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 policy can be manipulated to fit a budget. The excess or deductible is the amount subtracted from the sum received for repairs as a result of a wreck. Sometimes this is presented as a percentage of the vehicle value, and other times it is a fixed amount.
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.
Instead of filing a claim expecting the insurance company to pay for damages, you can utilize the route of receiving a benefit for not filing a claim. You cannot file a claim and use this benefit at the same time, these two options cancel each other. There may be an incentive via a credit to your premium, or a slightly lowered premium. Also you could be entitled to a payment from the insurance company.
Although excess payments are a bit misleading, the decision as to the sum is up to the policy holder. There are couple selections that need described. Upon acceptance of a policy, there will be a fixed amount that will not be lowered. It is possible with most companies to tweak the deductible to cater to the financial needs of the individual.
Sometimes the choice of an additional deductible is out of your hands. When a new driver is added to a policy, the risk level increases and an extra amount will be added to the original deductible. Another example limiting the choice in this matter, is attempting to add an individual that constantly violates traffic laws, or has frequent accidents.
In summary, deductibles and excesses are explained in the policy. The option to evaluate, and change this amount to be more than the base amount, is up to you.
Graham McKenzie is the content Syndication Manager at Insurance123.co.za South Africans leading car insurance information portal
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