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Penny Gusner

Answering your CarInsurance.com questions since 2005

Q

What exactly is full coverage insurance?


A

There is really no such thing as "full coverage." No insurance company should advertise full coverage, because it’s impossible to buy a car insurance policy where you are fully covered against every exposure. 

Sometimes people say they’ve added full coverage to their car, or that their lienholder requires full coverage, when they are just talking about having physical damage coverages of collision and comprehensive on their policy.

What most drivers and insurance agents refer to as full coverage is a car insurance policy that includes state-mandated car insurance coverages (this usually is bodily injury liability and property damage liability but also may include uninsured motorist and personal injury protection), along with physical damage coverages of collision and comprehensive.

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Bodily injury liability covers other people’s bodily injuries and death for which you are responsible.  Property damage liability covers you if your car damages someone else’s property.  These coverages come with maximum limits that you choose at the inception of your policy.

Liability coverages don’t protect your car in any way, so that is why you purchase physical damage coverages.  Collision insurance covers damage to your automobile caused by a collision with another object or by upset. Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your vehicle for damages caused by things other than collision, such as vandalism, theft, or glass breakage.

Most lienholders require physical damage coverage if you are financing or leasing your vehicle.  These coverages each come with a deductible, an amount due before your insurance benefits kick in.  (See "Will higher deductibles save you money")

Whatever car insurance coverages you have are subject to the guidelines and terms of your policy, especially with regards to the payment of claims.  We personally try not to use the term full coverage because it can be misleading and make policyholders upset when they come across a situation that cannot be claimed or that they feel is only partially covered.

Learn more about the various types of coverages that you can get on your car insurance policy, including medical ones such as personal injury protection and medical payments, by reading through our car insurance definitions page.

If you want to see how much it will cost to add collision and comprehensive coverage to protect your vehicle, then get started with a quote and comparison shop the price of your policy with and without these coverages.

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13 Responses to "What exactly is full coverage insurance?"
  1. Visitor July 30, 2012 at 2:29 AM

    Wow! Full coverage is not always full coverage, good to know!

      Reply»  
  2. Visitor April 27, 2012 at 1:22 PM

    My roommate just got his second vehicle and because he has "full coverage" on his truck he states that I can drive the vehicle alone, despite the fact that I'm not on his insurance policy. My argument with him is that this is illegal or at least it be so in the state of Arkansas. Is this true... who's right?

      Reply»  
  3. Visitor March 24, 2012 at 5:30 PM

    Was easy to understand.

      Reply»  
  4. Anonymous May 03, 2010 at 10:42 AM

    I got what I was looking for, but not how I needed it.

      Reply»  
  5. Anonymous March 20, 2010 at 12:41 AM

    i have a 2005 car full coverag if a other car hits me with out insurance is my car still coverd

      Reply»  
  6. Anonymous September 27, 2009 at 9:56 PM

    my car got broken into and it is financed so i have full coverage, but since I have never gotten into an accident or had to use my insurance for anything I didnt really know what "full coverage" included. This answered my questions by 100%.

      Reply»  
  7. Anonymous May 26, 2009 at 11:19 PM

    legal stealing like MADOFF!

      Reply»  
  8. Anonymous May 26, 2009 at 11:18 PM

    No medical information? All ethics went out the window years ago.

      Reply»  
  9. Anonymous September 25, 2008 at 8:16 PM

    I totaled my car on July 3, 2008. It was my fault so they say. My question is why did my passenger get paid, but not me. I dont understand. I thought thats why you have full coverage. I have a scar on my left forearm and I also have whip lash. Why is it that I dont get paid for my pain and suffering?

      Reply»  
  10. Anonymous July 26, 2008 at 9:32 PM

    Got what I was looking for!

      Reply»