When purchasing auto insurance, it's important to be sure you get the coverage that best meets your needs. Many consumers seeking to find Oklahoma cheap car insurance get confused about the difference between comprehensive auto insurance in Oklahoma and the coverage provided by most conventional insurance plans.

But the difference is both significant and important to understand. Making the right choice could save you thousands down the road.


Conventional Coverage

Conventional auto insurance policies typically offer basic liability and collision coverage only.

Think of the liability portion as insurance that protects other drivers from you. Your insurance compensates them for injuries or property damage caused by you in a car accident.

Collision, on the other hand, is insurance that protects you from objects you might collide with while driving. You get reimbursed if your car is damaged on impact with another driver's vehicle, a fire hydrant or a highway barrier, for example. It also can help if you drive over a pothole or debris in the road that does severe damage to your car. It won't cover damage your car causes to the objects that it collides with (that’s what your property damage liability is for). If you think about it, your car has to be in motion to be covered by collision insurance.


Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive auto insurance is aptly named in that is truly a bumper-to-bumper, cover-it-all-so you-can-sleep-at-night kind of policy. While most conventional policies are written to cover accidents that occur while your car is moving, plus any type of theft, comprehensive car insurance will cover losses no matter how they occur.

With comprehensive auto insurance in Oklahoma you'll get covered when your car is stolen or damaged in almost any kind of accident you can think of (other than colliding with something while driving - that's what collision is for). This would include acts of God and Nature such as flood, fire, hail, tornados, ice storms, or falling trees. It also covers theft and vandalism (except by family members), riots, glass breakage, and damage done by animals. (Ever see the ad where the elephant steps on the car?)

With comprehensive insurance, you can collect on the claim even if you cannot exactly identify the culprit.

The price of comprehensive auto insurance Oklahoma is affected by the risk of loss. In other words, insurance companies assess the likelihood that an insured car will be stolen or damaged, and also determine the car’s value at the time of the loss. So if you live in a neighborhood where theft and vandalism are a common occurance, your rates will be higher. If you fit a "high risk" driver profile, ie, you've filed a lot of claims in the past, had a dui or moving violations you can also expect to pay more.

The "Bare Bones" Policy

Although comprehensive insurance can be costly, to many folks make the mistake of trying to cut costs by dropping comprehensive and opting for a bare bones policy. If you do fall victim to theft or vandalism or some natural disaster, your financial losses could be devastating.

Consider this example taken from a popular question-and-answer website called "yahoo answers". One person wrote...

"About 2 hours ago a HUGE TREE on my property fell on top of ALL 3 of my cars.... parked in my driveway at home! I have Homeowner's Insurance + Insurance on all my cars. HOWEVER, I'm not sure if this was an "Act of God" or not. We have a no frills policy, meaning it's just the basics... no extra tornado or flood insurance...I can't even move my cars! This tree was a gigantic + healthy tree..."

The answer to her question? Well, because this person has only basic insurance on her cars, she is out of luck. She will have to pay to repair or replace all three cars. (Homeowner's will only pay if your tree falls on someone else's car and you're found liable for damages).
And insurance agents report this as one of the most common questions asked about car insurance!

So, when choosing between comprehensive auto insurance in Oklahoma and conventional coverage, think about how much your vehicle is really worth and how hard it would be to recoup your losses in the event of a crash or other accident such as the example above. As little as $50 more each month could mean the difference between financial disaster and financial security.

Of course, if you're driving an older car with a low Blue Book value, you might be able to skip comprehensive. A good rule of thumb is that if the value of the car is lower than the annual premium, you should drop comprehensive and collision or at least consider raising your deductibles.

Finding the Best Rates

Naturally, you need to examine any policy you're considering carefully before making a decision. Be sure to check the fine print for maximum payouts, additional charges for things such as young drivers, and other fees that can raise premiums. Take a look at any "insurance riders" on a policy, such as provisions for emergency roadside service or rental car insurance options. You can cancel any extras you don't need to keep rates down.

To get the best possible rate for comprehensive auto insurance in Oklahoma,  shop around. Talk to agents in your area or search online. Online rate comparison sites can serve up some very competitive pricing, allowing you to compare multiple rates for Oklahoma cheap auto insurance  in a matter of minutes. Once you've found what you're looking for, go over all the details and be sure to check the insurance company's ratings and reputation. In the end, you'll have the coverage you need at a reasonable cost from a company you trust.