Purpose

• Both collision and comprehensive insurance pay for damage to a car if it is involved in an accident. Either or both types of coverage may be part of the overall policy.
  
  

Collision

• As its name implies, collision insurance pays for costs if the car collides with another car, or another object, or if it flips over. If the loss is not collision-related, there is no coverage.
  
  

Comprehensive

• Comprehensive coverage applies to costs for vehicle damage not related to collision with another car. Comprehensive perils include fire, falling objects, missiles, explosions, earthquakes, windstorms, hail, floods, vandalism, a riot or contact with animals, such as birds or deer, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
  
  

Features

• Collision and comprehensive coverage can come with deductibles. A deductible is the dollar amount an insured will have to pay out of pocket before the policy will pay a claim. In general, higher deductibles lower the policy's overall cost. When applying for coverage, consider whether deductibles make sense, particularly in terms of your car's value.
  
  

Considerations

• State commissioners of insurance are responsible for establishing basic policy provisions for auto insurance. The availability of comprehensive or collision coverage in a state may vary accordingly.