With this blog, you’ll find out exactly what Fully Comprehensive car insurance is, how it works and what it covers. And we’ll explain the difference between Third-party and Fully Comprehensive policies.
How Fully Comprehensive insurance works
Let’s start with the basics. Fully comprehensive protects you and the other person involved in an accident. It also covers you if your car gets stolen or damaged by vandalism, attempted theft or fire.
Most Fully Comprehensive policies will cover you if:
- you damage your car, or someone else's car
- you damage someone else’s property
- you are seriously injured in an accident you caused
- someone else gets injured in an accident you caused
- your car is damaged by a fire
- your car is stolen or vandalised
These things aren’t always guaranteed. Make sure to check your policy wording to see exactly what protection you’ve got.
Here at Marshmallow, we offer Fully Comprehensive car insurance. That’s because it provides the highest level of cover to drivers, and we want you to be as protected as possible!
Fully Comprehensive insurance doesn’t always include driving other people’s car
If you need to drive someone else’s car, you have two options. Either you need to make sure that you’re a named driver on their policy, or you need your own policy to cover driving other people’s cars.
Sometimes insurers offer cover to drive another car as part of their fully comprehensive policy. Or they'll let you add this feature to your insurance plan. Often, your cover to drive another person’s car is third-party only. Even if you have a Fully Comprehensive policy.
That means if you have an accident while driving another person’s car, any damage caused to their car and your injuries won’t be covered.
Your insurer should detail exactly what’s covered by your fully comprehensive policy and what’s not covered. Check you’ve got all the cover you need before you buy.
How Fully Comprehensive differs from Third-party policies
Third-party Only
Third-party Only car insurance is the lowest level of coverage you can get, and the minimum legal requirement. This type of insurance only protects the other driver in an accident, not you or your car.
So if you bump into another car, Third-party Only insurance will cover the cost of the damage to their car and any injuries they might have. But you won’t get any money towards your own injuries, or any damage to your car.
Usually, Third-party Only will pay out if you damage someone else’s property too.
Third-party Fire and Theft
Pretty much the same as above. But Third-party Fire and Theft also protects you if:
- your car is damaged by a fire
- your car is damaged by someone trying to steal it
- your car is stolen
Third-party Only car insurance isn't always cheaper
People often think that Third-party Only cover is the cheapest option. But this type of insurance is getting more expensive than it used to be.
That’s because insurers set their prices based on risk, and data shows that less experienced and riskier drivers are more likely to take out these policies. Also, more claims come from than Third-party policies than Fully Comprehensive ones.
Fully Comprehensive can often be as cheap as Third-party policies. But you get a lot more protection for your money with Fully Comprehensive insurance.
On the lookout for a Fully Comprehensive policy? 👀
We’ve got you covered. Get a quote from us today.
