Back to blogUpdated · 1 min read

Comprehensive car insurance

Comprehensive car insurance covers you for loss or damage to your vehicle that is caused by hijacking, theft, hail, storms, fire, lightning, explosion, and malicious or accidental damage. You are also covered for third-party liability.

What is not covered under comprehensive car insurance?

Every insurer has their own specific rules in terms of what they will and won’t cover, so it's best to check. However, the most common things your comprehensive car insurance policy will not cover are:

  • General wear and tear;
  • Electrical breakdowns or failures;
  • Anything that would traditionally be covered under a warranty or service plan;
  • Damage that was caused because you were reckless;
  • Damage that was not sudden and unforeseen;
  • Any pre-existing damage;
  • If you were dishonest at any stage you might not be covered;
  • Damage caused while you were under the influence; or
  • Personal belongings in your car.

What’s the difference between comprehensive and third-party liability insurance?

Third-party liability is the most basic and affordable car insurance you can buy. Think of it as protection for everything that your car might damage while you are driving it, except for the car itself. Comprehensive cover includes third-party liability cover and also includes cover for damage to the car itself as a result of hijacking, theft, hail, storms, fire, lightning, explosion, and maliciousness or accidents.

When would I consider third-party only cover?

People who drive older cars and can replace their cars at a moment's notice – i.e., they have the cash in the bank – would usually consider switching from comprehensive to third party only cover.

You might also like

Definitions

Average

Average is when your claim’s payout is reduced by the proportion (%) of how much you under-insured your stuff by.

1 min read
Definitions

Personal liability cover

Personal liability cover protects you (financially) if a lawsuit or claim is brought against you for causing bodily injury or property damage – in and away from your home.

1 min read
Definitions

Car insurance

Car insurance is essentially financial protection for bad things that can happen when you own a car – bad things like damage to, or the theft of, your car or being held financially responsible for damages to another person’s property that were caused by your car.

1 min read