Comprehensive coverage (for damage that doesn't happen in a car accident) Comprehensive coverage is optional in this state. In a nutshell Comprehensive covers your car for the stuff that's not a "collision." Like a tree falling on your car. Or hail. Your car catching on fire. Running into an animal. Your car getting stolen. It basically covers the crazy stuff that you never really expect to happen … but still does. For this reason, it's sometimes called "other than collision." What you should know If your vehicle's leased or financed, you'll need to have comprehensive coverage. But more importantly, you'll want to have it to make sure your vehicle's well protected. If you have more than one vehicle on your policy, you can choose to add comprehensive for each vehicle separately. Comprehensive has a deductible When it comes to comprehensive coverage, a deductible will apply to each accident. That means when you need to use it, you'll need to pay that deductible. Here's how it works.   You hit a deer and it'll cost $5,500 to repair all the damage   You pay your deductible – say it's $1,000 – and your insurance company covers the remaining $4,500 for all repairs Think about deductibles this way. If you needed to file a claim tomorrow, how much could you afford to pay without stressing your finances? Keep your deductible close to, but below, that amount. What it covers Comprehensive covers a whole lot. Stuff like – but not limited to – falling objects. Fire or theft. Explosions or earthquakes. Wind, hail, water, or floods. Vandalism. Collisions with animals. So even though it doesn't cover absolutely everything you can think of, it does cover a whole bunch of stuff you probably never think of. Hence the name. What it doesn't cover In spite of the way it sounds, comprehensive doesn't cover everything under the sun. Many people think it covers roadside assistance, for example. It doesn't. Another common misconception is that it covers your rental car. Think of it like this: comprehensive covers a lot of the crazier stuff that could happen to your car. Trees falling? Yes. Wild hailstorms? Yes. Car stolen from your driveway? Yes. Having your car towed? No. Does it matter who's at fault? Nope. Comprehensive covers your car when weird stuff happens, whether it's your fault or not.