Car insurance policies have two types of excess: compulsory and voluntary, which can make it confusing to know how much you will pay if you make a claim.
When it’s time to make a claim, it’s important to know that you’ll pay the combined total of your compulsory and voluntary excess. If you’re unsure what this means, or how to find the total amount, you’re in the right place.
As part of our Know Your Policy series, we’ll cover everything you need to know about paying the excess when making a claim on your Policy Expert car insurance policy, making sure you’re not caught out by unexpected costs.
Compulsory excess
This is a fixed amount that you must always pay when you make a claim on your insurance. The amount will depend on the policy type that you choose and your age. If you are aged between 21 – 24 years old, there will be there an extra amount of excess to pay.
Voluntary excess
This is an extra amount you choose to pay, on top of your compulsory excess. When you buy your policy, we’ll offer you a range of options, so you can pick a higher or lower voluntary excess.
Making a claim: Paying a combined excess
When you make a claim, you’ll pay the total of your compulsory and voluntary excess. Here’s an example of how these costs add up:
| Gold excess example for a 26 year old* | |
| Compulsory Excess | £100 |
| Voluntary Excess | £200 |
| Total Combined Excess | £300 |
*Please remember: The compulsory excess amount can change, and this is only an example.
Checking your excess
We provide a full excess breakdown with your quote, and again when you buy your policy. You can find this information on your schedule which was sent in your welcome email, or by logging into the customer portal.
Why you need to pay both
When you buy your policy, you agree to pay both the compulsory and voluntary excess amounts. It’s important to understand that these are not separate payments for different things; they simply add together to form your initial payment of any claim costs.
What about the excess for windscreen repairs or replacement?
We include windscreen cover with Silver and Gold policies, and the excess works a bit differently for these claims. There’s a pre-set windscreen repair or replacement excess that applies specifically to these claims, and you don’t have to worry about paying the voluntary and compulsory excesses from your overall policy.
Want to check something on your policy?
Remember, you can find your policy information on your schedule, which was sent in your purchase confirmation email, or by logging into the customer portal.
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