What does comprehensive car insurance actually cover?

Comprehensive car insurance covers damage to your vehicle that isn't caused by a collision. This includes theft, vandalism, fire, natural disasters like floods, hail, hurricanes, and earthquakes, falling objects like trees or debris, and damage from hitting an animal such as a deer. It essentially protects against events largely outside your control. What it doesn't cover is collision damage from hitting another car or object, medical bills, or liability for damage you cause to others. Those require separate collision and liability coverage. Comprehensive also typically has a deductible you pay out of pocket before the insurer covers the rest, and it only pays up to your vehicle's actual cash value, not its replacement cost if it's an older car.