What is Comprehensive Insurance and Why Do You Need It?
Many people opt out of comprehensive insurance because it saves them money on their car insurance premiums. However, it’s important to weigh all of your options before you decide on your car insurance to make sure you have the best coverage possible. Comprehensive can cover a variety of accidents that your minimum insurance won’t cover. Here are some important reasons why you need comprehensive insurance.
They might look cute, but they can cause serious damage to your car
Photo: Blue Moonbeam Studio
Animals
You might think that hitting a wild animal is pretty uncommon, but you never know when it can happen. It only takes one drive down a wooded road to run right into a deer. Deer are also found in suburban areas, where they can jump out into the street when you least expect it. The term “deer caught in the headlights” comes from the fact that a deer doesn’t see a moving car and run away in fear; instead, it gets scared and just stands there, frozen in place. Hitting a deer can completely total your vehicle, or at the very least do enough damage to cause a ton of costly repairs. The only type of coverage that will cover this type of damage is comprehensive insurance.
A thief can cost you more than your ’90s CD collection
Theft
Theft is one issue that you can never control. It doesn’t matter how careful you are; your driving habits won’t do a thing to deter thieves. You might have all kinds of anti-theft devices, but there is always a thief that has done his or her homework and knows exactly how to break into your car. Of course, you might forget to lock your car or set your alarm–it only takes one time. If your stereo or other parts of your vehicle are stolen, your regular insurance isn’t going to cover the loss. However, comprehensive insurance will reimburse you with a check to replace some or all of your stolen items.
Who’s going to pay for that windshield if you don’t have insurance?
Photo: ReflectedSerendipity
Vandalism
Vandalism is similar to theft. However, with vandalism, you might avoid having your stuff stolen stolen, but you will end up with a defaced car. Vandalism is easier than theft, because the perpetrator doesn’t need to get inside your car. Vandalism can range from someone keying your car to a wide variety of other things that will ruin the body, such as slashing your tires, dumping a bucket of paint on the car, breaking your windows, or drawing on it with a permanent marker. No matter the type of vandalism, there is no way to make an insurance claim without comprehensive insurance. You don’t want to opt out of comprehensive car insurance and let a mischievous teenager or someone with a grudge cost you thousands of dollars.
If that tree falls, comprehensive insurance will protect your precious ride
Photo: bertranddoulefifre
Falling Objects
You might think that a falling object has almost no chance of hitting your car. However, you probably didn’t know that more than 100 people are killed by a falling tree every year in the United States. There are more than 250 billion trees on the planet, so the odds of one falling on your car is actually relatively good, when you think about it. All it takes is a storm and a weak branch above your car. Even if you don’t generally park under a tree, you never know when you will need to do so in a parking lot, or when you’ll get caught in a storm while driving. Trees aren’t the only threat; a bad storm can also cause large pieces of hail to fall, which can put hundreds of dents in your car.
Comprehensive insurance is more important than people realize. Make sure you seriously weigh the cost of damages and the cost of your vehicle before you opt out of it.
This post contains sponsored links from Nationwide Insurance.
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.