- Car Insurance
Liability coverage only goes so far. What happens if you hit a wall, roll your car or suffer extreme damage and extensive medical payments resulting from accidents not covered by standard property damage liability and bodily injury liability?
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For that, you need full coverage. This is a type of car insurance cover that goes above and beyond the minimum state coverage limits and includes several additional options for maximum protection.
Your car insurance quotes will increase and may result in premiums that are three times higher than what you’re used to, but for many drivers, the pros outweigh the cons.
Minimum Coverage vs Full Coverage
Every state has a minimum requirement for car insurance. In most states, you’re required to have a specific amount of bodily injury coverage and property damage coverage, both of which will cover the other driver in the event of an accident. If you damage their vehicle, your property damage cover will pay out; if you hurt them, bodily injury cover will pay out.
If every motorist has this basic cover then everyone involved in an accident will be covered. However, what happens if you hit a tree or a wall? What happens if you hit a deer or roll your car after swerving for a dog or cat?
The animals aren’t insured, and the wall definitely isn’t.
This is where additional coverage comes in. With comprehensive coverage, collision coverage, personal injury protection, and underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage, you’ll be prepared for any eventuality, from weather damage to vandalism and accidents that don’t involve other vehicles.
If you have these additional options, then you have a full coverage car insurance policy.
What is Full Coverage Insurance?
Full coverage insurance typically includes all of the following:
- Liability Cover: A basic requirement in most states, liability insurance will cover the other driver’s losses in the event that you cause an accident.
- Collision Coverage: Pays for damage done to your vehicle in a crash. Will also cover you if you drive into a tree or a wall.
- Comprehensive Coverage: An additional option that will cover you for most damage not caused by a collision, including vandalism, animal collisions, and weather-related damage.
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: Although not required in all states, it is increasingly becoming essential as there are millions of uninsured drivers on the roads. If the other driver is not insured or doesn’t have enough insurance, this will cover the excess.
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP): Another option that isn’t always required, but one that can cover you for personal injuries when you are a driver or a passenger.
However, full coverage doesn’t actually cover everything. It won’t, for instance, offer replacement of custom parts or provide roadside assistance. For these options and others like them, you may need additional policies or coverage options.
State Average for Full Coverage Insurance
The cost of full cover differs from state to state, with insurance companies considering everything from the number of cars on the road to the rate of theft, vandalism, and car accidents. As is so often the case, you will pay less for full coverage auto insurance if you live in states like Maine and Vermont, and considerably more if you’re in Michigan.
To give you an idea of how much you will pay for a full coverage policy, take a look at these averages.
- Alabama – Average for Full Cover = $1,400; Average for Minimum Cover = $550
- Alaska – Average for Full Cover = $1,200; Average for Minimum Cover = $450
- Arizona – Average for Full Cover = $1,400; Average for Minimum Cover = $600
- Arkansas – Average for Full Cover = $1,450; Average for Minimum Cover = $550
- California – Average for Full Cover = $1,650; Average for Minimum Cover = $650
- Colorado – Average for Full Cover = $1,600; Average for Minimum Cover = $650
- Connecticut – Average for Full Cover = $1,700; Average for Minimum Cover = $850
- Delaware – Average for Full Cover = $1,550; Average for Minimum Cover = $850
- D.C. – Average for Full Cover = $1,550; Average for Minimum Cover = $750
- Florida – Average for Full Cover = $2,350; Average for Minimum Cover = $1,100
- Georgia – Average for Full Cover = $1,600; Average for Minimum Cover = $700
- Hawaii – Average for Full Cover = $1,200; Average for Minimum Cover = $500
- Idaho – Average for Full Cover = $950; Average for Minimum Cover = $350
- Illinois – Average for Full Cover = $1,150; Average for Minimum Cover = $450
- Indiana – Average for Full Cover = $1,000; Average for Minimum Cover = $400
