Comprehensive Car Insurance

Table of Contents

What is comprehensive car insurance?
What does fully comprehensive insurance cover?
What is the difference between comprehensive and third party insurance?
What additional cover can I get with fully comprehensive insurance?
How much is comprehensive car insurance?
Is third party insurance cheaper than comprehensive insurance?
How to get cheaper comprehensive car insurance
Comprehensive Car Insurance FAQs

Comprehensive car insurance provides cover for you, your car, and the vehicle and potential injuries of others, making it the most complete level of protection you can get. Because of this, it is also sometimes called fully comprehensive car insurance, or fully comp, for short.

Read on to learn more about comprehensive car insurance, including everything it covers, how much it costs, and whether it may be right for you.

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What is comprehensive car insurance?

Fully comprehensive insurance offers protection against damage to your own car, and the vehicles of others, even if an accident is your fault. It can also help cover the cost of any medical bills if you, your passengers, or others are injured in an incident, as well as legal claims that may arise. Comprehensive car insurance also provides cover if your car is stolen, or damaged or lost as a result of fire or vandalism.

What does fully comprehensive insurance cover?

Generally, fully comprehensive insurance:

Will cover	Won’t cover
Repairs to your car after an accident	Accidents if someone not named on your policy is driving your car
Injury to yourself	You driving someone else’s car
Repairs to someone else’s vehicle	Repairs for normal wear and tear
Injury to other drivers and their passengers	Accidents if you’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Injuries to your passengers	Accidents if you don’t have a driving licence
Injuries to other third parties	Your car being stolen if it’s left unlocked
Accidental damage to your car
Fire damage to your vehicle
Your car being stolen or vandalised
Legal costs arising from claims
Damage to someone else’s property
Injury to animals

Can I drive any car with comprehensive insurance?

It’s sensible to assume you’re not insured to drive another car unless you’re a named driver on the owner’s car insurance policy. If you have your own comprehensive insurance cover which does allow you to drive any car, it’s possible that you’ll only be covered on a third party basis and in certain circumstances if you have an accident. Always check the terms and conditions of your cover first.

Does comprehensive car insurance cover engine failure?

Comprehensive insurance should cover engine failure if it’s the result of an accident or a fire. However, if the problem is due to wear and tear, and an older car, it’s unlikely to be covered.

Does comprehensive insurance cover rental cars?

A standard comprehensive insurance policy won’t usually provide cover if you’re driving a rental car. You’ll need to buy specialist rental car insurance to be protected.

What is the difference between comprehensive and third party insurance?

The main difference is that comprehensive car insurance can pay out to cover the cost of any damage to your own car or your medical bills, whereas third party only insurance won’t.

So if you have third party cover and are at fault in an accident, your insurer covers the cost of repairing other people’s vehicle or property, and their medical costs, but not yours. Fully comprehensive insurance, on the other hand, covers your own car and injuries, as well as the vehicle and injuries of others.

Comprehensive car insurance also includes protection against your car being stolen, vandalised or damaged by fire. These can be covered by a third party policy, but only if you upgrade to third party, fire and theft insurance.

» MORE: Third party car insurance explained

	Comprehensive	Third party, fire & theft	Third party
Damage to your car and costs related to your injuries	Yes	No	No
Theft of your car and fire damage	Yes	Yes	No
Injury to others and damage to their car or property	Yes	Yes	Yes

What additional cover can I get with fully comprehensive insurance?

The exact protection you get from a fully comprehensive insurance policy can differ between insurers and policies. Some fully comp policies may offer certain elements of cover as standard, while others may offer that cover as an optional add-on, costing extra.

It’s vital to check carefully what your policy does and doesn’t cover, and think carefully whether paying for extras, such as the following, may be worthwhile, if they’re not included in your policy already.

