Use a Diminished Value expert, not just accepting the repair.
Your Car’s Permanent Scar and Its Lost Value
Imagine a rare, valuable porcelain vase shatters and is glued back together by a master craftsman. It looks perfect on the shelf, but any expert appraiser will tell you it has lost a huge portion of its value because of its “damage history.” Your car is that vase. The body shop does a great job, but the accident is now a permanent scar on its vehicle history report. A diminished value expert is that appraiser who provides the official report proving exactly how much resale value your “perfectly repaired” car has truly lost.
Stop accepting the insurer’s total loss valuation. Do use the “appraisal clause” in your policy instead.
The Tie-Breaker That’s Already in Your Contract
When you sell your house, you would never let the buyer’s appraiser be the only one to set the price. The “appraisal clause” in your auto policy is your contractual right to do the same for your totaled car. It allows you to hire your own certified appraiser to challenge the insurance company’s lowball number. If they still can’t agree, the two appraisers hire a neutral “umpire” to make the final, binding decision. It’s the powerful, built-in tie-breaker you’ve already paid for.
Stop just saying “the accident wasn’t my fault.” Do present a police report, witness statements, and dashcam footage instead.
Don’t Just Claim Innocence, Prove It Beyond a Doubt
Walking into a claims dispute and just saying, “It wasn’t my fault,” is like a lawyer telling a judge, “My client is innocent,” with no evidence. It’s a useless opinion. To win, you must be a detective presenting an unbreakable case. The police report is the official record, witness statements are the sworn testimony, and your dashcam footage is the undeniable video of what happened. Don’t just state your innocence to the adjuster; prove it beyond a reasonable doubt with cold, hard facts.
The #1 secret to getting your custom parts and modifications covered is to have them scheduled on your policy before the loss.
The Special Insurance Rider for Your Car’s “Jewelry”
Your standard auto policy is designed to cover the basic, factory-built car. It’s like a home insurance policy that covers your house but not the expensive diamond ring inside. To insure that ring, you need a special “rider.” Those custom wheels, that high-end stereo, and that performance engine are your car’s jewelry. If you don’t add a “custom parts and equipment” endorsement to specifically list (or “schedule”) them on your policy beforehand, the insurer will only pay to replace the cheap, factory parts your car was born with.
I’m just going to say it: The other driver’s insurance company is actively looking for ways to blame you for the accident.
They Are the Opposing Team’s Defense Attorney
The other driver’s insurance company is not a neutral investigator. They are the opposing team’s defense attorney. From the moment they get the case, their one and only job is to protect their client (and their money) by finding any possible way to shift even a tiny percentage of the blame onto you. Every question they ask and every piece of evidence they gather is aimed at building their case against you. They are not looking for the truth; they are looking for your fault.
The reason your claim was denied for “liability dispute” is because you gave a recorded statement without consulting an attorney.
Don’t Take a Surprise Test Graded by Your Opponent
Giving a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer is like walking into a surprise oral exam where the teacher is your opponent, and every answer will be graded in their favor. They are experts at asking tricky, leading questions designed to make you sound uncertain or to get you to accidentally accept partial blame. That “friendly chat” becomes a permanent transcript they use as the primary evidence to create a “liability dispute” and deny your claim. Never take their test without your own coach present.
If you’re still using the insurer’s “preferred” body shop, you’re losing your right to an independent advocate for quality repairs.
The Repair Shop That Works for Them, Not You
An insurer’s “preferred” body shop is like a mechanic who has a special discount agreement with the person who hit your car. Their primary loyalty is to the insurance company that sends them a steady stream of business. They have a huge incentive to use cheaper parts and faster techniques to keep the insurer happy. Choosing your own independent shop ensures you have an advocate whose only job is to restore your car to its pre-loss condition for you, their actual customer.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that you’re only entitled to aftermarket parts for your repair.
Your Car Deserves Its Original Body Parts
Imagine a surgeon told you they had to replace your bone with a cheaper, generic part made by a third-party company. You’d be outraged. “Aftermarket” parts are those generic parts for your car. In many states, you have the right to demand Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts—the ones made by your car’s actual brand. While the policy language varies, you should never blindly accept their first offer of cheaper, imitation parts. You can and should fight for the quality your car was built with.
