What is full coverage car insurance?
Reviewed by the Skyview Auto Glass technical team — NWRD-, ASE- and DINITROL-trained technicians · Updated November 2026
Quick answer
Full coverage is not an official insurance product. It usually means a policy that combines liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage. The comprehensive part is what covers a cracked windshield or broken car window, subject to your deductible. Liability-only coverage does not pay for your own glass. Because coverage follows your policy, verify yours with your insurer.
Common myths about full coverage
Full coverage is a specific type of policy.
There is no product called full coverage. It is shorthand for a policy that carries liability, collision, and comprehensive together. The comprehensive portion is what covers glass damage.
Full coverage means the insurer pays for everything.
Even with full coverage, a glass claim is subject to your comprehensive deductible. You pay the deductible and the insurer pays the rest. Because coverage follows your policy, verify yours with your insurer or agent.
What is considered full coverage
When people say full coverage, they usually mean a policy with three parts: liability, which pays for damage you cause to others; collision, which pays for crash damage to your vehicle; and comprehensive, which pays for non-collision damage such as theft, hail, and glass damage. The comprehensive part is what covers a cracked windshield or broken car window.
A liability-only policy is different. It pays for damage you cause to other people and their property, but it does not cover your own glass. If you carry only liability, a rock chip or a broken side window is paid for out of your own pocket. See our guide on liability and windshield damage.
Because full coverage is shorthand rather than a product, what it actually includes varies from policy to policy. Two drivers who both say they have full coverage may carry different deductibles, different limits, and different optional add-ons such as full glass coverage. The only way to know exactly what applies to a glass claim is to read your declarations page or ask your insurer or agent. Two policies that both count as full coverage can still leave you paying very different amounts on a windshield replacement.
Does full coverage cover windshield replacement
- The comprehensive portion of a full-coverage policy covers glass damage, subject to your deductible.
- Common deductible amounts are $100, $250, $500, or $1,000.
- Many insurers will waive the deductible when the job is a chip repair.
- Some policies add full glass coverage that lowers or removes the glass deductible.
- A liability-only policy does not cover your own windshield or car windows.
More questions about full coverage
What does full coverage car insurance cover?
Usually liability, collision, and comprehensive together. The comprehensive part covers glass damage such as a cracked windshield or broken side window, subject to your deductible. Confirm what your policy includes with your insurer.
Does full coverage cover windshield replacement?
Yes, through the comprehensive portion, subject to your deductible. Some policies add full glass coverage that lowers or removes the glass deductible. What applies depends on your policy, so check with your insurer.
What is considered full coverage?
There is no official product called full coverage. It is shorthand for liability plus collision plus comprehensive. The comprehensive part is what pays for glass. See our comprehensive coverage guide.
Related guides
More in Insurance and claims
- Does a windshield chip repair count as an insurance claim?
- What happens if you chip the windshield on a rental car?
- Is it worth paying cash for a windshield instead of filing a claim?
- Does insurance cover windshield replacement?
- Does liability insurance cover windshield damage?
- What is full glass coverage?
Need auto glass service?
Skyview Auto Glass has 191 shops across Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, each offering in-shop and mobile service. Call us or book a visit — same-day service is often available.