Comprehensive car insurance add-ons

Motor legal protection: Protects against legal costs if you’re involved in an accident that’s not your fault. Often called legal expenses cover.
Personal accident cover: Pays compensation if you’re injured in an accident or pays out to your loved ones if you die.
Windscreen cover: Covers the cost of fixing or replacing your windscreen if it’s chipped, cracked or shattered.
Personal belongings cover: Protects your possessions in case they are stolen or damaged while in your car.
European cover: Extends your cover to driving in Europe, instead of just the UK.
Key cover: Pays out to replace your car keys if they’re lost or stolen.
Courtesy car cover: Provides use of a different car while yours is being repaired.
Misfuelling cover: Covers mistakes you may make when refuelling.
No-claims discount protection: Allows you to make a claim on your policy without losing your discount.
Excess cover: Allows you to claim back the excess you pay when making a claim.
Breakdown cover: Provides assistance if your car lets you down.

How much is comprehensive car insurance?

The average cost of comprehensive car insurance in the third quarter of 2024 was £612, according to the Association of British Insurers.

However, you could pay less or more. How much car insurance costs you mainly depends on your car, your circumstances and how likely an insurer thinks it is you’ll make a claim.

» MORE: Why is car insurance so expensive?

Is third party insurance cheaper than comprehensive insurance?

It is easy to assume that comprehensive insurance will cost more, due to it providing a more complete level of cover. However, fully comp insurance will often work out cheaper than a third party policy. This is mainly because data shows that drivers with comprehensive insurance tend to make fewer claims than drivers with other types of cover, allowing insurers the opportunity to charge less for fully comprehensive cover.

» MORE: Compare car insurance

How to get cheaper comprehensive car insurance

Even though comprehensive car insurance is often the cheapest type of cover available, you may be able to lower the cost further if you:

Increase your excess: The more you’re willing to pay yourself as an excess on a claim, the cheaper your insurance is likely to be. Just make sure you’re able to afford it, if you do have to make a claim.
Look after your NCD: If you have several years of no-claims discount (NCD) which is lowering your premium, it may pay to think carefully if you’re considering a fairly minor, low-cost claim.
Pay annually: Paying your premium upfront and in full instead of monthly is usually cheaper overall.
Shop around: Whether you’re renewing your cover or buying it for the first time, always make sure you compare car insurance quotes.
Switch cars: Older, less powerful and less valuable cars are usually cheaper to insure than newer more expensive models.
Lower your mileage: The less time you spend on the road, the cheaper your premiums are likely to be.
Up your security: Installing an immobiliser or security alarm reduces the chance of your vehicle being stolen.
Name a second driver: If you’re a relatively new driver, adding someone to your policy who has more driving experience, such as a parent, could reduce your premiums.

» MORE: 17 tips on how to get cheap car insurance

Fully comp is short for fully comprehensive insurance, which is the highest level of car insurance you can get.

Several factors will influence how much you pay for comprehensive car insurance. Some of the most important are:

Your driving history.
Your age.
Where you live.
The car you drive.
The excess you choose.

Comprehensive car insurance automatically provides cover in case your car is stolen. However, be aware insurers may not pay out if the theft is in part your fault, perhaps because you’ve left your car unlocked, or unattended with the engine running.

There may be some fully comprehensive insurance policies which include breakdown cover as standard, but usually it is offered as an optional extra at an additional cost.

Fully comprehensive car insurance is always worth considering because it can be cheaper than third party insurance while also offering a greater level of cover. Crucially, if fully comp is coming out more expensive for you, and you’re considering third party cover instead, be aware of the things a third party policy doesn’t cover in comparison.

Comprehensive plus car insurance is an option offered by some insurers which is effectively fully comprehensive cover enhanced by higher cover limits and the addition of extra cover options as standard.

Comprehensive car insurance can be cheaper than third party insurance because drivers with comprehensive cover tend to make fewer claims compared with those with third party cover. Given the lower risk of payout, insurers can be willing to offer lower premiums on comprehensive cover.

You can expect standard comprehensive car insurance to provide cover if you’re simply using your car to get to and from work. However, if driving is a major part of your job, perhaps because you’re a taxi driver, a courier, or regularly visit a lot of places in one day, you may need more specialist business car insurance.

Comprehensive car insurance provides cover if third parties are injured, or their vehicle damaged, in an accident you’re involved in.

You can switch from third party cover to comprehensive insurance when your existing policy is at an end and it’s time to renew. Alternatively, you may be able to cancel your current policy early and replace it with a new fully comp policy, though fees may apply.

Yes, you can get fully comprehensive car insurance for classic cars.

Image source: Getty Images

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