What is car insurance excess?

An excess is an amount you may have to pay in the event of a claim. Insurance is designed to cover you for the more expensive claims that you couldn’t settle by yourself. If there was no excess set, then this may encourage drivers to claim for minor damage such as scrapes and scratches on bodywork. This is why the excess is set.

There are two types of excess: compulsory and voluntary. We set your compulsory excess and you choose your voluntary excess. Both amounts are automatically added together, and this is what you will have to pay in the event of making a claim, so ensure you are comfortable with the amount.