I wish I knew that I could make a claim against my own “Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist” coverage when the at-fault driver has low limits.
The Secret Insurance Policy You Bought for Yourself
When you get hit by a driver who has cheap, low-limit insurance, it feels like a dead end. Their policy might only cover $15,000 of your $50,000 in damages. But you have a secret weapon: your own Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage. Think of it as a special insurance policy you bought to protect yourself from irresponsible drivers. Once their cheap policy pays its limit, your own UIM coverage kicks in to cover the rest of the damage, up to your own, higher limits.
99% of drivers make this one mistake after an accident: saying “I’m sorry” at the scene.
The Two Words That Can Be Twisted into a Confession
At the scene of an accident, saying “I’m sorry” feels like a natural, polite thing to do. But in the world of insurance, it is a disaster. It is not heard as an expression of sympathy; it is recorded by the other driver and witnesses as an admission of fault. It’s like accidentally signing a confession at the scene of the crime. That simple, well-intentioned phrase will be used by the other driver’s insurance company as the key piece of evidence to argue that you admitted you were the one to blame.
Use your “Medical Payments” or “Personal Injury Protection” coverage for immediate medical bills, not waiting for the liability decision.
Your Health Insurance That Doesn’t Care Who’s at Fault
After an accident, the other insurer can take months to decide who is at fault before they pay anything. But you have a special, no-fault medical fund built right into your own auto policy. This is called “Medical Payments” (MedPay) or “Personal Injury Protection” (PIP). It’s like having a dedicated savings account for accident injuries. It pays your medical bills immediately, regardless of who was at fault, so you can get the treatment you need now instead of waiting for the lawyers to argue.
Stop accepting a denial for a “gap” in coverage. Do provide proof of continuous insurance instead.
The Misunderstanding That Costs You Everything
Imagine your new job’s health insurance starts on February 1st, and you have proof you cancelled your old plan on January 31st. A “gap in coverage” denial is like the insurance company claiming you were uninsured on that one day, therefore voiding your policy. Often, this is just a communication error between your old and new insurance companies. You can defeat this by acting as the messenger and providing both companies with the proof—the declaration pages—that shows your coverage was continuous, with no gap.
Stop letting them deny your claim because you were using your vehicle for “business use.” Do understand your policy’s specific exclusions instead.
The “Commuting” vs. “Pizza Delivery” Distinction
Your personal auto policy is designed for you to drive to and from work. That’s “commuting.” But if you are actively using your car as a tool for work—like delivering pizzas or driving for a rideshare app—you have crossed a critical line into “business use.” This is almost always excluded. The denial isn’t a trick; it’s the policy working as designed. You must know if your work activities have turned your car from a simple commuter vehicle into a commercial vehicle in the eyes of your insurer.
The #1 hack for proving a hit-and-run claim is to find a witness or surveillance footage.
The Silent Witness That Can Place Them at the Scene
A hit-and-run feels like an impossible case. It’s your word against a ghost. The only way to make the ghost real is to find a silent, impartial witness. You must immediately become a detective. Canvas the area for security cameras on nearby homes or businesses—the gas station, the ATM, a doorbell camera. A few seconds of grainy footage that captures a license plate or even just the make and model of the car is the golden ticket that can solve the entire case.
I’m just going to say it: The valuation reports (like from CCC One) that insurers use to total your car often have incorrect options and lowball comparables.
The Computer Report That’s Programmed to Lowball You
The valuation report the adjuster sends you looks official and non-negotiable, like it was generated by a supercomputer. But it’s garbage in, garbage out. These systems are often programmed with the wrong trim level for your car, miss your premium sound system, and use “comparable” vehicles from 200 miles away that are in poor condition. You must treat this report not as a fact, but as a deeply flawed opening offer that you have to audit and correct line by line.
The reason your rental car reimbursement ran out is because the body shop had delays caused by the insurer’s slow approvals.
The Clock They Control but Bill You For
Your rental coverage has a time limit. The insurance company knows this. A common tactic is for their adjuster to be very slow in approving the body shop’s repair plan or supplements for hidden damage. Each day of delay is a day your rental clock keeps ticking. Then, when your rental coverage runs out before the car is fixed, they can pressure you to accept a cheap settlement to get your car back. It’s a delay they created, but you’re the one who pays for it.
