The short version: liability pays other people when you cause a crash. "Full coverage" adds collision (your car, after a crash) and comprehensive (your car, after theft, fire, weather, glass and the like). Neither one is the coverage that pays for your injuries when someone else is at fault and uninsured — that is uninsured motorist coverage, which California requires in every liability policy unless you delete it in writing (Insurance Code section 11580.2). The definitions are on our liability vs full coverage page; this guide is about what actually happens in eight situations.

The eight situations at a glance

What happened	Liability-only	Full coverage
1. You rear-end someone	Their car and injuries: your policy. Your car: you.	Their car and injuries: your policy. Your car: collision, minus your deductible.
2. An insured driver rear-ends you	Their insurer pays for your car and injuries.	Same — or your collision pays now and your insurer pursues theirs.
3. An uninsured driver hits you	Injuries: your uninsured motorist coverage. Car: uninsured motorist property damage, if you accepted it.	Injuries: uninsured motorist coverage. Car: collision — and the deductible waiver, if you accepted it.
4. Hit-and-run	Injuries: uninsured motorist coverage, on conditions. Car: usually you.	Injuries: same. Car: collision, minus the deductible.
5. Car stolen	You.	Comprehensive, minus the deductible.
6. Tree, fire, flood or hail	You.	Comprehensive, minus the deductible.
7. You hit a pole or a wall	The pole or wall: your policy. Your car: you.	The pole or wall: your policy. Your car: collision.
8. A cracked windshield	You.	Usually comprehensive; glass terms vary by insurance company.

1. You rear-end someone

Your liability coverage pays the other driver's repairs and injuries up to your limits — at least 30/60/15 in California. With liability-only, your own repairs are yours. With collision, your insurer pays your repairs minus your deductible. If the other side's damages exceed your limits, the difference is a claim against you, which is the reason some drivers carry limits well above the minimum.

2. An insured driver rear-ends you

Their liability insurer owes you for your car and your injuries. With liability-only, that is your path — and you wait on their insurer's decision. With collision, you can have your own insurer repair the car now and let it pursue the other insurer; whether and when you get your deductible back depends on that recovery and varies by insurance company.

3. An uninsured driver hits you

This is where most people are surprised. Two California rules matter:

Your injuries: uninsured motorist coverage pays what you could recover from the uninsured driver for bodily injury. It must be in your policy unless you and the insurer deleted it by written agreement (Insurance Code section 11580.2).
Your car: every company must offer one of two things (Insurance Code section 11580.26). If you carry collision, the offer is a waiver of your collision deductible for a crash with an uninsured vehicle. If you do not carry collision, the offer is uninsured motorist property damage, which pays for damage to your car up to its actual cash value or $3,500, whichever is less. Either one pays only if there was actual contact with the uninsured vehicle, the driver or the license plate is identified, and you report it to your insurer within 10 business days.

Both offers can be declined, so look at your declarations page. On a liability-only policy, uninsured motorist property damage is the one thing standing between an uninsured driver and your repair bill.

4. Hit-and-run

A driver who leaves and is never identified can still count as uninsured for your injuries — but only if there was physical contact with you or the car you were in, the accident was reported to the police (or sheriff or CHP) within 24 hours, and you file a sworn statement with your insurer within 30 days (Insurance Code section 11580.2). For your car, uninsured motorist property damage does not help unless the driver or plate is identified (section 11580.26), so with liability-only the repair is usually yours; with collision it is covered minus the deductible. Our guide to being hit by an uninsured driver covers the reporting steps.

5. Your car is stolen

Comprehensive pays the car's actual cash value, minus the deductible. Liability-only pays nothing toward the car. Personal belongings taken from the car are generally a homeowners or renters policy question, not auto.

6. A tree, a fire, a flood or hail

Comprehensive. With liability-only, the loss is yours. In our office, it is the coverage people most often wish they had kept after a fire season.

7. You hit a pole, a wall or a fence

The pole, wall or fence belongs to someone else, so your liability coverage pays for it. Your own car needs collision.

8. A cracked windshield

Glass damage is usually handled under comprehensive, and some policies offer separate glass terms or deductibles; it varies by insurance company. With liability-only, it is yours.

What both choices leave out

Your deductible. Collision and comprehensive pay after it.
A loan bigger than the car's value after a total loss, unless you carry gap or loan payoff coverage.
A rental while yours is in the shop, unless you add rental reimbursement.

One more California rule: if you are the uninsured one

If you are hurt in a crash while driving or owning an uninsured car, California generally bars you from recovering non-economic damages — pain and suffering — even when the other driver was at fault (Civil Code section 3333.4, Proposition 213). Liability-only coverage keeps you outside that rule; no coverage at all puts you inside it. See driving without insurance in California.

Want to see both options priced side by side — with the uninsured motorist choices spelled out? Auto World compares California companies in one call. Call (619) 363-4466 or start online.

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Full Coverage vs Liability in California: Who Pays in 8 Common Crashes