Comprehensive car insurance

What is comprehensive car insurance?

Comprehensive car insurance is the highest level of cover you can buy from us. In an accident, a third party policy covers the other person's car and property but not your own, while fire and theft protects your car if it's stolen or damaged by fire. Comprehensive cover, on the other hand, provides the same level of protection for you, your car and property as the third party's if you were to have an accident.

Do I need comprehensive car insurance?

Third party insurance is what you legally must have in place to drive on public roads, but it's your choice whether or not to boost cover with a comprehensive policy. Many people pick this type of policy because it offers them and their cars an extent of greater protection.

Under a comprehensive policy, not only are you and your car covered, but you can claim for incidents you're unable to prove, such as if a driver were to hit you and speed off. You can also claim for an accident where you're found to be at fault – something you can't do with a third party only or third party, fire and theft policy.

Is comprehensive insurance cheaper?

Some drivers don't even bother to get a comprehensive insurance quote because they think it will be far more expensive than third party insurance. After all, they assume it offers drivers the highest level of protection, so it would naturally be dearer.

However, if you fill out a quote for comprehensive car insurance, you might be pleasantly surprised by the result. This is because less-experienced drivers tend to opt for third party policies in a bid to keep costs low, but they're also more likely to be involved in accidents. Insurers have had to balance this risk by charging higher prices, which has pushed up the cost of the average third party premium.

Can you drive any car if you have comprehensive cover?

Comprehensive cover is sometimes known as 'drive any car insurance.' Yet, contrary to popular belief, having comprehensive insurance does not entitle you to get behind the wheel of any other car, even if you're over the age of 25.

The terms and conditions vary between insurers, so it's vital you check your entitlements before driving another car. If you've got a policy with Hastings Direct, you can find out this information under section 5 of your motor insurance certificate.

If you've looked at the terms and have cover to drive another person's car with permission, you'll only be covered by third party insurance. So, if you have an accident while driving their car, you could be left with a hefty repair bill.

Do you have to pay excess towards a third party claim?

If someone files a claim against you after an accident, your insurance provider will cover the excess. If it's a personal claim, however, then you'll need to contribute the excess agreed when you took out the policy.

While it might be tempting to set your excess high when taking out insurance in order to get a better deal, it's important the figure is a realistic one – in other words, you need to be sure you'll have that amount of money to pay in the event of a personal claim.

Is it worth getting comprehensive car insurance?

If comprehensive policies are coming out slightly more expensive than third party ones when comparing quotes, don't forget you're paying potentially a little more money for a lot more protection.

Also, the initial cost of a comprehensive policy might be higher, but it'll be nothing compared to what you'd have to pay under third party insurance if your car needed to be repaired or replaced following an accident where you're at fault.

For many drivers, it's a no-brainer – they'd rather be fully protected when they're out on the road than half-protected.