Everything You Should Know About Full Coverage Car Insurance
Let us help you save up to 30% on Auto Insurance
Full coverage car insurance combines liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage into one policy, protecting both your own car and other people’s property if you’re in an accident. It typically costs $175–$235 a month ($2,100–$2,820 a year) nationwide — about two and a half times more than liability-only coverage, which averages $60–$90 a month ($720–$1,080 a year). Your actual rate depends on your state, driving record, vehicle, and credit history.
Below, we break down exactly what full coverage includes, what it costs compared to liability-only insurance, and how to decide if it’s the right choice for your vehicle.
Full coverage costs significantly more than liability-only insurance, but it protects your own vehicle in addition to other people’s property. Here’s a general national comparison:
| Coverage Type | Monthly Range | Annual Range |
|---|---|---|
| Full Coverage (liability + comprehensive + collision) | $175 – $235/mo | $2,100 – $2,820/yr |
| Liability-Only (state minimum) | $60 – $90/mo | $720 – $1,080/yr |
Full coverage rates vary dramatically depending on where you live. Costs run from around $1,500–$1,650 a year in the most affordable states, like Vermont, up to $3,900–$4,200 a year in the most expensive, like Louisiana and Maryland, according to ValuePenguin’s 2026 analysis. Where you live can matter more than almost any other factor in what you’ll actually pay.
| Company | Monthly Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Travelers | $160 – $185/mo | Cheapest widely available option |
| USAA | $110 – $140/mo | Military members, veterans, and their families only |
| Erie / Auto-Owners | Often below average | Competitive rates, but limited state availability |
Full coverage makes the most sense for financed, leased, or newer vehicles. As your car ages and loses value, the math can shift. A common rule of thumb: if your annual premium for comprehensive and collision coverage adds up to around 10% or more of your car’s current value, it may be worth dropping that coverage and switching to liability-only, assuming you could comfortably cover a repair or replacement out of pocket.
That depends on your plan and how much of a deductible you want. A deductible is an amount you have to pay toward any damage before the insurance starts paying out. The deductible only has to be paid once every year, but it can have a big impact on the cost of your full coverage car insurance.
Low deductibles, like $100, may sound enticing at first, but just keep in mind the lower your deductible, the higher your premiums (i.e. the more you have to pay every year).
To determine the best deductible for you, consider how much you can comfortably afford to pay out-of-pocket. $100? $250? $500? Some companies will offer a $0 deductible, but again, that’s going to increase your premiums.
However, if you can’t afford to pay much out-of-pocket in the event of an accident, then a $0 deductible may make financial sense.
While best full coverage car insurance rates will be considerably more than liability coverage alone, liability coverage does nothing to protect you and your car. Indeed, if you are buying a new car or leasing one the lender will require you to protect their interest with a full coverage car insurance policy.
How much that policy will cost depends on factors like the year, make, and model, as well as the location, your driving record, deductible, and even your credit score. Currently, the average cost of full coverage car insurance in the U.S. is $1,427 per year (so $118.92/month).
Absolutely. If you have a vehicle, full coverage car insurance is worth it. While you won’t find a car insurance company that truly covers everything under a combined full coverage plan (for example, it won’t cover intentional damage to your vehicle), full coverage insurance will give you substantial protection against vehicular incidents and accidents.
“Full coverage” is a bit of a misnomer it doesn’t cover everything. Common coverages that are usually sold separately include:
Full coverage insurance is not actually a type of insurance. Rather, it’s a term used to describe the combining of multiple types of car insurance into one “full” policy. Typically, these types of insurance include liability, collision, comprehensive, medical or personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
The cost of standard full coverage insurance will depend on numerous factors including your age, driving record, where you live and your credit score. This variability makes it difficult to give an exact cost. However, the average is around $118/month.
There are a few enticing ways to save money on your full coverage insurance. You can bundle your auto insurance with your home insurance and any other insurance you may have. You can also take advantage of good driver discounts, low mileage discounts, loyalty discounts and discounts for people who take safe driving lessons.
Lauren Lewthwaite Lauren Lewthwaite has been freelance writing for almost five years writing content that ranges from health to insurance and everything in between. Lauren is also a trained translator in French and English and is a dog-mom to an adorable Australian Shepherd.
