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Should I Get Collision or Comprehensive Auto Insurance in San Francisco, CA?
Collision insurance covers situations in which your car is hit or hits somebody or something else. Anything can cause damage, from another oncoming car, to a parked car, public property, or a street sign. Comprehensive coverage protects you against all non-driving relates damages, such as the weather, auto theft or intentional vandalism. Even damage that takes place at the paws of an animal can be paid for under comprehensive auto insurance!
Remember that collision auto insurance pays for damage done to your car. Have you read discussions of collision auto insurance online and how it applies to vehicle damage and liability? This is an indirect application. Liability coverage is what protects you financially against other motorists. This is listed under property coverage for liability insurance, and will usually be insured up to a specific amount. (For example, the legal state minimum might be $25,000) Now after that maximum coverage is reached, the driver is responsible for further damages. What if he can't pay anything besides his insurance? Then it's up to the car owner to take the offending motorist to court (which may wind up costing more than the damage itself) or to cover the remaining expenses on his own.
If the innocent driver has collision and comprehensive coverage, then his insurance company will pay the expenses, regardless of whose fault it was. Or, if the driver does not want to pay extra for full coverage on his own terms, he can purchase underinsured motorist coverage, which protects him in the situation of the other driver having no insurance or having only the state-required amount of insurance coverage.
As you can see, collision and comprehensive coverage can serve as a protection for you. If you have a new model car, then this type of insurance is irreplaceable. However, make sure that the market value of the car is not lower than the combined balance of the monthly premiums! Keep these points in mind when considering whether or not to order comprehensive coverage.