- Iowa – Average for Full Cover = $1,000; Average for Minimum Cover = $300
- Kansas – Average for Full Cover = $1,300; Average for Minimum Cover = $450
- Kentucky – Average for Full Cover = $2,150; Average for Minimum Cover = $1,000
- Louisiana – Average for Full Cover = $3,000; Average for Minimum Cover = $1,150
- Maine – Average for Full Cover = $900; Average for Minimum Cover = $350
- Maryland – Average for Full Cover = $1,600; Average for Minimum Cover = $800
- Massachusetts – Average for Full Cover = $1,300; Average for Minimum Cover = $550
- Michigan – Average for Full Cover = $2,300; Average for Minimum Cover = $1,300
- Minnesota – Average for Full Cover = $1,300; Average for Minimum Cover = $550
- Mississippi – Average for Full Cover = $1,400; Average for Minimum Cover = $500
- Missouri – Average for Full Cover = $1,300; Average for Minimum Cover = $500
- Montana – Average for Full Cover = $1,250; Average for Minimum Cover = $400
- Nebraska – Average for Full Cover = $1,200; Average for Minimum Cover = $400
- Nevada – Average for Full Cover = $1,900; Average for Minimum Cover = $900
- New Hampshire – Average for Full Cover = $1,050; Average for Minimum Cover = $400
- New Jersey – Average for Full Cover = $1,800; Average for Minimum Cover = $1,000
- New Mexico – Average for Full Cover = $1,250; Average for Minimum Cover = $500
- New York – Average for Full Cover = $2,000; Average for Minimum Cover = $1,000
- North Carolina – Average for Full Cover = $1,100; Average for Minimum Cover = $400
- North Dakota – Average for Full Cover = $1,250; Average for Minimum Cover = $400
- Ohio – Average for Full Cover = $1,050; Average for Minimum Cover = $450
- Oklahoma – Average for Full Cover = $1,600; Average for Minimum Cover = $600
- Oregon – Average for Full Cover = $1,250; Average for Minimum Cover = $650
- Pennsylvania – Average for Full Cover = $1,150; Average for Minimum Cover = $400
- Rhode Island – Average for Full Cover = $1,700; Average for Minimum Cover = $800
- South Carolina – Average for Full Cover = $1,450; Average for Minimum Cover = $650
- South Dakota – Average for Full Cover = $1,200; Average for Minimum Cover = $300
- Tennessee – Average for Full Cover = $1,200; Average for Minimum Cover = $400
- Texas – Average for Full Cover = $1,500; Average for Minimum Cover = $650
- Utah – Average for Full Cover = $1,250; Average for Minimum Cover = $600
- Vermont – Average for Full Cover = $1,000; Average for Minimum Cover = $300
- Virginia – Average for Full Cover = $1,000; Average for Minimum Cover = $400
- Washington – Average for Full Cover = $1,250; Average for Minimum Cover = $650
- West Virginia – Average for Full Cover = $1,300; Average for Minimum Cover = $500
- Wisconsin – Average for Full Cover = $1,000; Average for Minimum Cover = $350
- Wyoming – Average for Full Cover = $1,200; Average for Minimum Cover = $350
Cheapest Full Coverage Insurance
One of the cheapest providers of full coverage insurance is USAA, but you’ll need to be a military member to secure those discounts. If not, look into the following providers, comparing and contrasting to find the one that works best for you based on your demographic, location, and driving record:
- GEICO
- Allstate
- State Farm
- Progressive
- Liberty Mutual
- Farmers
You should also look into car insurance discounts, which can significantly reduce car insurance rates across the board. Some of the best discounts include:
- Safety Equipment Discounts: Reductions are offered for front-and-side airbags, anti-lock brakes, and anti-theft features, including disabling devices and alarms.
- Good Driver Discounts: If you have a clean driving record, with very few accidents and violations, you’ll get some of the very best discounts.
- Good Grades Discounts: Student drivers who maintain a B average can get a notable reduction for most types of car insurance.
Bottom Line: Full and Comprehensive Insurance
You’re not legally required to pay for full coverage and in some cases, it’s not necessary. It all depends on what sort of car you drive and what type of driver you are. If, for instance, you have an old car that isn’t worth much and you don’t drive it a lot, full coverage is an expense you can probably avoid.
This is especially true if you have health insurance, because if anything happens to your car, you can just scrap it and if anything happens to you, you’ll be covered elsewhere. In such instances, you can also consider paying a higher deductible to decrease your premiums further.
However, if you have a new car that you can’t afford to scrap, you may want to consider purchasing additional auto insurance coverage to prevent any catastrophic financial losses following a serious car accident.
Source: pocketyourdollars.com