What is collision coverage?

Collision coverage helps pay to fix or replace a car that's been damaged in a collision with another vehicle, object, or a rollover.

What does collision insurance cover?

Collision coverage may extend beyond your own vehicle, regardless of who causes the accident. It includes:

  • Temporary substitute cars
  • Newly-acquired cars
  • Cars you're using that aren't owned by anyone in your household or your employer

It provides coverage to your vehicle if it:

  • Collides with another car
  • Crashes into an object
  • Rolls over

Contact a State Farm® agent

What doesn’t collision insurance cover?

Damage from sources like these aren't covered by collision insurance:

  • Injuries to other people or damage to others’ property
  • Weather conditions such as wind damage from hurricanes, flood, hail, and falling objects
  • Total or partial car theft and vandalism
  • Hitting or being hit by an animal
  • Fires and explosions
  • Violence from civil unrest or riots

To insure against dangers like these, choose comprehensive coverage.

Coverage in action

Let’s say you accidentally hit a lamp post or tree while driving at night. Collision would cover the repairs to your car.

Collision insurance vs. comprehensive insurance

What’s the difference between the two coverages?

Collision
Comprehensive

Collision or vehicle rollover

Stolen

Damage caused by fire, wind, hail, flood, theft, vandalism, falling objects, and hitting an animal

Requires a deductible
Collision
Comprehensive

Collision or vehicle rollover

Stolen

Damage caused by fire, wind, hail, flood, theft, vandalism, falling objects, and hitting an animal

Requires a deductible
Collision
Comprehensive

Collision or vehicle rollover

Stolen

Damage caused by fire, wind, hail, flood, theft, vandalism, falling objects, and hitting an animal

Requires a deductible

Frequently asked questions about collision coverage

While “full coverage” isn’t a defined offering across providers, many use the term as a package of coverages that provides protection for losses involving the ownership or use of vehicles. It may include liability, medical payments, and physical damage coverage, such as comprehensive and collision coverage. Keep in mind there are optional coverages like rental and emergency roadside service that you also may wish to consider.

Consider how much of a loss you are willing to pay, such as the amount of deductible, in exchange for reduced premiums. Has your car decreased enough in value to consider omitting or dropping collision coverage?

Collision coverage generally does cost more than comprehensive coverage. But you can lower your premium with a higher deductible if you can cover higher out-of-pocket expenses.

It’s a good idea to have collision coverage, but it is not required by law in any state. It may be required by your lender if you are leasing or still owe car payments.

It depends on your car’s value. Many people prefer to cover newer cars, but as cars get older, their values decrease, and you might consider omitting or dropping this coverage to save money on your auto insurance.

To determine if you should purchase collision coverage, estimate the approximate value of your vehicle through an online resource. A State Farm agent can help you determine the value of your vehicle along with how much extra you'd pay to add collision coverage.

If you sustain a loss, your coverage pays to repair the vehicle or the actual cash value of the vehicle minus the deductible that you choose. You determine how much you want to pay out of pocket.

Coverage options, deductibles, and discounts may affect your policy cost, along with such things as your driving history, credit score (where permitted by law), and other information that impacts rates.

With many coverages, you choose a deductible and how much it is.

  • A deductible is the amount you agree to pay before your policy pays coverage benefits.
  • Higher deductibles lower your premium but increase how much you must pay out of your own pocket if a loss occurs.

Get a local agent who gets you

There’s a State Farm agent nearby ready to offer personalized service to fit your specific needs.

Related insurance coverages

Simple Insights®

Looking for help protecting your vehicle? You’ve come to the right place. Articles from Simple Insights draw on over 100 years of State Farm knowledge.

State Farm (including State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates) is not responsible for, and does not endorse or approve, either implicitly or explicitly, the content of any third-party sites hyperlinked from this page. State Farm has no discretion to alter, update, or control the content on the hyperlinked, third-party site. Access to third-party sites is at the user's own risk, is being provided for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation to buy or sell any of the products which may be referenced on such third-party sites.

Please remember that the preceding descriptions contain only a general description of available coverages and are not a statement of contract. All coverages are subject to all policy provisions and applicable endorsements. Coverage options may vary by state. To learn more about auto insurance coverage in your state, contact your State Farm agent.

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
State Farm Indemnity Company
Bloomington, IL

State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas
Richardson, TX