What does comprehensive automobile coverage protect against?

Comprehensive automobile coverage is designed to protect against a variety of risks that are not related to collisions with other vehicles. It covers perils such as theft, vandalism, natural disasters, fire, and damage from animals, among other non-collision scenarios. This type of coverage is essential as it safeguards the insured from potentially significant repair costs or loss of the vehicle due to these unforeseen events.

In contrast, collision coverage specifically addresses damages resulting from collisions with other vehicles or objects, which does not fall under the purview of comprehensive coverage. The coverage for theft of the vehicle only, while included in comprehensive coverage, does not encapsulate its full breadth, as comprehensive is meant to cover multiple perils beyond just theft. Additionally, damage caused by driver error typically falls under liability or collision coverage rather than comprehensive coverage. Therefore, the focus of comprehensive coverage is indeed on perils other than collision or upset, making it a vital component of a complete automobile insurance policy.