What Comprehensive Car Insurance Covers in Texas
Comprehensive car insurance covers non-collision damages, such as damages from severe weather, vandalism, and theft.
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Written byNick Dauk
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6+ years writing about insurance, travel, and personal finances
Contributor to brands like Credible
In addition to insurance, Nick specializes in writing about business, entrepreneurship, personal finance, and travel. He’s been featured in myriad web publications, including Fox Business.
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Edited bySarah Archambault
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Experienced personal finance writer
Background working with banks and insurance companies
Sarah enjoys helping people find smarter ways to spend their money. She covers auto financing, banking, credit cards, credit health, insurance, and personal loans.
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Updated September 3, 2024
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Table of contents
In Texas, 85% of wildfires occur within two miles of a community. And many Texans live in high-risk flood zones, like “Flash Flood Alley.”[1] [2] State law only requires Texas drivers to carry liability insurance, but this doesn’t protect against damage from many types of non-collision accidents Texans may face, like fire damage or flash floods.
Drivers in the Lone Star State can choose to add comprehensive auto insurance, which is typically part of a full-coverage policy, for added financial protection. Comprehensive policies typically pay for these damages, as well as other losses unrelated to collisions, like hailstorms, animal damage, theft, and vandalism.
Here’s what drivers need to know about comprehensive insurance in Texas.
What is comprehensive insurance?
Most car insurance companies offer two types of basic coverage: liability coverage and full coverage.
Liability coverage protects other drivers by paying for their medical bills, related medical expenses, car repairs, and property damage when you’re at fault in an accident.
Full-coverage insurance typically includes comprehensive and collision coverage. Collision covers your damages when you’re at fault for hitting another vehicle, object, or piece of property. Comprehensive coverage protects your car against non-collision events, like severe weather damage or theft. Full-coverage insurance pays for certain damages to your car, whether or not you’re at fault.
Texas state law doesn’t require comprehensive coverage. But lenders may require it if you lease or finance your vehicle. Comprehensive coverage is considered affordable but tends to be more expensive than a liability-only policy.
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What does comprehensive insurance cover in Texas?
Comprehensive insurance protects your vehicle against non-collision events, like natural disasters and break-ins. While covered events vary by insurer, most policies typically cover:[3]
Fire damage
Damage from natural disasters, like floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes
Falling object damage
Earthquake damage
Riots and vandalism
Damage from hitting an animal
Vehicle theft or stolen car parts
Windshield or glass damage from rocks or other objects
Texas residents face high rates of car theft and natural disasters — including increases in seismic activity, wildfires, and flooding — making comprehensive coverage a good option if you want to protect yourself financially.
What does comprehensive coverage exclude?
Knowing what comprehensive doesn’t cover is just as important as understanding its coverage limits. Keep in mind that comprehensive coverage only pays for damage to your vehicle from covered perils.
It doesn’t offer any liability coverage or cover medical payments. And it won’t cover damages that result from certain types of incidents, including the following:[4]
Collisions with other vehicles or objects
Pothole damage
Hitting an object after swerving to avoid an animal
Vehicle wear and tear, like brakes, belts, or tires
Intentional damage to your vehicle
Medical expenses or pain and suffering in the case of a fatal accident
Other types of policies can cover these types of damages, such as liability insurance and collision insurance.
Comprehensive vs. collision coverage
Most full-coverage policies contain both comprehensive and collision coverage. Together with liability coverage, they provide “full” protection for damages to your vehicle and damages to another person or piece of property when you’re at fault.
Collision and comprehensive are paired together for a reason: They complement each other. Unlike liability coverage, collision and comprehensive coverage include deductibles.
Collision insurance pays for repairs or replacements of your car after a collision. Comprehensive pays for repairs or replacements of your car from non-collision damage.
For instance, collision pays for damages to your vehicle when you hit a tree or deer. But comprehensive covers damages when a tree falls on your car or a deer damages your parked or stopped vehicle.
Cost of comprehensive car insurance in Texas
In Texas, the average cost of comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible is around $192 per year, or $16 per month, added to your liability insurance cost. Drivers that choose a $2,000 deductible pay even less, averaging $72 per year, or $6 per month.
