I’ve seen folks regret dropping full coverage after a hailstorm or a deer jumps out at them—suddenly that “old beater” is a real loss.
Been there. I dropped full coverage on my last car thinking it wasn’t worth it anymore, then got rear-ended two months later. My fault too, so liability didn’t help. Ended up junking the car for scraps and still paying off the loan. Sometimes you think you’re saving money, but it bites you hard when luck runs out.
Sometimes you think you’re saving money, but it bites you hard when luck runs out.
Yeah, that’s the kicker. I always tell folks, step one: check if you still owe on the car—if you do, dropping full coverage is like walking a tightrope with no net. Step two: weigh what you’d actually get if your “old beater” is totaled. Sometimes it’s not much, but sometimes it’s enough to make you wince if you lose it. And don’t even get me started on deer... those guys never pay their share.
I keep going back and forth on this. I mean, my car’s paid off, but it’s not exactly a junker—if I lost it, I’d be scrambling to replace it. The “what if” factor is what gets me. Like, I drive a lot at night and there are deer everywhere around here... I’m not sure if that tips the scale toward keeping comprehensive? Has anyone actually had to use it for animal collisions, or is that just one of those things people worry about but rarely happens?
“if I lost it, I’d be scrambling to replace it. The “what if” factor is what gets me. Like, I drive a lot at night and there are deer everywhere around here...”
Honestly, that’s the kicker right there. If you’d be in a real bind without your car, dropping comprehensive just isn’t worth the stress. I’ve actually hit a deer before—totaled my last car, and yeah, comprehensive covered it. It’s not as rare as people think, especially if you’re out late on rural roads. You can save a bit going liability-only, but one unlucky night and you’ll wish you hadn’t.
I get where you’re coming from. I’ve always leaned toward full coverage, especially since my car’s not exactly cheap to replace. Even if the odds of something happening seem low, the cost of being wrong is just... massive. Have you looked at the actual numbers for what it’d cost to replace your car out of pocket? Sometimes that alone makes the decision for you.
I get that premiums can feel like money down the drain if nothing happens, but it’s really about risk management. Like, if you’re driving at night in deer country, how much would it set you back if you had to cover repairs—or worse, a total loss—yourself? For me, that “what if” factor is worth paying for peace of mind.
One thing I did was run the numbers on how much I’d save by dropping comprehensive versus what I’d risk losing. The savings just didn’t add up. Maybe it’s different if your car’s older or you’ve got a backup, but if losing it would leave you scrambling, I’d say full coverage is the safer bet.