How To Define An Insurance Deductible

Posted on April 11 2010 by Paul Taylor

All insurance policies should be understood properly by the payer. Sometimes this can be challenging because of the amount of information contained. Any thing that is not understood, should be explained by the insurance agent, before a payment is made.

The most misleading part of the policy, is the money that will have to be provided by the insured individual in addition to the premium for necessary repairs. The amount of a deductible will involve a self-evaluation, and personal circumstances. If the applicant personally thinks an accident is likely then the deductible should be a low amount, and the monthly payment higher.

Excess is a term used on policies instead of the word deductible. Either way, this is defined as the expense that will have to be compensated by the owner and operator of the crashed vehicle. When a percentage is used to find the amount of a deductible. The total amount the will be needed to fix the vehicle is assessed. Then the percentage will be subtracted from that. The insured pays the percentage and the insurance company pays the rest.

When confronted with a minor collision, take into consideration the estimate of damage before immediately notifying the insurance company. If you broke a tail light, scratched the bumper, and have a dent in the trunk, chances are if your deductible is high, you will be better off not telling your insurance company. Especially if you backed into something and caused the damage. Reporting this will raise your risk standings. Ask yourself which alternative will be financially feasible. In most states, you will need to fix the tail light only for inspections, but the dent and scratches are legal.

There are benefits for not reporting every little fender bender. This is a reward for keeping a safe driving record, and choosing a wise alternative. Either a lower premium, or a check from the insurance company is used.

When reviewing a policy there will be several types of deductibles. There is one that is a base across the board for every insured consumer that chooses the company. The others are used as a method to raise the amount the insured is responsible for, in order to decrease the monthly amount paid.

Chances are likely of an excess or deductible having a significant rise, when a rookie driver is applying for insurance. Whether an addition to an existing policy, or a new individual policy, either way the risk factor is increased and the deductible will be raised.

In conclusion, there is always a set amount that will have to be paid by the insured. This amount can be fluctuated, depending on the variables of the individual policy. Sometimes changing this fixed charge can save money, and sometimes it is not feasible. The choice is yours.
About the Author:
Graham McKenzie is the content Syndication Manager at Insurance123.co.za South Africans leading car insurance information portal

Similar Posts:

Share

Leave a Reply