Updated July 2026
What Is Full Coverage Car Insurance Insurance?
Full coverage combines Vermont's mandatory liability insurance with optional collision and comprehensive coverage. Liability pays for damage you cause to others — bodily injury and property damage. Collision covers your vehicle after an accident regardless of fault. Comprehensive covers theft, vandalism, weather damage, and animal strikes. Together, these three coverages protect you from most financial loss scenarios on the road.
- You slide through a stop sign on ice and hit another car. The other driver has $8,000 in vehicle damage and $15,000 in medical bills. Your liability coverage pays the other driver's costs up to your policy limits. Your collision coverage pays to repair your own vehicle, minus your deductible, regardless of fault.
- A deer jumps into your lane on Route 7 and you strike it, causing $6,500 in front-end damage. Comprehensive coverage pays for the repairs minus your deductible. If you only carried Vermont's minimum liability coverage, you would pay the full $6,500 out of pocket because liability does not cover your own vehicle.
- Your car is stolen from a Burlington parking lot and never recovered. Comprehensive coverage pays your vehicle's actual cash value at the time of theft, minus your deductible. If you owe $18,000 on your auto loan but the car's value is $14,000, you still owe the lender $4,000 unless you purchased gap insurance.
Who Needs Full Coverage Car Insurance Insurance?
Full coverage makes sense if you finance or lease your vehicle, because lenders require it to protect their collateral. It's worth carrying if your car is worth more than $4,000 and you cannot afford to replace it out of pocket after a total loss. Drivers in rural Vermont areas with high deer-strike rates benefit from comprehensive coverage even on older vehicles.
Calculate your vehicle's actual cash value using Kelley Blue Book or a similar tool. Multiply your monthly collision and comprehensive premium by 24 months. If the two-year premium cost exceeds 50% of your vehicle's value, consider dropping physical damage coverage and banking the premium savings. Keep liability coverage at or above 100/300/100 regardless of your vehicle's value.
How Much Does Full Coverage Car Insurance Insurance Cost?
Full coverage in Vermont typically costs $120–$180/month, compared to $50–$80/month for minimum liability only. Adding collision and comprehensive to a liability-only policy adds approximately $60–$100/month depending on your vehicle value and chosen deductibles.
- Vehicle value — newer and more expensive vehicles cost more to insure because collision and comprehensive payouts are higher.
- Deductible selection — choosing a $1,000 deductible instead of $500 reduces monthly premiums by $15–$25 but increases out-of-pocket cost per claim.
- Driving record — at-fault accidents and moving violations increase collision coverage rates more than comprehensive rates.
- Location within Vermont — Burlington and South Burlington have higher theft and vandalism rates, increasing comprehensive premiums.
- Credit-based insurance score — Vermont allows insurers to use credit history in pricing, affecting both collision and comprehensive rates.
- Annual mileage — drivers logging over 15,000 miles per year pay more for collision coverage due to increased accident exposure.