Collision and comprehensive both repair your car, but they apply to different events. People often confuse them.
Collision
Pays when your car hits, or is hit by, another vehicle or object:
- A crash with another car
- Hitting a guardrail, pole, or tree
- A single-car rollover
Comprehensive
Pays for almost everything else, the non-collision events:
- Theft and vandalism
- Hail, wind, flood, and fire
- Falling objects
- Hitting an animal like a deer
Key points
- Each has its own deductible.
- Both are optional unless a lender requires them.
- Together they make up the optional half of full coverage.
How to decide
If your car is financed or newer, carry both. On an older car worth a few thousand dollars, compare the combined premium to the payout you would actually receive.