the coverages that protect your vehicle

When your car stops running, so does your daily routine. That's why Esurance offers a slew of vehicle-based coverage options designed to help get your car or truck back on the road after an accident.

Comprehensive coverage

This coverage is for all those unpredictable elements that spring up on the road or in your driveway. Comprehensive coverage, also known as "comp" or "other than collision," can help pay for repairs (or replacement, if your car's totaled) after your car's damaged by a natural disaster, vandalism, theft, fire, or a falling tree branch.

Glass damage is typically covered under comprehensive coverage, too.

Collision coverage

Collision coverage, together with comprehensive coverage, is a key component of what's often referred to as "full coverage." While your property damage coverage helps others repair their cars, collision is there to assist you. If you've caused an accident, collision helps to either repair damage or replace damaged parts of your car.

Comprehensive and collision coverages are not state-mandated coverages, but they may be required by a loan or leasing company.

Emergency roadside service (ERS) coverage

While no one can doubt the importance of collision and comprehensive coverages, none of them spring into action until the car gets to a repair shop. In the meantime, there's still the matter of towing and other roadside service fees, which can rack up in a hurry. This is where emergency roadside service comes in.

ERS (called towing and labor coverage in some states) can be purchased on policies that have collision coverage. It can be a big lift to those marooned by accidents or in need of maintenance like tire changes, gas fill-ups, battery jumps, etc.

Read more about emergency roadside coverage >

Rental car coverage

This coverage reimburses you for the cost of your rental car if your insured vehicle is in the shop or is unavailable due to an accident. You need to have comprehensive and collision on your policy in order to add rental car coverage.

Loan/lease gap coverage

We all know that a car's value depreciates over time. But if you financed or leased a vehicle and have an accident that's declared a total loss, you might end up owing more to your financing or leasing company than the car is worth.

This is where loan/lease gap insurance can be a real saver.

Insurers don't determine your actual cash value (ACV) settlement based on what you owe, but rather on what the car is worth just prior to the accident. Let's say you owe $20,000 on your new Mini Cooper, but your car is now only worth about $16,000. If your car is totaled, you might get a settlement check of $16,000 but still owe an additional $4,000 on your loan or lease.

Loan/lease gap insurance (as its name suggests) helps bridge this divide between the ACV and what you still owe.

Customized parts and equipment coverage

It's only natural that you want your ride to reflect your personal style, and that's where customized parts and equipment insurance can help.

It insures items like stereos and TV equipment, navigation systems, phones, custom grilles and spoilers, custom paint, furniture, and paintings or murals. Esurance also offers up to $4,000 worth of coverage on equipment for disabled drivers and passengers.

If you put a lot of time and effort into enhancing your ride, this coverage can be a vital component of your car insurance policy.

Managing your vehicular coverages

True, this is quite a collection of coverages to sift through. But now you have a better idea about the basics of vehicle coverages, and isn't that a good thing? To add optional coverages to your Esurance policy, or adjust the limits/deductibles if you already have them, give us a call at 1-800-ESURANCE (1-800-378-7262).

And if you're in the market for a new car insurance policy, you can start your free quote here.