If you’re still not taking photos of the other car’s damage at the scene, you’re losing evidence.
The Picture That Prevents a Lie from Growing
At the scene, the other car might have a small dent. But a week later, the other driver might claim their entire bumper fell off and their axle was broken. If you don’t have a photo, it’s your memory against their story. Taking a clear picture of the other car’s damage, right at the scene, is like putting a time-stamped photograph into the official evidence file. It freezes the truth in that moment and prevents a small, fraudulent claim from growing into a big one later.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that you have to accept the first check they offer for your totaled car.
Their First Check Is an Opening Bid, Not a Final Offer
The first check the insurance company offers you for your totaled car is not the result of a detailed, fair analysis. It is their opening bid in a negotiation. It is almost always the lowest amount they think you might possibly accept. They are testing you to see if you will take the first offer and go away quietly. Accepting it is like selling your house to the very first person who makes a lowball offer without ever seeing what the market will really pay.
I wish I knew to negotiate the “salvage value” if I wanted to keep my totaled vehicle.
Buying Your Own Car Back from the Junkyard
When your car is totaled, the insurer pays you its value, and in return, they get to take the broken car and sell it for scrap. The amount they get is the “salage value.” If you want to keep your car to fix it yourself, you have the right to do so. The insurer will simply pay you the total loss value minus the salvage value they would have gotten. It’s like they are selling you your own car back from the junkyard for the price of the scrap metal.
99% of people make this one mistake: cashing the repair check before they are satisfied with the work.
The Check That Says “I Accept This Repair as Final”
That check the insurance company sends you for the repairs is a powerful legal tool disguised as a simple payment. By endorsing and cashing that check, you are legally signaling your acceptance of the repair as complete and satisfactory. If you later find a problem—the paint doesn’t match, or a warning light comes on—you have lost all your leverage. The body shop and the insurer can claim you already signed off on the job. Never cash the check until you have thoroughly inspected and road-tested your car.
Use a traffic reconstruction expert for a serious accident, not just relying on the police report.
The CSI Team for Your Car Crash
A police report is a quick sketch of an accident scene written by a busy officer. For a serious accident with disputed fault, you need a full forensic analysis. A traffic reconstruction expert is the CSI team for your crash. They will analyze skid marks, crush damage, and black box data to create a scientific, computer-generated model of exactly what happened, second by second. Their expert report can often uncover the truth and completely overturn the initial conclusions of the police officer.
Stop accepting a denial based on an “excluded driver.” Do check if that exclusion is legally valid in your state, instead.
The Signature That May Not Be Legal
An “excluded driver” endorsement is a document you sign that specifically names a person who is not covered to drive your car. But some states have laws that make these exclusions invalid, especially if the person driving had a reasonable belief they were allowed to. Just because you signed a paper and the insurance company is pointing to it doesn’t make it a legally enforceable document. You must check your state’s laws to see if their “exclusion” is actually just an empty threat.
Stop letting them lowball your injury claim. Do complete all your medical treatment before even thinking about settling, instead.
You Can’t Know the Cost of the House Until It’s Fully Built
Settling an injury claim before your medical treatment is finished is like selling a half-built house for a fixed price. You have no idea if you’ll need a simple roof patch (physical therapy) or a whole new foundation (major surgery) down the road. The insurance adjuster wants you to sell it to them now, while it’s still cheap and the final cost is unknown. You must wait until your doctors declare you have reached “maximum medical improvement” to know the full cost of the damages.
The #1 secret for maximizing your injury settlement is a well-documented “pain and suffering” journal.
The Diary That Turns Your Pain into a Price
“Pain and suffering” is a real but invisible damage. A journal is how you make it visible. Every day, write down your pain level, the things you couldn’t do (like lift your child or sleep through the night), and the emotional toll it’s taking. This diary becomes an undeniable record that transforms your vague “I was in pain” into a powerful, day-by-day account of a life disrupted. It gives your attorney the concrete evidence they need to show a jury the true human cost of your injury.
I’m just going to say it: Insurers use software like Colossus to generate lowball injury settlement offers based on keywords, not your actual pain.
