Type the excess on your policy and the cost of the damage.
Is it worth claiming? (optional)
You pay £500.00
Your total excess is £500.00. On a £1,200.00 claim your insurer would pay £700.00.
Claiming still leaves you about £250.00 better off after the higher premiums.
Ask your insurer how much a claim would change your premium. Some count a claim even if you don't take the money, so ask how they treat reported incidents.
Compulsory and voluntary excess
The compulsory excess is set by the insurer and you can't change it. Young drivers and drivers of high-performance cars usually face a higher one. The voluntary excess is an amount you choose to add on top. Raising it can lower your premium, but you pay both parts on every claim, so only pick a figure you could afford to pay tomorrow.
When a claim may not be worth it
If the damage costs only a little more than your excess, the payout can be smaller than the extra you'd pay in premiums once you lose no-claims years. Windscreen claims often have a separate, lower excess and many insurers don't count them against your discount, so check your policy wording.
Excess when it wasn't your fault
If another driver was to blame, you may get your excess back once your insurer recovers its costs from theirs. Until then you may still have to pay it. Our guide to car insurance excess explains it in more detail.
The starting figures are examples, not prices we've checked or quotes. Replace them with figures from your own policy, quote or receipts. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.
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