Compare the cost of liability-only coverage to the average monthly quote for full-coverage policies with comprehensive coverage below.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Sunday, September 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Full Coverage (with Comprehensive) ▲▼ | Liability Only (Without Comprehensive) ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $67 | $37 |
| GEICO | $73 | $40 |
| Allstate | $94 | $52 |
| Mile Auto | $115 | $55 |
| USAA | $119 | $66 |
| Mercury | $146 | $86 |
| Clearcover | $158 | $113 |
| Nationwide | $165 | $83 |
| Progressive | $174 | $99 |
| Safeco | $179 | $95 |
| Chubb | $203 | $112 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $229 | $170 |
| Elephant | $232 | $137 |
| 21st Century | $234 | $129 |
| National General | $254 | $121 |
| Direct Auto | $258 | $132 |
| Dairyland | $274 | $105 |
| The General | $293 | $133 |
| Bristol West | $301 | $140 |
| Infinity | $308 | $190 |
| Liberty Mutual | $309 | $167 |
| State Auto | $350 | $196 |
| GAINSCO | $351 | $163 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $372 | $136 |
| Foremost | $473 | $224 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Should you buy comprehensive coverage?
If you finance or lease a car, the lender will almost always require comprehensive and collision coverage until you pay the car loan in full. But if you own your vehicle, you can carry just the state’s minimum liability coverage: $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage per accident.[5]
Buying comprehensive insurance can benefit many drivers by offering greater financial protection. This coverage offers protection if you incur environmental or animal damage driving in places like Big Bend National Park or Padre Island National Seashore.
Comprehensive insurance can also help protect your finances when parking your vehicle overnight in cities with high instances of car theft, like Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio.
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How to file a comprehensive car insurance claim in Texas
If a non-collision event has damaged your car, file a comprehensive car insurance claim in Texas with these steps:[6]
Prioritize safety. Your safety is more important than the condition of your vehicle. During events like severe weather or natural disasters, wait to assess your car’s damage until it’s safe to do so.
Call your insurance company. Call your insurance agent or car insurance company immediately and notify them of the situation. Ask what information is needed, including the extent of photographs or videos, and confirm your coverage limits and deductibles.
Gather information. Take photos or videos of the damage and the area. Consider calling a police officer to further document the situation.
File a claim as soon as possible. Many insurance companies allow you to upload photos and file a claim directly from your smartphone, or you can contact your agent for assistance.
Get a repair estimate. Take your car to a mechanic or body shop to get an estimate on repair costs. If the repairs exceed the estimate, notify your insurance company.
Comprehensive insurance in Texas FAQs
Comprehensive car insurance is optional coverage in Texas, but it can offer you more financial protection. This additional information can help you determine if it’s a good idea for your car insurance policy.
Is comprehensive coverage required in Texas?
No. Texas law doesn’t require drivers to carry comprehensive insurance coverage. The only legal requirement is a minimum-liability insurance policy of 30/60/25.
What does a comprehensive policy cover?
A comprehensive policy, which is separate from a collision policy, covers theft and damages caused by flood, fire, vandalism, or something other than a collision.
How do you know if you have full-coverage car insurance?
Confirm whether you have full-coverage car insurance by either reading your auto policy or contacting your insurance agent and asking them to detail which exact coverage limits your policy includes.
What are good car insurance coverage amounts in Texas?
Liability insurance of 30/60/25 is the minimum coverage required, but the Texas Department of Insurance encourages Texas drivers to increase these amounts and consider other coverages for injuries or damages exceeding these limits.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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Sources
- Texas A&M Forest Service. "Wildfires & Disasters."
- Federal Emergency Management Agency. "All Texans are at risk for floods."
- Insurance Information Institute. "What is covered by collision and comprehensive auto insurance?."
- Insurance Information Institute. "What is covered by a basic auto insurance policy?."
- Texas Department of Insurance. "Auto insurance guide."
- Texas Department of Insurance. "Were you in a wreck? Tips for auto insurance claims."
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Nick Dauk
Nick Dauk is a freelance writer specializing in business, entrepreneurship, personal finance, and travel. His work has been featured in Fox Business, BBC, The Edge, Business Insider, and Bisnow. Nick is a first-generation college graduate, having majored in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Central Florida. His eclectic coursework, combined with previous managerial roles in the retail and broadcast television industries, have helped him develop an interdisciplinary approach to writing.
For nearly a decade, Nick has created content for mom-and-pop businesses and global corporations. As a travel writer, his global adventures have also been featured on Inside Hook, Houston Chronicle, Culture Trip, and Matador. When he's not traveling, Nick can be found in Orlando spending time with his wife and toddler.
Edited bySarah Archambault
Experienced personal finance writer
Background working with banks and insurance companies
Sarah enjoys helping people find smarter ways to spend their money. She covers auto financing, banking, credit cards, credit health, insurance, and personal loans.
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