The Robot That Decides What Your Pain Is Worth
Your heartfelt story of pain and suffering is fed into a computer program. This software, like Colossus, scans your medical records for certain keywords (like “whiplash” or “soft tissue”) and then spits out a settlement range based on a cold, heartless algorithm. It does not account for your unique human experience. The adjuster’s first offer is often just the low end of what the robot told them to offer. It’s a system designed to standardize and minimize the value of your personal pain.
The reason your stolen car claim is being investigated for fraud is because you had a spare key and no signs of forced entry.
The Red Flags That Turn You from a Victim into a Suspect
When a car is stolen, the insurance company’s first move is to investigate you. Two huge red flags that will immediately turn their investigation into a fraud inquiry are if there was no broken glass or other sign of forced entry, and if you cannot produce all the original keys to the vehicle. In their mind, this simple set of facts points to the possibility that the car wasn’t stolen, but was taken by someone with a key, which makes you a suspect in your own claim.
If you’re still giving away your car’s location data via an app, you’re giving the insurer evidence to use against you.
The Digital Spy Riding in Your Passenger Seat
Many modern cars and insurance apps track your every move. This “telematics” data records your speed, your braking habits, and your location 24/7. After an accident, the insurance company’s lawyer can subpoena this data. If you claimed the accident happened on Main Street, but your car’s own GPS shows you were on Elm Street, you have just given them the ammunition to destroy your credibility. You are unknowingly creating a logbook of your actions that can be used as evidence against you.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that filing a claim will automatically raise your rates.
The Fear That Stops You from Using What You Paid For
The fear of a rate increase is the #1 reason people don’t file legitimate claims. But it’s not automatic. If the accident was not your fault, many states have laws that prohibit an insurer from raising your rates. Even for an at-fault claim, a small increase might be far less than the cost of paying for the repairs out of pocket. Not filing a claim is like not going to the doctor because you’re afraid of the co-pay, even though you’ve been paying for health insurance all year.
I wish I knew the difference between a “first-party” claim (with my own insurer) and a “third-party” claim (with the other driver’s insurer).
Your Team vs. Their Team
A “first-party” claim is with your own insurance company. You are a customer, and they have a contractual duty to treat you fairly. It’s like talking to your own team’s coach. A “third-party” claim is with the other driver’s insurer. You are a stranger to them, an adversary. They have zero duty to you, other than to not commit fraud. It’s like being interrogated by the other team’s lawyer. Knowing which game you are playing is the most important first step.
99% of people make this one mistake: agreeing to a “release of all claims” without reading the fine print.
The Document That Closes the Door on Your Future
That “Release of All Claims” document the adjuster asks you to sign is the most dangerous piece of paper in the entire process. It’s not just a receipt for the check. It is a legally binding contract that says, for this payment, you are giving up your right to ever ask for another penny for this incident, forever. If you sign it and then discover your “sore neck” is actually a serious spinal injury requiring surgery, it’s too late. The door is locked, and you have given them the key.
Use a public adjuster for a high-value vehicle claim, not just for house fires.
The Expert Negotiator for Your Exotic Car
We think of public adjusters for house fires, but for a high-value, exotic, or classic car, they are a critical tool. The insurance company’s adjuster knows how to value a Toyota Camry, but they have no idea how to properly value a rare Porsche or a custom-built truck. A public adjuster who specializes in vehicles will build a professional case for your car’s true value, documenting its unique features and market worth, ensuring you don’t get a standard settlement for a non-standard vehicle.
Stop accepting a claim denial because the person driving your car wasn’t on your policy. Do understand the “permissive use” doctrine instead.
The Insurance That Follows the Car, Not the Driver
Insurance generally follows the car. The legal idea of “permissive use” means that if you give someone permission to drive your car, your insurance coverage typically extends to them, even if they aren’t listed on your policy. While there are exceptions, an insurer’s initial denial is often just a tactic hoping you don’t know this rule. If you gave your friend the keys, you can fight back by asserting they were a “permissive user” and are therefore covered.
Stop letting them depreciate the paint job on a new panel. Do argue for proper matching and finish instead.
You’re Owed a Repaired Car, Not a Patchwork Quilt
When a new bumper or door is put on your car, the insurer might try to only pay for the cost to paint that single part. This is a trick. A proper repair requires the body shop to blend the new paint into the surrounding panels to ensure a perfect match. Demanding payment for a proper “blending” process is your right. You are not owed a car that looks like a patchwork quilt; you are owed a car that has been restored to its pre-loss condition.
