worth protecting if it is already low.
Nota d’auteur
When I was a resident of Atlanta, it was commonplace to hear ambulances and fire engines roar through my apartment complex while their sirens were blaring. My apartment complex’s neighboring road connects a significant hospital to the city and college neighborhoods. However, it was unusual for emergency responders and firefighters to pull their big rigs over directly outside my window in the dead of night. I decided to investigate when I learned one night that the fire truck whose siren had been piercing my apartment’s walls like papier-mâché was really parked alongside my complex rather than moving. I became aware that I was stuck after leaving the apartment and going down three flights of stairs to the outdoor parking lot. The entire lot had been flooded by a severe downpour, and the water was now rising into the living rooms of the first-floor apartments. Around 25 other automobiles had been caught in the flood as well, and they were now floating around the lot like unmanned bumper cars. My relatively new Honda Civic was one of them. The fact that I had comprehensive car insurance was fortunate.
