Liability vs. Comprehensive Insurance

Liability Vs. Comprehensive Insurance – What’s The Difference?

Having your vehicle properly insured is crucial for any driver.   Not only is it the law, but in the event you are involved in an accident, it can save you and others from mountains of debt.  When shopping around for car insurance, you’re likely to run into two main types:  liability and comprehensive. Liability car insurance gives you the minimum amount of coverage required by law, while comprehensive car insurance provides you more coverage to pay for costs incurred by you and others.  The first option will result in lower monthly payments, but the second option may save you thousands of dollars or more when or if the time arises that you need to use it.

Liability Car Insurance

 What does liability insurance actually cover?  Liability insurance simply means coverage for any injuries or damages that may happen to others in an accident, and protects you from having to pay those bills out of pocket. You may find yourself on the hook for costs to more than one injured party, or damages to multiple properties, such as a car and a building.  Bodily injury costs can include trips to the emergency room, follow up visits to a doctor, and rehabilitation therapy. You may even be hit with the cost of the other party’s lost income due to the accident.   

 Liability car insurance does not cover any damages or injuries that happen to you. This means that if you need to fix your car, see a doctor or go to the emergency room, you will need to find another way to cover those costs.  

With liability insurance, the only help you might receive in covering your costs is the amount of liability insurance the other driver carries, but only if they are determined to be at fault, and only to the amount of fault for which they are held responsible. This is why liability coverage tends to come at a lower monthly cost, and it’s important to keep these factors in mind when choosing your coverage.

Comprehensive Car Insurance

Comprehensive insurance covers costs incurred by you and other drivers, regardless of who may be at fault.  With comprehensive insurance you are covered for more expenses, and for a greater amount of money.  Comprehensive insurance is also beneficial in the event the other driver is under or uninsured.  While this means a higher monthly cost, it can supply more peace of mind in the event you need to file a claim.   While liability-only insurance tends to come at a lower monthly cost, comprehensive coverage can come in handy if there are high costs involved in a filed claim by helping to pay bills that come as a result of damage to your property, or if you need to see a doctor or go to the emergency room.  Comprehensive coverage can even pay for things such as a rental car for you to use while your car is in the shop, or to compensate you for your own loss of income due to your circumstances.

When it comes to determining coverage, don’t try to go it alone.  Contact one of our knowledgeable experts today in order to make sure you know all the options that are available for you, and to ensure you get the right coverage.