Does comprehensive cover include breakdown?

Asked by: Dr. Garrick Barton MD  |  Last update: December 22, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (55 votes)

Car breaks down: Whether you're on a road trip or headed to work, car insurance doesn't typically cover breakdowns not related to covered accidents. However, your car warranty may provide coverage for certain parts for a set timeframe, or you can purchase more comprehensive mechanical breakdown insurance.

What is included in a comprehensive?

Comprehensive, sometimes called "other than collision" coverage, typically covers damage from fire, vandalism or falling objects (like a tree or hail). If you're financing or leasing your car, your lender likely requires comprehensive coverage.

What does comprehensive insurance not cover?

Comprehensive coverage does not cover damages caused by hitting another vehicle or object. These incidents are covered under collision coverage. It will also not cover normal wear and tear on your vehicle.

What does fully comprehensive cover include?

Fully comprehensive car insurance includes as standard all the protection you'd get from third party, fire and theft insurance, in addition to covering you if an accident is your fault (with some exclusions). If you are looking for motorbike insurance, or van insurance, see our specialist guides.

Does comprehensive cover break ins?

Comprehensive coverage will usually cover theft, as well as repair costs from break-in damages. Liability insurance likely won't cover theft, as it usually protects against bodily injury and property damage resulting from an accident.

What Is Comprehensive Coverage? | Progressive Answers

23 related questions found

What is comprehensive breakdown cover?

Basic breakdown cover includes roadside assistance and vehicle recovery, while more comprehensive options might offer at-home assistance, onward travel arrangements, and additional extras. The cost varies based on coverage type, extras, number of vehicles, and vehicle specifics.

Is it better to have a $500 deductible or $1000?

Remember that filing small claims may affect how much you have to pay for insurance later. Switching from a $500 deductible to a $1,000 deductible can save as much as 20 percent on the cost of your insurance premium payments.

What are the disadvantages of fully comprehensive car insurance?

There are downsides. If you are in an accident, comprehensive insurance won't pay for the damage: collision coverage does. Comprehensive insurance may also be expensive if you are purchasing it along with collision insurance.

Does comprehensive insurance cover engine failure?

It covers the damage caused to your car in an unforeseen event and the other person's car in case of an accident. Mechanical problems like engine failure are covered by car insurance only if it occurs because of an accident, flood, fire or vandalism.

Does comprehensive insurance cover paint damage?

Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive coverage covers a wide range of non-collision-related incidents that could lead to paint damage, such as vandalism, theft, and natural disasters (like hail damage). It's not legally required, but it's often essential for those who want to protect their investment fully.

Which of the following would not be covered under comprehensive coverage?

What's not covered by comprehensive auto coverage? Comprehensive car insurance doesn't cover damage to your car from a collision with another vehicle or object outside of live animals. Any medical expenses for you and any passengers will also not be covered as a result of the incident.

Is it better to have collision or comprehensive?

If your car is damaged in a road collision with another car or object and you're at fault, only your collision coverage can help pay to repair it. Only comprehensive coverage covers losses caused by contact with animals, civil disturbances, fires, natural disasters, theft, and vandalism.

What does comprehensive medical insurance cover?

What is comprehensive coverage? Comprehensive coverage – when we're referring to health insurance, as opposed to automobile insurance – refers to a health plan that provides broad coverage of a wide range of healthcare services such as physician visits, hospitalization, prescriptions, and emergency room visits.

What does comprehensive coverage include?

Comprehensive coverage and collision coverage both insure your car, but they cover different events. Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage caused by events considered to be outside of your control, like theft, vandalism, hitting an animal, glass breakage, fire, and weather-related incidents (e.g., hail).

What is in a comprehensive plan?

A comprehensive plan provides a vision for the future of the community along with the steps that are needed to make that vision a reality. It is the basis for land use regulations and provides a nexus between the community's future vision and the regulation of private property.

Is it worth getting comprehensive?

Comprehensive coverage protects you from events outside your control like natural disasters or collisions with animals. These risks vary considerably from one area to another and might affect your decision about when to drop comprehensive coverage, especially on an older vehicle.

Does insurance cover if your car breaks down?

Car breaks down: Whether you're on a road trip or headed to work, car insurance doesn't typically cover breakdowns not related to covered accidents. However, your car warranty may provide coverage for certain parts for a set timeframe, or you can purchase more comprehensive mechanical breakdown insurance.

Does insurance cover if your engine breaks?

When does car insurance cover engine repair? If you have comprehensive coverage and collision coverage, you're generally covered for engine repairs if the engine is damaged in an accident or due to an event outside of your control, such as a tree limb falling on your vehicle.

Does comprehensive cover car repairs?

Comprehensive car insurance helps cover repair and replacement costs caused by things other than a collision, such as a storm, flood, fire, vandalism, hitting an animal, falling trees, or theft. Think of it as an extra layer of damage protection for your vehicle against events that are outside of your control.

When should you drop comprehensive coverage on your car?

The ten rule is this: Once the value of your vehicle is less than ten times what its insurance premiums are, it's more economical to drop comprehensive and collision coverage than to pay for them.

Why is comprehensive insurance so expensive?

The cost of your comprehensive insurance might increase if you file a claim, live in an area with high crime or bad weather, or if repair costs rise. Filing a claim for something comprehensive insurance covers—like vandalism or a cracked windshield—could result in higher prices.

Is comprehensive good or bad?

Comprehensive insurance provides coverage to your car when it's damaged by something other than a collision. If you drive a car that would be expensive to replace or you don't have ample savings, comprehensive coverage may be a good investment.

What is a good deductible for comprehensive?

Common deductible amounts also include $250, $1000, and $2000, according to WalletHub. You can also select separate comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles. For example, you could have a $1000 collision and a $500 comprehensive policy deductible or vice versa.

Do I get my deductible back if I'm not at fault?

Yes, if you have to pay your deductible and you were not at fault, you may be able to get it back from the at-fault driver's insurance company. This is called subrogation. Your insurance company will pursue the at-fault driver's insurance company to recover the money paid for the damages, including your deductible.

What is full coverage insurance?

Having “full coverage” can mean having more than the minimum required coverage. For example, the minimum bodily liability limit in California is $15,000. A “full coverage” policy may have a bodily liability limit of $100,000. 3. Higher limits afford you greater protection for any assets.