April 29, 2021 | Car insurance,

What is Comprehensive Car Insurance?

Comprehensive car insurance offers full financial protection. It means that your insurance provider will pay out in almost all cases.

Comprehensive insurance covers:

  • Damage to your car
  • Damage to someone else’s car
  • Fire and Theft
  • Personal injury
  • Third-party injury

The other two types of car insurance are third-party-only (TPO) and third-party, fire and theft (TPFT). TPO only covers damage to the other vehicles and other people whilst TPFT covers damage to other cars, fire damage to the car, and replacing your car if stolen.

Comprehensive car insurance covers all of this and more, making it the highest level of insurance cover that you can get.

With comprehensive car insurance, if you’re involved in an accident or your car is stolen, you can make a claim and your insurer will cover the cost of a repair or replacement. If an accident involves another driver, your insurer will also cover the compensation to the other person if necessary.

What is covered in fully comprehensive car insurance?

While most comprehensive car insurance policies will offer similar amounts of cover, insurers might ask you to pay an additional cost in some situations. You should always check the policy agreement to avoid any unwanted surprises in the case of something going wrong. However, your policy should include:

 

  • Repair for your windscreen
  • A courtesy car if yours is being fixed/replaced
  • Protection against injuries caused to other people if in an accident
  • Replacement if your car is stolen
  • Repair if your car is vandalised
  • Protection against any accidental damage as a result of negligence
  • Repair or replace if your car is damaged by a fire

Again, it’s always worth explicitly checking what cover your insurer offers. For the most part, your insurer won’t offer protection against:

 

  • Driving without a licence
  • Driving while under the influence
  • Most insurance companies will provide a list of guidelines to adhere to, violation of these guidelines will invalidate your claim
  • Damage from filling up your car with the incorrect fuel
  • Your car or belongings inside the car being stolen as a result of poor security, such as leaving the doors unlocked
  • Damage from general wear and tear

 

Fully comprehensive car insurance is the highest level of cover that’s available. However, these instances demonstrate that there are still exclusions that will not be covered by your car insurance.

 

Do I need to get comprehensive car insurance?

To drive on Irish roads, car insurance is required by law. So, while car insurance is needed full stop, drivers don’t necessarily need comprehensive car insurance. However, many people feel more comfortable knowing they are covered in almost all situations.

Many comprehensive car insurance policies have attractive benefits as a standard that aren’t offered with TPO or TPFT insurance. Just some of the potential benefits that you could be missing out on are:

  • If your car is damaged beyond repair and isn’t safe to use, your policy will cover the cost of a replacement
  • If your car is damaged but can be repaired, the cost of a repair will be covered
  • Windscreen repair

Is comprehensive car insurance the best choice for me?

Comprehensive car insurance can be a good option for your peace of mind. It can prevent additional stress and/or cost that inevitably accompanies a car accident.

If you only have third-party or third-party, fire and theft insurance, you will have to pay for the repairs or replacement of your car. Yes, it’s reassuring to know that the damage to the other vehicle will be covered, but it’d also be highly beneficial to you and your bank account if your car is protected too.

It’s worth looking at the different types of cover available to you, by talking to one of our expert team you can compare car insurance types and select the option that is best for you.

 

car bonnet open

Is comprehensive car insurance expensive?

It’s a common misconception that the highest level of cover must be the most expensive car insurance policy.

Many people opt for TPO and TPFT because they think it’s the cheaper option. Therefore, a lot of higher risk drivers choose TPO and TPFT policies. This has had an effect on car insurance statistics, as more claims are being made among those policies. Because of this, some TPO and TPFT car insurance policies are more expensive than comprehensive cover because of the increased perceived risk. It’s worth shopping around and assessing the different levels of cover available.

At first, some fully comprehensive car insurance quotes might seem expensive. It’s useful to bear in mind that with this type of car insurance, nearly all your bases are covered and it could save you a lot of money in the long run. Most drivers are confident that they won’t get into an accident or write off their car, but you simply never know.

 

Your car insurance

Car insurance is a personal choice. At Campion Insurance, our goal is to find you the best car insurance in Ireland whilst offering a personalised service. Many of our insurers offer comprehensive car insurance as it’s a good option for those that value their peace of mind and want to be covered on all bases. However, we’ll help you work out which policy is right for your vehicle and your lifestyle.

Our customers remain at the very heart of our business and we always strive to find the best possible insurance for the people we work with. Our customer retention levels remain consistently high, demonstrating the excellent level of service that we provide. If you’re interested in comprehensive car insurance, or any of the policies mentioned, then please consider filling out our quick and easy form to get a free car insurance quote.

 

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