All About State Farm Comprehensive Coverage
Do you need State Farm’s comprehensive car insurance? Use this guide to find out (and to get a lower rate!).
Written by R.E. Fulton
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Comprehensive coverage, which covers damage to your vehicle from theft, bad weather, or falling objects, isn’t mandatory in any state. But it’s a requirement from most lenders along with collision insurance—and you could add it to your State Farm car insurance policy for as little as $15 per month.
One of the hardest parts of shopping for
car insurance
is figuring out how much insurance coverage you actually need. Comprehensive coverage
is an important coverage option for most drivers, especially if your vehicle is leased or financed or if you want to avoid steep out-of-pocket repair costs for losses that are out of your control.The State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company has excellent financial strength and customer satisfaction ratings—but how good is State Farm’s comprehensive coverage, and who needs it? In this guide, we’ll go over what State Farm comprehensive insurance includes, what it won’t cover, and how you can add it to your policy.
State Farm auto insurance comprehensive coverage: the basics
Comprehensive coverage is a type of physical damage insurance that covers damage to your vehicle caused by something other than a collision. State Farm’s comprehensive coverage will cover up to the
actual cash value
of the affected vehicle, minus any deductible. What’s included
With State Farm comprehensive coverage, you’ll be able to file an insurance claim if your vehicle is damaged by any of the following perils:
- Fire, lightning, earthquake, windstorm, and hail
- Falling objects (e.g. trees or falling rocks)
- Water or flood
- Colliding with animal
- Missiles, falling objects, and explosion
- Theft, larceny, malicious mischief, vandalism, riot, and civil commotion
This extensive list isn’t all-inclusive. Comprehensive coverage will cover any loss that is not considered a collision as long as it isn’t excluded. In addition, State Farm’s comprehensive insurance covers glass damage caused by something other than an accident. In select states, full glass coverage (glass repair or replacement with zero deductible) is an available option.
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What’s excluded
Despite the name, “comprehensive” coverage doesn’t cover everything. You can’t submit a comprehensive insurance claim for:
- Damage caused by any kind of collision or rollover accident
- Medical expenses for you or other drivers
- Loss due to war or radioactivity
- Loss arising out of business use
- Damage caused by wear and tear, freezing, mechanical or electrical breakdown or failure unless it is a result of theft
- Damage while the vehicle is impounded by government authorities
- Intentional acts by the insured
Do you need comprehensive car insurance?
You may not be required to buy comprehensive insurance, but it’s always a good idea if you can afford it.
No state requires drivers to carry comprehensive insurance—but lenders do. If you have a
car loan
, you’ll likely need to keep comprehensive coverage on your vehicle insurance until you’ve paid the loan off. That’s because, unlike basic liability insurance
, comprehensive insurance protects your vehicle. Not only does it make it easier for you to afford repairs, it also protects your lender’s assets.The only drawback: adding comprehensive coverage to your policy will raise your car insurance rates. Typically, comprehensive coverage is one of the cheapest coverage on your car insurance policy. If you’re trying to keep your insurance costs low, talk to your agent and get quotes with different deductible options before deciding that the added expense isn’t worth the financial security.
How much does it cost to add comprehensive coverage to your State Farm policy?
State Farm doesn’t make the cost of their comprehensive insurance products public, but the average cost to add comprehensive coverage to any car insurance policy is about $171 per year, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). That means you could theoretically pay as little as $15 per month or less for comprehensive coverage.
But drivers who buy comprehensive coverage almost always buy
collision coverage
as well, which means an extra premium increase. State Farm customers pay an average of $3,514 per year, or $292 per month, for a policy that includes comprehensive and collision insurance on top of state minimum liability coverage.Keep in mind that comprehensive coverage can be carried on your insurance policy as a stand-alone coverage, you do not need to keep collision coverage in order to have it. For drivers with older vehicles, removing collision coverage and keeping comprehensive coverage is a smart way to protect their pocketbook while keeping some protection on their car.
Your driver profile can also impact the cost of comprehensive insurance. If you live in an area with severe weather, a high crime rate, or drive for a rideshare company like Uber or Lyft, you can expect to see higher average rates.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversWhat is State Farm’s comprehensive deductible?
Unlike liability coverage, comprehensive insurance comes with a deductible—a set amount you’re required to pay before your insurance company settles the remainder of a claim. State Farm policyholders typically have comprehensive deductibles between $100 and $1,000, with $500 being one of the most common amounts. In states that allow it, some policyholders have a separate zero dollar glass deductible. Picking a higher deductible will lower the cost of your coverage.
Comprehensive vs. full coverage: which do you need?
Though they sound similar, comprehensive coverage and full coverage aren’t the same thing. In fact, “full coverage” doesn’t have a rigid meaning—but it typically refers to the combination of comprehensive coverage, collision coverage, and state-mandated coverage such as
property damage
and bodily injury liability insurance
, uninsured motorist coverage
, and medical payments coverage (MedPay)
.Lenders often require drivers to carry full-coverage insurance for the duration of the loan or lease. Full coverage is also a requirement for certain other insurance add-ons, such as
rental car reimbursement coverage
, roadside assistance
, and travel expenses coverage.If you’re thinking of adding comprehensive or full coverage to your State Farm policy, you can call (800) 782-8332 to speak to a State Farm agent. But it’s also worth comparing insurance quotes from at least three to five car insurance companies to find the best rate for you.
GEICO
, Allstate
, Nationwide
, and Progressive
all offer competitive rates on comprehensive auto insurance coverage."As a young person who owns a sports car and a high-end sedan, I couldn’t find quotes below a certain threshold. By usingJerry, I managed to find full comprehensive coverage on both vehicles and saved $150 a month!” —Channing Y.
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FAQs
Does using comprehensive insurance raise your rates with State Farm?
Possibly. The cost of your car insurance coverage can go up if you make several comprehensive claims in a short timeframe, so be sure to evaluate your potential out-of-pocket repair costs versus the cost of a higher premium. However, insurance providers do not look at comprehensive losses the same way they do collision claims or at fault accidents. The average increase to a policy after a comprehensive loss, if there is one at all, is around $6.
What other coverage might you need in addition to comprehensive?
Comprehensive coverage is exactly what you need if a tree falls on your car or you hit a deer. But you also need liability insurance to cover other drivers’ costs in an at-fault accident, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to protect against costs from a crash with an uninsured driver, and medical payments coverage or personal injury protection to help cover your medical expenses after an accident. Always make sure your auto insurance policy meets the minimum coverage limits set by your state.
How can I lower my State Farm auto insurance premiums?
Like most auto insurance companies, State Farm offers a range of insurance discounts that can lower your premiums. Depending on your profile and coverage needs, you could save by downloading the Drive Safe & Save mobile app, qualifying for an accident-free discount, or bundling your auto insurance coverage with a home insurance or renters insurance policy from State Farm. Teen drivers can earn discounted rates through the Steer Clear driver training program.
