What does Direct Auto Full Coverage Auto Insurance Cover?
Full coverage auto insurance from Direct Auto will include basic liability coverage, collision coverage, and comprehensive coverage.
Written by Jason Tushinski
Reviewed by Amy Bobinger
Full coverage auto insurance from Direct Auto refers to an insurance policy that includes basic liability coverage to meet your state’s minimum requirements, along with comprehensive and collision coverage. Direct Auto caters to high-risk drivers and offers affordable rates in case your driving record is spotty.
When considering car insurance, many customers aren’t sure whether to just buy basic liability coverage or go all the way with full coverage. Sure, you’ll save a buck or two by buying the least expensive
car insurance
to satisfy your state’s minimum requirements, but doing so leaves you financially vulnerable if you cause a serious accident.This is why Direct Auto, like most major insurers, offers full coverage auto insurance that encompasses both comprehensive and collision coverage. We’ll give you the goods on what’s covered under a Direct Auto full coverage policy—and whether it's worth the added expense.
What does Direct Auto full coverage insurance cover?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what Direct Auto full coverage insurance covers, we insurance practitioners have to come clean about something—the term “full coverage” isn’t actually a type of policy. So, we’ll explain what exactly it means when an insurance agent offers “full coverage”, or when a lender stipulates that you must buy “full coverage” for a financed car. They’re referring to is a policy that includes the following:
- Liability insurance: Mandatory in nearly every state, liability insurance pays for other drivers’ medical care and vehicle damages in case you cause an accident.
- Comprehensive insurance: This type of insurance covers repairs to your vehicle or, depending on the circumstances, will replace it if it's damaged by something other than another vehicle (eg: wind, fire, flooding, falling objects, an angry bear, etc.).
- Collision insurance: Direct Auto’s collision insurance covers damage to or a replacement for your vehicle due to damage from a collision with another vehicle or a fixed object.
If required by the state you live in, a full coverage plan from Direct Auto would also include
personal injury protection (PIP)
, bodily injury protection
, property damage protection
, and/or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.MORE: How to cancel Direct Auto insurance
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Does full coverage really cover everything?
Another item us insurance nerds should come clean about—full coverage doesn’t actually cover…everything…so you may want to consider additional protection.
Now, before you toss your laptop (or heaven forbid, your desktop) out the window in a fit of rage, hear us out. All that full coverage talk is meant to differentiate its expansive coverage—it allows you to file claims for your own vehicle—from basic liability insurance, which meets your state’s minimum liability requirements but can leave you seriously vulnerable to financial pain if you cause an accident.
Most auto lenders require customers to buy full coverage insurance, because it ensures they can protect their investment.
That said, Direct Auto offers additional add-on coverages that you can purchase to give yourself (and your vehicle) the best protection possible. Take a look at the table below to see what other options are available from Direct Auto:
Type of coverage | Description |
|---|---|
Direct Auto’s medical payments coverage will pay for medical or funeral expenses for you or certain others included on your policy due to bodily injury or death stemming from a car accident. | |
A new vehicle depreciates up to 30% in the first three months of ownership, and if you are involved in a serious accident, or your car is totaled, you might not be compensated by your insurer for your car’s full value. That’s why Direct Auto offers gap insurance, which covers your vehicle during its first three months of use. | |
Direct Auto’s towing add-on covers the cost to tow your vehicle if it can’t be driven. | |
If your vehicle is inoperable due to a covered loss, this Direct Auto policy will help cover the cost of a rental car—rental reimbursement is usually only available from Direct Auto if you buy both comprehensive and collision insurance. | |
Accidental Death | If you die in a covered car accident, with this add-on Direct Auto will pay a $5,000 death benefit to the beneficiaries listed on your policy. |
Is full coverage car insurance from Direct Auto worth it?
Direct Auto specializes in high-risk car insurance, so if you’ve got a clean driving record and strong credit, you’ll likely be better served looking elsewhere. But if your driving record is less-than stellar, Direct Auto could be just the place to find an affordable car insurance policy. That said, it’s always a good idea to shop around and see what else you can find.
While full coverage insurance is not required by law in any state, if you have a
car loan
, there’s a good chance your lender will require full coverage before they work with you to finance a vehicle. Even if you own your car, truck, or SUV outright, buying full coverage is usually a good idea, as it will cover you against a total loss
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversBenefits of full coverage Direct Auto car insurance
Here are some of the major benefits to carrying full coverage from Direct Auto:
- Allows drivers with poor driving records to get full coverage and become eligible to finance a vehicle
- Offers peace of mind while driving in bad weather or high-theft parts of town
- If your vehicle is totaled, you’ll be able to make a claim
If you live in an area prone to severe weather or lots of crime, or if you want to protect yourself as much as possible, you likely won’t go wrong with a full coverage policy from Direct Auto.
Drawbacks to full coverage Direct Auto car insurance
There are disadvantages to picking Direct Auto as your car insurance provider:
- Even with full coverage, you’ll likely find more expansive coverage options from other insurers if you have a good driving record
- Your premiums will rise after making a claim
- Direct Auto does not offerrideshare insurance
If you’re worried a policy from Direct Auto might be too expensive, ask if there are any discounts available, and any that you might qualify for. You might be able to bundle a car insurance policy with, say, life insurance or
renters insurance
, and get a discount on each bundled policy.Does Direct Auto have the best full coverage auto insurance?
This depends—if you have a poor driving record and are having a hard time finding affordable insurance, Direct Auto might be the insurer for you.
That said, it is always a good idea to shop around for the best rates, even if your search will be limited if you’ve been labeled a high-risk driver. Why look around? Because every insurer uses a different algorithm to measure risk, weighing factors such as your driving record, age, gender, marital status, credit score, and other metrics to determine your rate. So, one insurer's quote could be signifiacntly different than a competitor.
Even some bigger insurers, such as
State Farm
, GEICO
, and Nationwide
, offer affordable policies to young drivers and drivers with DUIs
, so it would behoove you to check them out before purchasing a Direct Auto policy. In terms of customer satisfaction, Direct Auto lags behind the country’s major insurers. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, there are more complaints at Direct Auto relative to its size. JD Power gives Direct Auto a below average rating when it comes to customer satisfaction. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives Direct Auto just a 1/5 grade for customer satisfaction.
To ensure you get the best policy for you, be sure to compare any offering from Direct Auto with at least three to five other insurers. Comparing real time quotes from multiple insurers with a mobile broker is an easy way to comparison shop.
The bottom line
If you’ve got a poor driving record and are having a hard time finding an affordable policy, Direct Auto is definitely worth a look. But don’t completely forego the big insurance players, as some of them offer affordable policies even to drivers with subpar driving records.
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At what point is full coverage not worth it?
If you’re driving a rusted-out husk of a vehicle, it might not be worth it to buy a full coverage policy for it. As a rule of thumb, if your annual full coverage premium costs more than the car is worth, full coverage just isn’t worth it.
What is the difference between full coverage and liability coverage?
Full coverage insurance means you carry liability coverage, comprehensive coverage, and collision coverage, at the least—and you’ll be able to file a claim for damages to your own vehicle. If you just carry basic liability and nothing else, this will cover the costs of other drivers if you cause an accident, but nothing else, not even your own costs.
What is a deductible?
A deductible is the amount of money you must pay on a claim before your own collision or comprehensive coverage kicks in. A deductible usually applies those two aforementioned coverages, but it can also apply to personal injury protection as well as uninsured motorist coverage.