The #1 hack for dealing with a slow insurer is to threaten a “loss of use” claim for the time you’re without a vehicle.
The Ticking Clock That Costs Them Money
If the other driver was at fault, they don’t just owe you for the repairs; they owe you for the loss of the use of your property during that time. This is a “loss of use” claim. If the insurer is deliberately delaying the repair process, you can have your lawyer send a letter stating you will be holding them responsible for the cost of a rental car for every day of their unreasonable delay. This starts a ticking clock that costs them real money and creates a powerful incentive to get moving.
I’m just going to say it: A quick settlement offer from an injury adjuster is a red flag that your claim is worth much more.
The Trap of the “Friendly, Fast” Offer
If you get a call from an injury adjuster a few days after the accident offering you a quick $1,000, it is not an act of kindness. It is a strategic trap. They are trying to “buy” your claim and get you to sign away your rights before you even know the full extent of your injuries. That sore neck could turn into a major disc issue. They know this, and they are dangling a small amount of cash now to save them from paying a huge amount later.
The reason your windshield replacement claim is being difficult is because they want you to use their glass network, not your preferred shop.
The Strong-Arm Tactic to Keep Business In-House
Your insurance company has deals with a specific network of glass installers who have agreed to do the work for a very low price. When you try to use your own, higher-quality shop, the insurer will often make the process difficult. They might tell you that you’ll have to pay the difference or that they won’t guarantee the work. This is a strong-arm tactic designed to steer you away from your choice and into the cheaper network that saves them money.
If you’re still not checking the body shop’s work with a flashlight before you leave, you’re losing your chance to have them fix it.
The Final Inspection Is Your Most Important Job
When you pick up your car, do not just sign the paper and drive away. It’s time for your final inspection. Use the flashlight on your phone and examine every inch of the repair. Look for paint overspray, check that the body panel gaps are even, and ensure all your electronics work. Once you drive off the lot, it becomes much harder to prove a problem was their fault. Your last five minutes on their property are your most powerful moment of quality control.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that the police report determines fault for insurance purposes.
The Report Is an Opinion, Not a Verdict
A police report is a crucial piece of evidence, but it is not the final verdict. The officer’s opinion on who was at fault is just that—an opinion. The insurance adjuster (and later, a jury) will make their own determination. If the facts in the report (skid marks, witness statements) contradict the officer’s conclusion, the facts will win. The report is the first chapter of the story, not the last.
I wish I knew that I could claim for the sales tax and registration fees on a replacement vehicle.
The Hidden Costs of Being Made Whole
Being “made whole” after a total loss doesn’t just mean getting a check for the value of your old car. It means being put back in the position you were in before the accident. This includes the extra costs you will have to pay to get a new car on the road. In most states, the at-fault driver’s insurance is responsible for paying the sales tax and the title and registration fees for the replacement vehicle you have to buy. These are real costs that are part of your total loss claim.
This one small action of installing a dashcam will change the way you handle any future auto claim forever.
The Silent, Unblinking Witness Who Never Lies
A car accident instantly becomes a “he said, she said” argument. A dashcam is the silent, impartial witness that ends the argument before it begins. It is the ultimate truth machine. It records exactly what happened, proving who ran the red light or who changed lanes without looking. For a tiny investment, you are buying an undeniable, crystal-clear piece of evidence that can single-handedly win your case, save you thousands of dollars, and protect you from fraudulent claims.
Use your state’s “comparative negligence” law to your advantage, not just accepting a 50/50 fault assessment.
You Can Still Win Even If You’re a Little Bit at Fault
Insurance adjusters love to assign 50/50 fault; it saves them a lot of money. But most states use a “comparative negligence” rule. This means that even if you are found to be 10% or 20% at fault, you can still collect 90% or 80% of your damages from the other party. Don’t let an adjuster bully you into thinking that any amount of fault on your part means you lose everything. It just means your final payout is reduced by your small percentage of blame.
Stop letting them deny a claim for mechanical failure after an accident. Do get a mechanic to link the failure to the collision instead.
