What Does A Deductible Mean For Car Insurance?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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A: A deductible is

the amount you’re responsible for paying when you have a covered comprehensive or collision loss

. Think of it as a copay — like you have with health insurance. There are two types of auto coverage that have deductibles: collision and comprehensive.

How do car insurance deductibles work?

A car insurance deductible is

the amount of money you have to pay toward repairs before your insurance covers the rest

.. For example, if you’re in an accident that causes $3,000 worth of damage to your car and your deductible is $500, you will only have to pay $500 toward the repair.

What does it mean when you have a $1000 deductible?

A deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket when you make a claim. Deductibles are usually a specific dollar amount, but they can also be a percentage of the total amount of insurance on the policy. For example, if you have a deductible of $1,000 and you have an auto accident that costs $4,000 to repair your car.

What is a good deductible for car insurance?

Generally, drivers tend to have

average deductibles of $500

. Common deductible amounts also include $250, $1000, and $2000, according to WalletHub. You can also select separate comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles.

How can I avoid paying my car insurance deductible?

What To Do If You Can’t Afford Your Car Insurance Deductible. If you want to file a claim but cannot pay your deductible, you have a few options.

You can set up a payment plan with the mechanic, put the charge on a credit card, take out a loan

, or save up until you can afford the deductible.

Do you have to pay deductible upfront?

A health insurance deductible is a specified amount

or capped limit you must pay first before your insurance will begin paying your medical costs

. For example, if you have a $1000 deductible, you must first pay $1000 out of pocket before your insurance will cover any of the expenses from a medical visit.

Do I have to pay my deductible to fix someone else’s car?


You won’t have to pay a deductible

for the damage to the other car, but you will have to pay a deductible to have your car insurance cover the damages to your car.

Do you pay a deductible every time for car insurance?


You have to pay a deductible any time you make a claim for your car insurance

. … You have to pay a deductible any time you make a claim for your car insurance. The deductible is an agreed-upon amount that you have to pay out of pocket whenever you make an insurance claim before the insurer will cover the cost of damages.

Does a deductible have to be paid upfront for car insurance?

According to AutoInsuranceQuote,

some insurance companies do not require you to pay your deductible up front

. … For example, if your claim is valued at $10,000 and your deductible is $500, your auto insurance company will write you a check for $9500. That is the amount of your claim minus your deductible.

Why do I have to pay a deductible if I not at fault?

A car insurance deductible is the amount of money you agree to pay out of pocket when you file an insurance claim. … A deductible is commonly required

with collision coverage

, which is coverage that would protect you in an accident that’s not your fault.

What deductible is full coverage?

The lowest available deductible for collision and comprehensive coverage. Some companies offer a $0 deductible, but in most cases, it will be

$100, $250

, or up to $500 per incident.

How often do you pay a deductible?

A deductible is a set amount you have to pay

every year

toward your medical bills before your insurance company starts paying. It varies by plan and some plans don’t have a deductible. Your plan has a $1,000 deductible. That means you pay your own medical bills up to $1,000 for the year.

What is a good comprehensive deductible?

A good comprehensive deductible is an amount that the policyholder can afford to pay if their vehicle is suddenly damaged by something other than a car accident, such as vandalism or a natural disaster. Comprehensive insurance deductibles typically range from

$100 to $1,000

, but they can sometimes be as high as $2,500.

Can you make payments on a deductible?

First of all, you can

ask the mechanic to bill the insurance company

, minus the deductible, and allow you to make payments to them for the balance of the bill. … The other option is that you can ask the mechanic to bill the insurance company, minus the deductible, and then ask them to waive the deductible completely.

Can I get my deductible waived?

Deductibles can be waived in some circumstances (depending on which state) such as being

less than 50% at-fault

, claiming for glass repair or having uninsured motorist property damage coverage. As a general rule, it’s good to be wary of auto body shops that offer to waive a deductible.

What do you do after someone hits your car?

  1. Stop everything and don’t panic. …
  2. Gather information from the other driver. …
  3. Don’t admit fault. …
  4. Gather contact information from witnesses. …
  5. Take pictures. …
  6. Call and report the accident to the police. …
  7. Call your insurance provider.
David Martineau
Author
David Martineau
David is an interior designer and home improvement expert. With a degree in architecture, David has worked on various renovation projects and has written for several home and garden publications. David's expertise in decorating, renovation, and repair will help you create your dream home.