Comprehensive Car Insurance

Comprehensive car insurance, as is appropriately named, provides the policyholder with comprehensive, ‘all risks’ insurance cover for your car. In its simplest terms it means that you are able to claim for any damage caused to your car, apart from those exclusions you agreed with your insurance company. Exclusions vary dependent on the insurer but may include items like legal fees, breakdown cover, windscreen damage, and medical fees.

Despite exclusions, a comprehensive car insurance policy still means just that! You may be aware that you can claim for the damage caused by an accident to your vehicle, but did you know it is also possible to make a claim for more minor damage that can happen to your vehicle? For example, if your car is parked and another driver drove past and knocked off your wing mirror, you would be able to make an insurance claim, even if the other car driver did not leave their details. However, if you do decide to make such a claim, check the minimum excess payment required, and the effect the claim will have on your car insurance premium. For minor damage it is usually cheaper to pay for it yourself.

Excess must be paid no matter what damage occurs to your car, or for whatever reason the insurance claim. You have to pay it because you have entered into a legal contract where you have agreed to pay the initial amount of any claim. If you were not at fault though, you can claim it back from the other party’s car insurance company.

In addition to all this, there is the windscreen extension. Whilst some third party fire and theft policies will allow you to add this on in return for an extra premium, comprehensive car insurance has this included. Your company will have a deal with a specialist glass firm, and assuming you go there, you will pay only the excess, which is normally less than the excess on other damage in your policy (usually about £50).