full coverage on a vehical

Dear Terri, The phrase "full coverage" is one of the biggest misnomers that exists in the world of insurance.  It is a phrase that is commonly used by insurance agents in their effort to reassure consumers that they will be protected under any and all conditions.  Unfortunately, the reality is that "full coverage" is meaningless without context, and you become lulled into a false sense of security by thinking you have more coverage than you do... which you don't find out until you actually become involved in a collision! You did not specify exactly how much coverage you have.  I assume you are referring to "Collision" coverage-- where you pay a deductible following the incident and the insurance company compensates you for the fair market value of the totalled vehicle.  You will most certainly want to ask the insurance claims representative to send you a copy of your automobile policy, including a document (often called the "Declarations") indicating your coverage availabilities. As I've discussed in a previous response, the insurance company generally only has to pay you for the fair market value of your vehicle measured at the time of the loss.  If you had obtained financing for your vehicle, you may still have obligations to pay off the balance before you are released from that debt.   For more information about the "Myth of Full Coverage," see: http://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/the-myth-of-full-coverage-auto-insurance. Best of luck to you, Lance Ladendorf, Esq.

Typically when people refer to "full coverage" they mean both liability and collision coverage.  Collision coverage covers property damage to your vehicle in the event of an accident.  However, nearly all insurance policies will only pay fair market value for your vehicle in the event of a total loss.  It sounds to me as though you owed more on the vehicle than its fair market value, often referred to as being "upside down."  Unless you had what is called "gap coverage," the most you could expect to receive for your totalled vehicle is the fair market value of that vehicle based on the the mileage, condition and options on the car at the time it was totaled.