Car Insurance - Is it Comprehensive?

By Jay Tillotson

Comprehensive. Defined in the dictionary as 'something including all or most'. This definition used to apply to fully comprehensive car insurance policies, but it seems that insurers use a different dictionary to the rest of us...

At one time, taking out a comprehensive policy meant you were covered for, among other things; overseas driving, windscreen replacement and third-party liability on any vehicle. But read the terms and conditions of most car insurance policies nowadays and you might find these things are now missing.

Many of the features we've come to expect in a comprehensive policy are now being phased into the rank of 'additional extras' - features which the motorist has to pay for on top of their standard premium. Often these extras bump up the cost of a policy considerably, something that is very unwelcome in the age of rising motoring costs.

The reason for this seems to be a price war which is going on within the world of insurance. Because consumers are trying desperately to make their money go further, fully featured insurance is taking a back seat to cheaper policies with several exclusions. This in turn means that insurers are keeping their prices low by making once-standard features optional extras in a bid to come out ahead of the competition.

At first glance, a cheap policy will seem like a better option than a more expensive one. But assuming the more expensive policy includes as standard features such as windscreen replacement cover, liability on any car, and a courtesy car if yours is at the garage; is the cheaper one really going to be any cheaper once these are added as extras? Plus, of course, if you decide to go for the cheap policy minus the extras, you could end up paying more in the event of an accident anyway, so is it really cost-effective?

With so many different insurance companies to choose from, it's important to compare car insurance quotes from as many of them as possible. Don't just go for the cheap car insurance as it may not have the features you require.