The Hidden Damage the Accident Caused
Days after a minor accident, your transmission fails. The insurer will deny the claim, saying it was a pre-existing mechanical issue. But the physical shock of a collision can easily damage sensitive electronic sensors or internal components that don’t fail immediately. The key is to have your mechanic write a specific report stating that, in their professional opinion, the impact from the accident was the direct cause of the subsequent mechanical failure. This expert opinion links the two events together.
Stop thinking you have to provide a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company. You don’t.
You Have No Contract, and No Obligation, with Them
You have a contract with your own insurance company, and you are required to cooperate with them. You have absolutely no contract with the other driver’s insurer. You are their adversary. You are under no legal obligation to provide them with a recorded statement. In fact, doing so only gives their lawyers a tool to use against you. You can politely decline and instruct them that all communication must go through your attorney or your own insurance company.
The #1 secret for getting OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts is to check your policy for a specific endorsement.
The Secret Upgrade You May Have Already Paid For
Many standard insurance policies will only pay for cheaper, aftermarket parts. But some policies have a secret, often inexpensive, endorsement you can buy for OEM parts. Even better, you might have it and not even know it. Before you argue with the adjuster, read your policy’s declaration page. Look for an endorsement with a code like “OEM” or “Original Parts Replacement.” You may have already paid for the right to demand the same high-quality parts your car was built with.
I’m just going to say it: The friendly agent who sold you the policy has zero power to help you once you have a claim.
The Salesman Is Not the Service Department
The insurance agent who sold you your policy is a salesperson. They are your friend when they are trying to make a sale. But the moment you have a claim, you are handed over to a completely different entity: the claims department. The claims adjuster does not work for your agent. Your agent has no authority to tell the adjuster to approve your claim or to speed up the process. They are in two different worlds, and your friendly agent has been cut out of the loop.
The reason your claim is being delayed is because the insurer is waiting for you to get desperate and accept a low offer.
The “Delay, Deny, Defend” Strategy in Action
Unreasonable delays are not an accident; they are a strategy. The insurer knows that the longer they hold onto your money, the more financial pressure builds on you. The rental car bill is growing, you need to get to work, and you’re getting frustrated. This is the “delay” part of their playbook. They are waiting for you to get so desperate and worn down that you will be willing to accept any lowball offer they throw at you just to make the pain stop.
If you’re still being vague about your injuries, you’re losing the foundation for your bodily injury claim.
Build Your Case Brick by Painful Brick
When an adjuster asks how you are, a vague “I’m okay” or “I’m a little sore” is a disaster. You are laying a weak foundation for your injury claim. You must be specific. “I have a sharp pain on the right side of my neck that is an 8 out of 10, and it’s preventing me from turning my head to back out of my driveway.” This specific, detailed complaint is a solid brick. You must build your case from the very beginning with these specific bricks of evidence.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that you don’t need a lawyer for a “minor” car accident.
Even a Small Fire Can Burn Down the Whole House
What seems like a “minor” whiplash injury today can evolve into a chronic pain condition requiring surgery next year. What looks like a simple fender-bender can hide thousands of dollars in hidden frame damage. The insurance company knows this, and their goal is to get you to sign away your rights for a tiny amount of money while the claim still looks minor. A lawyer can protect you from signing away your rights to compensation for the serious problems that might be hiding under the surface.
I wish I knew to never sign a medical authorization form that gives the insurer access to my entire medical history.
Don’t Give Them the Key to Your Entire Life’s Filing Cabinet
The adjuster will send you a medical authorization form that looks like a standard document. It is not. It is a skeleton key that gives them the right to access every medical record you have had since birth. They are not looking for information about your car accident; they are on a fishing expedition, looking for any old injury or pre-existing condition they can use to argue that your pain is not from the accident. Never sign their form; have your lawyer provide them only with the specific records related to the crash.
99% of people make this one mistake: thinking their comprehensive coverage includes a rental car.
The “All-Inclusive” Resort That Charges Extra for Food
“Comprehensive” sounds like it covers everything, right? It’s a misleading name. This coverage pays for things like theft, fire, and storm damage to your car. It almost never includes coverage for a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired or has been stolen. Rental reimbursement is a separate, optional coverage that you have to specifically buy. Thinking your comprehensive coverage has you fully covered is like checking into an all-inclusive resort and then finding out you have to pay for all your food.